Hybrid working is still causing a lot of headaches for IT admins

A new HP study has unveiled just how much of a headache remote workers are giving IT admins when it comes to using work devices at home.

The news comes amid a global shift away from remote working as more companies look to reinstate office-working mandates, with many citing better productivity, but workers have not been happy about the changes.

HP’s analysis reckons that three-quarters (75%) of companies are struggling with IT operational challenges in the new world of hybrid working.

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Among the top challenges facing IT admins were ensuring data security (60%), keeping software on remote devices up-to-date (55%), and maximizing the accuracy of asset databases (also at 55%).

The research found that only 42% of companies perform firmware updates annually, with 23% every two years or less, and a further 12% “when essential.” This increased security vulnerability is further accentuated by remote workers, whereby business laptops might not be connected to company networks or inspected by admins as frequently as they would in the office.

Speaking of the flexibility brought on by digital working, HP Global Head of Security for Personal Systems Dr. Ian Pratt said: “As the workplace evolves, security must too. To offer secure, efficient, and user-friendly IT experiences in the future, companies will need an always-on endpoint management infrastructure that can support this new way of working.”

Given the circumstances, HP sees this as a perfect opportunity to plug its HP Wolf Protect and Trace, but more broadly, it found that four in five (82%) of respondents were considering investing in solutions that can geo-locate, lock, and erase PCs remotely.

Moving forward, HP suggests that a shift to “always-on” security will be vital to ensuring companies’ devices stay protected.