How to Integrate VPNs Into Remote Team Management

Due to remote work and the technology that supports it, today’s businesses can ignore the limits imposed by time zones and continents. Businesses of all sizes have access to a worldwide talent pool, which is a completely different way to operate.

But anything positive has some negatives. In this case, the main threat is cybercriminal activities. Without proper safeguards, the risk of a data leak or a ransomware attack (among others) is high.

For many small and medium-sized businesses, this can be a fatal blow. Still, fear shouldn’t guide your business decisions!

Your best approach is to build an efficient and well-structured protection system that starts with technology and ends with all your employees and collaborators. To give you a head start, let’s have a look at why all businesses with remote workers need a solid VPN solution.

We’ll talk about benefits, integration steps, and best practices interwoven with real-life advice from other entrepreneurs who understand the importance of proper cybersecurity.

Why VPNs are essential for remote teams

Cybersecurity threats have been increasing as remote work continues to grow. A study by Alliance Virtual Offices found that cyberattacks have risen by 238% since the onset of the pandemic, with remote workers being the primary targets.

According to Christopher Heer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Heer Law, unsecured remote work can pose bigger problems than data leaks:

“Security gaps also expose your company’s intellectual property to sophisticated cyber threats. I advise bolstering cybersecurity defenses now before your trade secrets fall into the wrong hands!”

The threat

The main reason behind this increase was a lack of awareness among remote workers and their employers/clients. For starters, many home networks are not safe for remote work.

But people don’t always work from home.

Many go to a coffee shop or travel and access public Wi-Fi networks. Others prefer co-working spaces, which are a bit safer but still shared.

If your business works with teams of remote workers spread all over the world, the vulnerabilities multiply exponentially.

The solution

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) addresses most remote-work-related issues by encrypting any data traveling between devices and your company’s network. This encryption protects sensitive information such as customer records, proprietary files, and financial details from being intercepted.

VPNs also shield employees’ online activities from potential surveillance or misuse when using external networks.

Yet, VPNs are not the be-all and end-all of cybersecurity.

No matter how good a VPN is, it can’t protect your entire security. This is why businesses often work with specialized companies, like Corsica Technologies, that can offer managed cybersecurity.

Managed cybersecurity solutions integrate tools like VPNs into larger security strategies. They also provide guidance based on your unique business needs and can monitor systems 24/7 for unusual activity to proactively address weaknesses before problems occur.

How to implement a VPN for remote team management

The stats about remote work show it’s not just a phase; remote work is here to stay and gives many businesses a serious competitive advantage. So, the natural next step (if you haven’t taken it yet) is to learn how to upgrade your remote team management with a VPN.

We broke the process into easy-to-manage steps:

Step 1: Choose a reliable VPN provider

Not all solutions offer features that fit your needs. This aspect is important because it can significantly impact your team’s productivity and security.

Here are three key factors to weigh when evaluating providers:

• Speed: A slow VPN can frustrate your team and disrupt workflows, especially when working with large files or participating in video calls. Look for a provider known for fast connections that won’t bottleneck performance.
• Encryption Standards: Look for providers using at least AES-256 encryption, which is considered the gold standard in cybersecurity today.
• Server Locations: If your team operates globally, the provider should have servers close to employees’ locations to minimize latency while maintaining reliable access.

In short, it’s like picking a car: you need something that combines efficiency (speed), safety (encryption), and coverage (server locations) based on how far you’re going as a business.

Don’t rush this decision, but don’t let it go unaddressed for too long! Take advantage of the free trials many providers offer to assess usability firsthand before committing to the long-term. Start to protect yourself with a VPN download as soon as possible.

Step 2: Establish clear security policies

A well-defined security policy sets expectations, clarifies responsibilities, and minimizes vulnerabilities that could harm your business and your workers (remote or not). It’s quite similar to establishing internal rules to ensure everyone’s safety while at work.

Patrick A. Salvi, Managing Equity Partner & Chairman at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., told us: “Just like maintaining compliance safeguards employees from physical harm, crafting clear security policies protects data and employees’ online activity. Both prioritize protection – one focuses on physical safety, the other on cybersecurity – forming a comprehensive approach to workplace well-being.”

For security, it’s crucial to establish clear access levels for employees and remote collaborators. Not everyone on your team needs access to financial records or proprietary development files. Limit permissions based on job roles to secure core company data even if your network security is compromised.

However, good policies are useless if people don’t understand their purpose. You must also train your remote workers on proper cybersecurity practices and the need to use VPNs in combination with other tools.

For instance, a 2019 study showed that weak passwords accounted for 30% of ransomware infections, making them the third most common cause globally. The problem of weak or reused passwords is more common than you think, so it’s best practice to combine a VPN solution with a reliable online password manager.

Step 3: Integrate VPN with your tools

Your business is probably using a bunch of software to improve efficiency, such as cloud platforms, AI tools for HR (especially for managing remote employees), project management systems, CRMS, and others.

All these tools can and should be integrated with your VPN solution of choice. The same applies to your company intranet.

The intranet has many advantages, especially from a security standpoint. Still, if you want to turn it into a centralized hub that remote workers and collaborators can access, you must route the traffic through a VPN.

Here’s how to do it:

• Configure the VPN Server: Set up the VPN to route traffic securely to your network.
• Cloud platform integration: Adjust settings to route connections through secure tunnels when accessing cloud services like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or AWS.
• Authentication protocols: Implement single sign-on (SSO) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) to simplify access.
• Application-specific routing: Configure split tunneling to direct traffic from specific tools (e.g., CRM, project management systems) through the VPN, leaving less critical traffic unaffected.

Step 4: Monitor and optimize VPN performance

A “set it and forget it” approach doesn’t work in cybersecurity. All your protection tools, including your VPN, need ongoing monitoring and optimization.

There’s a reason reliable VPN providers offer analytics tools to monitor usage patterns. These insights can highlight important metrics such as connection speeds, server load distribution, or areas with recurring slowdowns.

For example, switching employees to less crowded servers could dramatically improve speed without compromising security if you notice frequent bottlenecks during peak hours in certain locations.

Tracking this data also helps identify potential misuse or suspicious activity. Unusual login attempts from unknown regions may indicate a compromised account that needs immediate attention.

Outdated software is an open invitation for cybercriminals looking for vulnerabilities to exploit. Routine updates address these weaknesses while adding new features that enhance functionality and protection.

Legal and Compliance Considerations

“As remote work expands, the legal framework protecting sensitive data must evolve. Without robust safeguards, businesses risk breaches that not only compromise privacy but also expose them to liabilities impacting both their reputation and employees’ rights.” – E. Ryan Bradley, Attorney at The Bradley Law Firm.

Right now, frameworks like GDPR in the European Union and CCPA in California require strict safeguards for handling personal information. These and others worldwide mandate secure access protocols, encryption standards, and robust authentication processes as part of their compliance strategy.

The rules may seem a bit strict and costly (especially for small businesses), but aligning with these guidelines protects you from legal risks and shows accountability toward clients’ privacy.

When you know your data is protected, you can focus on other tasks crucial for growth, like learning how to build robust financial reports, streamlining operations, fostering customer relationships, and driving innovation within your team.

Beyond technical measures, regulations also shape internal policies. Many now demand that organizations maintain detailed records showing they’ve trained employees on cybersecurity practices and equipped them with tools like VPNs to stay compliant.

Conclusion

The growing cybersecurity threats and increasingly strict regulations indicate that VPNs are no longer optional for businesses managing remote teams! These solutions protect sensitive data, secure team communications, and ensure safe access to company systems worldwide.

By selecting the right provider, establishing clear policies, integrating with existing tools, and monitoring performance regularly, you set the foundation for success in today’s digital landscape.

Take the time to implement these best practices thoughtfully—it’s an investment in your remote workforce’s safety and seamless operations!