Summer Work: Onboarding and Offboarding Temp Employees Securely

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For many businesses, the summer brings with it a surge of temporary employees, increasing the need for efficient and secure onboarding and offboarding processes. Failing to secure these can lead to data breaches and unauthorized access, putting your company at risk. This article highlights the critical steps to ensure your temporary workforce is managed securely, protecting your company’s data and systems from potential threats.

Secure Onboarding

Identity Verification

Implement robust verification processes to confirm the identity of new hires. This includes:

• Personal Documentation: Request official documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, or government-issued IDs. Verify these documents through trusted verification services, such as uCheck.
• Background Checks: Conduct comprehensive background checks to verify employment history, qualifications, and any potential red flags. Use reputable third-party services for right to work and criminal record checks. 

Access Provisioning

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Implement RBAC to ensure temporary employees only have access to the systems and data necessary for their roles. Regularly review and update access permissions.
• Secure Credentials: Issue unique, secure login credentials for each employee. Utilize strong password policies and consider multi-factor authentication (MFA) for additional security.
• Temporary Access: Set expiration dates for temporary access, ensuring that it automatically expires at the end of the employment period.

Device Provisioning

• Pre-Configured Devices: Provide company devices pre-configured with necessary software and security settings. This ensures consistency and reduces the risk of security breaches. 
• Mobile Device Management (MDM): Use MDM solutions to manage and secure company devices. MDM can enforce security policies, remotely wipe data if a device is lost or stolen, and monitor device usage.
• Secure Software Installation: Ensure all software installed on company devices is from trusted sources and kept up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Operum Tech can remotely configure and provision devices, ensuring they are pre-installed with necessary software and security settings. This includes setting up user accounts, installing antivirus software, and applying encryption.

Training

• Security Training: Conduct comprehensive security training for new employees. Cover topics such as password management and safe internet practices.
• Company Policies: Educate new hires on company policies related to data security, acceptable use, and reporting suspicious activities.

Need help training? Operum Tech provides remote training sessions to help employees understand how to use the devices securely, including navigating installed software and adhering to security protocols.

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Efficient Offboarding

Access Revocation

• Immediate Revocation: As soon as an employee’s tenure ends, promptly revoke access to all systems, networks, and applications. 
• Access Logs Review: Regularly review access logs to ensure no lingering permissions or unauthorized access attempts.
• Automated Processes: Utilize automated tools to manage and revoke access, ensuring no system is overlooked.

Data Security

• Data Backup: Securely back up any data the departing employee was working on. Ensure it is stored in a secure location and accessible to necessary personnel.
• Data Archiving: Archive relevant data in compliance with company policies and legal requirements, ensuring it remains protected and accessible for future needs.
• Data Wipe: For data stored on company devices, perform a thorough data wipe to remove all sensitive information before reassigning the device.

Device Management

• Return of Devices: Ensure all company-issued devices are returned promptly. Create a checklist for returning items such as laptops, mobile phones, and other equipment.
• Device Inspection: Inspect returned devices for any damages or unauthorized software. Ensure they are in working order before re-provisioning.
• Data Wipe and Reconfiguration: Perform a complete data wipe and reconfiguration of returned devices. Install necessary software and security settings to prepare them for the next user.

Operum Tech’s remote services can grant and manage access rights, ensuring employees receive timely access to the necessary systems and applications. Our automated tools reduce the risk of human error and ensure that permissions are always up-to-date or revoked in real-time as employee roles change (or leave the company), maintaining strict control over who can access sensitive data.

Exit Interviews

• Security Feedback: Conduct exit interviews to gather feedback on the security and efficiency of the offboarding process. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement.
• Final Checklist: Use an exit checklist to ensure all offboarding steps are completed, including access revocation, device return, and data handling.

Conclusion

Ensuring secure onboarding and offboarding processes is always critical, of course, but especially so during the summer when temporary employees are common. 

By following these secure onboarding and offboarding steps for temp employees, you will minimize the possible threats to your data and systems. If you’d like Operum Tech’s touchless support services to enhance these processes for your business, get in touch with us today.