The Complete Remote Working IT Setup for Small Business

Remote and hybrid working is standard now. Most small businesses have at least some people working from home some of the time. But the IT setup often hasn't caught up — people are using personal laptops, connecting over home WiFi with no security, and accessing company data through browsers with saved personal passwords.

Setting up remote working properly isn't complicated or expensive. Here's what it looks like for a team of 5–30 people.

Devices

Every remote worker should have a company-managed device. Not a personal laptop with company files on it — a device that your business controls, manages, and can wipe if needed.

• Windows laptops: Enrol in Microsoft Intune (included with Business Premium). Apply encryption, enforce password policies, deploy security configurations, and enable remote wipe.
• Macs: Manage through Jamf or Intune. Apply FileVault encryption, configure automatic updates, and enforce screen lock.
• Phones: If people access company email or Teams on their phone, enrol the device — or at minimum, use app protection policies that containerise company data separately from personal apps.

The non-negotiable: every device that touches company data must be encrypted, managed, and remotely wipeable.

Network Access

Home WiFi is fine for most remote workers, as long as the data they're accessing is protected in transit. For most small businesses using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, everything is already encrypted between the browser/app and Microsoft/Google's servers.

You don't need a VPN for cloud-based work. VPNs add complexity, slow connections, and create a false sense of security. If your applications are cloud-hosted, direct encrypted connections are simpler and equally secure.

If you have on-premise systems that remote workers need to access (a local file server, an application hosted in your office), then a VPN or zero-trust network access solution makes sense. But increasingly, the answer is to move those systems to the cloud rather than build remote access around them.

Identity and Access

This is where most remote setups fall down. Without MFA and Conditional Access, a stolen password gives an attacker full access to your company data from anywhere in the world — see our guide on what Zero Trust actually means for a small office.

• MFA on every account. Microsoft Authenticator app, not SMS.
• Conditional Access: Block sign-ins from countries you don't operate in. Require compliant devices for accessing sensitive data. Set session timeouts so idle sessions don't stay open indefinitely.
• Single sign-on: Where possible, use Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) as the identity provider for your other business tools. One login, one set of policies, one place to revoke access.

Collaboration

Microsoft Teams for communication and meetings. SharePoint and OneDrive for files. These are included in your Microsoft 365 licence and work seamlessly together. The key is setting them up with structure:

• Create Teams channels by project or department, not one channel for everything.
• Use SharePoint document libraries for shared files, not email attachments.
• Enable OneDrive Known Folder Move so users' local files are automatically backed up.
• Set clear expectations about where files live and how to find them.

Support

Remote workers need IT support that works remotely. That sounds obvious, but many businesses still rely on "bring it to the office and Dave will look at it." Remote support means:

• Helpdesk accessible via Teams chat, email, or phone — not just office walk-ups.
• Remote access tools so the IT provider can troubleshoot the device without the user bringing it in.
• Automated device monitoring that catches problems (low disk space, failed updates, security policy violations) before the user notices.

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Remote working IT isn't a different discipline from office IT. It's the same principles — managed devices, strong identity, protected data, reliable support — applied to people who aren't in the same room. Get the basics right and location becomes irrelevant. Our IT support service covers both office and remote teams under the same plan.