The debate about remote work is over. Hybrid is here to stay. But for many businesses, the "infrastructure" supporting remote employees is still a patchwork of personal laptops, home Wi-Fi, and whatever tools people figured out on their own during the pandemic.
That worked as a temporary fix. It doesn't work as a permanent strategy. Unsecured devices, unmanaged connections, and inconsistent tooling create security vulnerabilities, productivity gaps, and support nightmares.
Here's what a properly built hybrid work infrastructure actually looks like.
The Foundation: Identity and Access Management
Before you worry about devices or applications, you need to answer one fundamental question: how do you control who can access what, from where?
Single sign-on (SSO) — Employees log in once and get access to all their business applications. No more juggling a dozen passwords. No more shared credentials on sticky notes. SSO is the foundation of both security and usability.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) — Every login requires a second verification step. Non-negotiable for remote access. If an employee's password is compromised, MFA prevents the attacker from getting in.
Conditional access policies — Access rules that adapt based on context. Logging in from the office on a company device? Full access. Logging in from an unfamiliar location on a personal phone? Require additional verification or block sensitive applications entirely.
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) handles all of this within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. If you're already on M365, you have the building blocks — they just need to be configured.
Secure Connectivity
Remote employees need to reach company resources securely. There are two main approaches:
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between the employee's device and your company network. It's the traditional approach and still relevant for businesses with on-premises servers, file shares, or line-of-business applications that require network access.
What to look for: Split-tunnel capability (only business traffic goes through the VPN), always-on configuration, and integration with your identity management for MFA-protected connections.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
The modern alternative to VPN. Instead of connecting users to your entire network, ZTNA grants access to specific applications based on the user's identity, device health, and context. No broad network access means a compromised device can't be used to explore your internal systems.
Best for: Cloud-first businesses where most applications are SaaS or hosted, and on-premises network access isn't required.
Many businesses use both — VPN for legacy systems and ZTNA for cloud applications.
Device Management
When employees work from home, their devices are outside your office firewall. You need visibility and control:
Mobile Device Management (MDM) — Platforms like Microsoft Intune let you enforce security policies on every device that accesses company data: encryption requirements, PIN/password policies, automatic updates, and the ability to remotely wipe a lost or stolen device.
Company-owned vs. BYOD — Company-issued devices give you full control. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies save hardware costs but require careful containerization — keeping business data in a managed container separate from personal data.
Endpoint protection — Every device needs active antivirus, anti-malware, and threat detection that's centrally managed and monitored. Personal antivirus software installed by the employee isn't sufficient.
Automated patching — Devices outside the office network don't receive automatic updates from your internal patch management. Cloud-based patching ensures remote devices stay current regardless of location.
Collaboration Platform
Your team needs a central hub for communication and collaboration. Not three separate tools — one platform:
Microsoft Teams is the obvious choice for M365 environments. It consolidates:
- Chat and messaging — Replaces internal email for quick communication. Channels keep conversations organized by project or department.
- Video conferencing — Meetings, webinars, and screen sharing with recording and transcription.
- File collaboration — Documents shared in Teams are stored in SharePoint, with real-time co-authoring, version history, and access controls.
- Phone system — Teams Phone replaces traditional desk phones with a cloud-based system. Employees make and receive business calls from their laptop or mobile device, anywhere.
- Integration hub — Connect third-party apps, automate workflows with Power Automate, and build custom dashboards.
The key is standardization. When everyone is on the same platform, support is simpler, security is consistent, and collaboration is seamless.
Cloud Storage and File Access
Scattered files are one of the biggest productivity killers in hybrid environments. Employees need to access the same files from the office, from home, and from mobile devices — without emailing attachments or using personal cloud storage.
OneDrive for personal files with 1 TB per user. SharePoint for shared team files and document libraries with granular permissions. Both sync locally for offline access and update automatically when connectivity returns.
What to get right:
- Folder structure and permissions that mirror your organizational structure
- Clear naming conventions and version control
- DLP policies that prevent sensitive files from being shared externally
- Sync client deployed and configured on all managed devices
Security for the Distributed Workforce
Remote work expands your attack surface. Every home network, every coffee shop Wi-Fi connection, and every personal device is a potential entry point. Your security posture needs to account for this:
Email security — Phishing is the #1 threat to remote workers who don't have a colleague to lean over and ask, "Does this email look weird to you?" Advanced email protection with AI-powered detection is critical.
DNS filtering — Block malicious websites at the DNS level, regardless of where the device is located. Employees are protected whether they're on your office network or their home Wi-Fi.
Security awareness training — Regular, targeted training that teaches employees to recognize threats. Remote workers face unique risks — fake IT support calls, compromised home routers, unsecured public Wi-Fi — and need training that addresses those scenarios.
Data loss prevention — Policies that prevent sensitive data from being copied to personal storage, shared with unauthorized recipients, or sent to personal email accounts.
Encrypted communications — Business conversations should happen on business platforms with encryption in transit and at rest. Not personal texting apps or consumer email.
Reliable Internet as a Business Dependency
This gets overlooked constantly. When employees work from home, their consumer-grade internet connection becomes your business infrastructure.
You can't control your employees' ISP, but you can:
- Set minimum bandwidth requirements for roles that depend on video conferencing or large file transfers
- Provide a stipend for employees to upgrade their home internet
- Deploy cellular failover devices for critical roles so a home internet outage doesn't mean a lost workday
- Optimize application delivery with cloud-based tools that perform well on variable connections
The Checklist
Use this as a starting point for evaluating your hybrid work readiness:
- [ ] SSO and MFA configured for all business applications
- [ ] Conditional access policies enforcing device and location-based rules
- [ ] VPN or ZTNA deployed for secure access to company resources
- [ ] All devices enrolled in MDM with security policies enforced
- [ ] Endpoint protection centrally managed on every device
- [ ] Automated patching for remote devices
- [ ] Microsoft Teams (or equivalent) deployed as the standard collaboration platform
- [ ] Cloud storage configured with proper permissions and DLP policies
- [ ] Email security with advanced threat protection
- [ ] DNS filtering active on all managed devices
- [ ] Security awareness training program in place
- [ ] Backup solution covering cloud and device data
- [ ] IT support accessible remotely with defined SLAs
If you can't check every box, you have gaps that are costing you productivity, security, or both.
We Build Hybrid Work Infrastructure
At Pivvr, we help businesses build the IT foundation that makes hybrid work actually work — secure, productive, and manageable. From Microsoft 365 deployment and device management to VPN configuration and security hardening, we handle the entire stack.
Your team should be able to work from anywhere without your IT becoming a liability.
Need to get your hybrid work infrastructure right? Contact us today — we'll assess your current setup and close the gaps.