Home security for the hybrid worker

Original publish date: 27th January 2023

Last updated: 9 January 2025

Home security for the hybrid worker 

Hybrid working means that some days you may work from home, and other times you’ll be based in the office. Although it’s a modern and flexible way to work, and it has a whole array of benefits, hybrid workers may also face some extra security concerns. 

But fear not! Fortunately, there are plenty of preventative measures that you can take to help protect your home, your belongings, and yourself, whilst hybrid working. Keep reading for all the advice you need to know.

Install a home security system

A home security system is the best way to protect your home, yourself, and belongings - whether you’re working inside the house or out at the office.

Outdoor cameras

Outdoor cameras do two jobs: they can act as a burglar deterrent - helping prevent people from breaking into your home and they can provide crucial evidence of a crime if it occurs. 

For those days that you’re out of the house at the office, outdoor cameras can reliably watch over your property’s exterior for you. This lets criminals know that there’s someone watching, and that they won’t get away with stealing from or damaging your property. 

Plus, if you’re working from the office, you’ll be able to watch what’s going on around your home through your smartphone via the app. This means you know exactly who’s outside your home - from parcel deliveries to loiterers.

Indoor cameras

Want to see what’s happening inside your home when you’re not in, or perhaps you thought you heard a noise when you were busy working in your home office? An indoor camera lets you check that everything is in order, and can also help you to keep an eye on indoor pets. When working, wherever you are, quickly checking your phone will provide some extra peace of mind and let you get your work done worry free. 

Indoor cameras are also extremely helpful for recording footage of a crime, as criminals may not be expecting cameras inside, or will likely get closer to them than they would to outdoor cameras. This makes it far easier to identify a perpetrator, and can also provide great evidence for insurance claims in the event that your home is broken into.

Video doorbell

Lots of households are choosing to invest in a Video Doorbell for their front door. They’re helpful for alerting you to visitors at your front door, from doorstep scammers to delivery people - wherever you may be. 

During an important online meeting when working from home, a Video Doorbell lets you check whether you need to answer the door right at that moment. Or, you can speak to people at your front door from out of the house at the office. This is helpful for giving instructions to delivery drivers, or letting wrongdoers know that you’re watching and they need to leave.

Professional monitoring 

If you’re looking for additional peace of mind, especially on the days when you head into the office, then invest in a professional monitoring service. 

A full, comprehensive home security system that comes with professional monitoring can alert both you and our monitoring centre to any potential threats - and even send police presence or a trained security guard to check out your property, if an intruder is detected. 

Professional monitoring is far more effective than self-monitoring alone, as it’s reactive, reduces delayed response time to an alert, and can generally just give you peace of mind that your home is protected - wherever you’re working. 

For more information on how professional monitoring works and if it’s right for you, check out our comprehensive guide. 

Panic button

If you want to feel extra safe when working from home, having a Panic Button gives you a quick, effective way to call for help without needing a phone. 

If you’re at home during a break-in, or you find yourself in another dangerous situation, it takes seconds to trigger your Panic Button. This will send out a silent or audible alarm, and alert the authorities if you don’t confirm that you’re safe - when coupled with professional monitoring. 

A Panic Button is best placed where you spend the most time; when working from home, it’s a good idea to have it easily accessible from your workstation, such as on your desk or inside an easy-to-reach drawer.

Alarm sensors 

There are many different techniques used by burglars, and one of these is avoiding forced entry. If you’re concerned that you may not be aware that your home has been broken into, whether you’re working away with headphones on or based in the office, then home security alarm sensors can help. 

Alarm sensors are triggered in different ways, but all alert you to the presence of someone who should not be there, via an alarm, your app, and when linked to a professional monitoring service. These include:

• Motion sensors what can detect an intruder with a 90º field of view and 35 ft. range

• Entry sensors which set an alarm when a window or door has been opened from than 2 inches away from the magnet 

• Glassbreak sensors that trigger an alarm when it detects the sound of broken glass, up to 20 inches away

Make your home look occupied 

A home that looks unoccupied may be a more likely target for burglars - as they believe they won’t get caught breaking into your property. Whether you’re in the office or quietly working away upstairs, lack of movement and sound - anything that makes it look like someone is there - may indicate that your home is unoccupied. 

However, there are ways around this to make your home look occupied. Small actions like porch lights on a timer, a radio playing in the background, and ensuring no mail is left on your doorstep is a great start. 

Use a VPN

Physical security aside, it’s also important to take steps to protect your personal data - especially when accessing private company information. 

Using a trusted VPN means that your network will be safely encrypted, reducing the risk of hackers gaining access to your information. This is especially important when working from home, as you don’t want to be responsible for a data leak or hack that negatively impacts your company. Luckily, a VPN keeps all of your browsing history private and protects you from spying eyes or malicious hackers. 

Dispose of documents correctly 

If you’re working from home regularly, you may have a lot of private, confidential and sensitive printed documents laying around the house. However, like using a VPN, you want to ensure that all this information is secured properly, and is disposed of correctly when no longer needed - as a criminal could leak this information or use this information for other criminal activities, after finding it in your bin or recycling. 

The best way to protect physical sensitive documents from getting into the wrong hands is to shred and recycle sensitive information. 

Be wary of scams

If you answer lots of emails as part of your work, you may be more likely to receive phishing emails. Be careful to verify that emails are from a trusted sender, and don’t click on any links that look suspicious. Even if an email is from a colleague, if it seems dodgy, it’s best to double-check that they haven’t been hacked before interacting with any links or documents. 

Read our blog post for in-depth advice about how to avoid common scams, for further insights into the different scams you may come across - especially when hybrid working. 

Pet security 

Many people who work fully remote, or have a hybrid working pattern in place, often have pets at home with them. If you have a set routine, where you will be out of the house for certain days or have dedicated times where you take your dog for a walk, a criminal could monitor these routines to try and steal your pet from you. 

Whilst indoor cameras can help keep an eye on your furry family member, you should also take other steps and precautions to prevent pet theft. This could include securing your garden, microchipping your pet, and being careful of what you post on social media. 

For more in-depth advice on pet security, explore our home security tips for dog owners and home security tips for cat owners, over on our blog. 

A SimpliSafe home security system ensures that your home is protected no matter where you are. Whether you work from home or elsewhere, rest assured that you’ll know what’s happening in your home 24/7. Contact us to find out more.