The Epoch Blog

Power X, a large energy conglomerate, allows remote employees and contractors to access company systems via a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The company’s technical team would prefer on-site access only, but they learned quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic that such security precautions seemingly hinder business continuity.

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way people work all over the globe. Many companies now openly recognize that a remote workforce can be productive, cost-effective, and collaborative. The well-known insurance company, Allstate, perfectly illustrates the movement towards remote work. Before the pandemic, only 20% of its workforce was remote; now, 75% work from home.

The scenario: A massive cargo ship travels somewhere between the Panama Canal and Gibraltar. It’s late August and a new tropical storm just formed off the coast of Africa, headed straight up the middle of this heavily used shipping channel.