In light of the UK Government's recent announcement that staff should work from home again if they can, PaperCut is urging businesses to consider the cost and security implications of unmanaged remote print. In March this year businesses armed their staff with the tools they need to work from home, providing them with secure access to essential work-related online resources and services to ensure business continuity during lockdown. One area that's easily overlooked is how to mirror the good print behaviour exhibited in the workplace - designed to ensure document security and reduce print volumes and print costs - in remote locations.

With staff encouraged to work from home once more, PaperCut is advising businesses that unmanaged print - onsite or offsite - is a hidden but considerable cost, as well as a potential security risk.

There are many benefits to monitoring remote print and encouraging different print behaviour. The first is cost. At a time when some businesses have experienced a decline in growth during the last quarter, the cost of home printing is sobering; within the industry, it is estimated that printing to a desktop device can cost up to five times more compared to an office-based A3 multifunction device, increasing the risk of print costs escalating exponentially.

The second consideration is security. Many businesses have deployed intelligent print management solutions that can be combined with robust policies designed to reduce document-based data leaks. Even amid the pandemic, the expectations of GDPR haven't gone away; now, more than ever, companies need to keep a watchful eye on what is being printed, where it is being printed and whether those prints are secure.

PaperCut is advising that organisations follow these steps to keep remote print secure and print volumes down:

• Review your IT print policies - do you need to introduce new policies when it comes to printing to protect confidential documents while users are working remotely?
• Kick off some refreshed employee training on the importance of GDPR compliance in this new environment and the importance of minimising waste to keep costs under control
• Look for a cloud-based solution like PaperCut Views to track home printing
• Add a secure flexible printing solution like PaperCut Mobility Print, for employees who need to print securely over the internet and release their print jobs when they arrive at the office

Commenting on the issue, Steve Holmes (pictured), EMEA Regional Director at PaperCut, stated: "The new normal means that returning to our place of work will often be punctuated by periods of having to work from home again. While many businesses have done a terrific job of helping their staff work from home effectively, our concern is that the sort of print processes and print discipline displayed in the workplace may fall through the cracks when people work from home. This leaves companies vulnerable to security breaches as well as suddenly escalating costs as staff expense back their print costs. We're advising companies to keep best print practice and intelligent print management solutions on the agenda even when their staff are working remotely. That way, they will enjoy better ways to keep their data secure, reduce their print costs and waste, and find more flexible and touch-free ways to operate in a post-pandemic world."

More info: www.papercut.com