HMRC spent more than 90m on remote working technologies in the last 3 years

In the last three financial years, HM Revenue and Customs has spent more than 90 m on remote working technologies, according to official figures.

The data, obtained using the Parliament Street think tank Parliament Street, revealed that the taxman spent a total of 90,566, 908 dollars buying 187,427 devices, including laptops, mobiles, tablet computers and desktops.

HMRC bought 67,362 laptops during the three-year period and 22,400 under a lease-buy scheme. The total cost of the laptops came to 64,919, 643.

HMRC spent another 11,224,100 on tablet computers. The purchase of 54,000 tablets came from a lease-buy arrangement, with 4,180 bought outright.

HMRC also had mobile phones in demand at the time, with 38,813 acquired for the cost of 14,011, 745. 672 PCs were also purchased for the price of 411,420.

RiverSafe's security expert Suid Adeyanju, CEO RiverSafe, said: As one of the largest employers in the UK, it's encouraging to see HMRC equipping staff members with critical remote working technologies. As an organisation that manages the personal details of millions of people and businesses, it is essential that all staff be educated in the latest cyber awareness programs and have the right technology in place to protect data when a device is lost or stolen.

Remote work will continue to be a crucial part of economic growth, but with increased risk of a data breach or ransomware attack, so upskilling and reskilling existing employees should be a top priority for all government departments, Adeyanju said. Security specialist Andy Ward, VP of Absolute Software, said remote work plays a crucial role in allowing employees to operate efficiently, but the reality is that every new device purchase is a potential access point for cyber criminals. Companies tasked with managing large amounts of highly private information should have the systems in place to track, block and wipe all information in the event of loss or theft.

The ability to access corporate data across all mobile devices and platforms is crucial to staying productive while ensuring that the highest levels of security are maintained. In order to keep hackers and insider threats away, taking a zero trust approach to making sure the right information is being accessed, by the right people, at the right time across all devices, regardless of the network they're using will help keep them at bay. Forward thinking groups will continue to invest in remote working technologies like laptops and tablets, but this is the initial step in empowering employees with the devices they need to thrive in the workplace, Zoho tech expert Sridhar Iyengar said. To ensure seamless collaboration and professional development, this must becomplemented with a long-term strategy to offer workers access to the latest software, enabling seamless collaboration on projects and facilitating their professional development.

With a complete approach to remote employment and employee empowerment, organizations will fully leverage the advantages offered by digital technologies and unlock their true potential.