Revolutionizing Remote Work: The Importance of Virtual Desktops and Secure Remote Access

Abstract: Remote working necessitated the use of virtual desktops and remote access securely to continue working and upholding a cybersecurity posture. This study examines the extent to which the use of these technologies has been successful within organizations in Nigeria and Ghana using mixed-method research covering qualitative analysis of themes and quantitative regression analysis. Qualitative findings indicate workers welcome security enhancements and collaboration areas but are faced with extreme technical issues impacting productivity. Quantitative regression analysis indicates that perceived security change and collaboration both positively influence productivity but are not significantly different from zero, while technical issues are extremely negatively correlated with productivity (β = -0.7194, p = 0.009). Some key recommendations are overcoming technical challenges by improving network infrastructure, finding a balance between security and usability, and fine-tuning collaboration tools. The recommendations provide practical advice to organizations that wish to optimize remote work models and continue both productivity and security despite the more digital workplace.

Keywords: Remote Work, Human Resources, Virtual Desktops, Productivity, Security