Do you use your own equipment to work from home?

No. Very unusual.

There's usually security concerns with people using there own equipment and connecting into a work network.

A company isn't able to manage or monitor what goes on in a personal device which is why they normally don't let them connect to their network.

I would think a bank , who has people's sensitive personal information would be more vigilant.

I think few companies do that . I believe it's called a VDI but I'm not a techie

Lunita wrote: ↑ So I am gonna start a new job soon and they called me today to let me know that they will send me at home a VPN token and nothing else. I asked about a laptop and they said that every employee use their own equipment. Is this normal?

I am worried about the privacy part, I would prefer to keep my personal information separate than work information.

Maybe you have a contract job?
And not full time?

canada85000 wrote: ↑ Maybe you have a contract job?
And not full time?

No, it's a permanent position but a US bank

Likely using virtual desktops - ie: vdi.

Your machine will connect to a VPN and you'll remote into a vdi instance which will talk to their internal applications.

Hence your personal "stuff" will never touch their stuff as you'll be in a remote session on a desktop in their infrastructure.

Not abnormal by any means for covid remote working.

paf wrote: ↑ I think few companies do that . I believe it's called a VDI but I'm not a techie

Ya. And I'm also not a bank for my employer to reduce its costs. I'm making lots of comprises working from home but if this crap is permanent, I'll be asking for paid internet. Paid separate phone line, ergonomic assessment and all required office furniture paid. I'll be dammed if my company chops 50 off its RE costs on to my bloody back.

XmasTreelights wrote: ↑ Ya. And I'm also not a bank for my employer to reduce its costs. I'm making lots of comprises working from home but if this crap is permanent, I'll be asking for paid internet. Paid separate phone line, ergonomic assessment and all required office furniture paid. I'll be dammed if my company chops 50 off its RE costs on to my bloody back.

Yes, my laptop is old and slow, there is no way I will be able to do any work so I am considering getting a new one

Not normal.

We sent everyone company issued laptop’s to use while WFH.

That's definitely not normal for an employee of the company. Our IT department couriers a laptop with same day delivery, sign on delivery, and an ID check the day new remote employees start.

It's not unusual for companies to require contractors to use their own equipment and just remote in to a virtual instance for any secure software they need to access, though.

My previous company issued laptops, but our internal and secure systems were so segregated that every remote employee needed to use 2 step auth into a VPN, and then a second set of 2-step auth using a second token to get into a virtual instance that was the only gateway to the secure network. Even while on site, we had to 2 step authenticate to a virtual instance to access the tools.

That wasn't for everyone, though. Only a dozen of us had access to those secure systems.

Critical infrastructure is fun times.

The bank should be more worried about your device than you.

I work from home using my own (old) laptop. I log into the work network via vpn. I also use my own cell phone.

My situation is a bit unique, because I chose to move to another city, quite far from my employer's office. I was very willing to make some concessions in order to keep my job, and the same salary I was earning while working in the office full time.

NickL645 wrote: ↑ Likely using virtual desktops - ie: vdi.

Your machine will connect to a VPN and you'll remote into a vdi instance which will talk to their internal applications.

Hence your personal "stuff" will never touch their stuff as you'll be in a remote session on a desktop in their infrastructure.

Not abnormal by any means for covid remote working.

Yes, came to say the same. Not everyone does this but seems to be turning more into the norm. At my company (large global corp), they have all contractors doing this and have given f/t people the option. I imagine they'll eventually make this the norm for f/t people as well. Would be nice if they take some of those equipment savings and pass it along to employees tho.

Lunita wrote: ↑ Yes, my laptop is old and slow, there is no way I will be able to do any work so I am considering getting a new one

You might be surprised. In a proper VDI/Digital workspace deployment the device in front of you is just pushing pixels. In a past life, we would do customer demos with running Autocad on an iPad because the iPad was just a display. The application is running "on the cloud."
Many people view true BYOD work from anywhere capability as a positive.
*Edit: I had a former colleague work from an Apple TV with a keyboard connected for a week when he had issues with his PC. This kind of technology is pretty empowering.

My old PC based worked was like that when they used PC. It opens up a new window that fully goes into their network. While my normal outside connection was unaffected.

This isnt really normal for a big company.

Lunita wrote: ↑ Yes, my laptop is old and slow, there is no way I will be able to do any work

Tell them that and request a work laptop
A laptop is nothing for an established company, let alone a bank.

Ask to provide one.

MP3_SKY wrote: ↑ Tell them that and request a work laptop
A laptop is nothing for an established company, let alone a bank.

Ask to provide one.

If he wants to work. He needs to have all the tools he needs to work, whether it's buying tools or in this case a computer.

Mechanic buys his own tools, rigwelder buys his own machine, a paper pusher gets his own laptop

Else he can just get a different job.

tmkf_patryk wrote: ↑ If he wants to work. He needs to have all the tools he needs to work, whether it's buying tools or in this case a computer.

Mechanic buys his own tools, rigwelder buys his own machine, a paper pusher gets his own laptop

Else he can just get a different job.

To me, seems like rather than say this person should buy a laptop, I'd be more inclined to ask why a mechanic buys his own tools. Are most self employed or under some odd contractor status?

I've heard chefs bring their own knives. Always seemed odd as well.

Obviously there's an opportunity wrt tech where I guess it could make sense, problem is with iPads and such, many don't have laptops.

A big US bank should provide. This isn't like doing bookkeeping for the local barber.