4 Different Ways of Working Remotely

Remote working has transformed from an emergency measure into a permanent feature of modern business. Whether you're a small London-based firm or a growing SME, understanding the different methods of remote working — and which one suits your business — is essential for productivity, security, and cost control.

At Cloudswitched, we've helped hundreds of businesses transition to remote and hybrid working models. Below, we break down the four most effective methods of facilitating remote work, complete with cost comparisons, security ratings, and practical guidance to help you choose the right approach.

The 4 Remote Working Methods at a Glance

Before we dive into detail, here is a quick comparison of all four methods. Each has different strengths depending on your business size, budget, and security requirements.

Method	Best For	Setup Time	Monthly Cost	Security Level
VPN	Businesses with on-premise servers	1–3 days	£5–15/user	High
Remote Desktop	Staff who need their office PC	1–2 days	£10–30/user	Medium–High
Cloud Files (Office 365)	Document-heavy businesses	3–7 days	£8–18/user	High
Cloud Server (Azure)	Full infrastructure migration	2–6 weeks	£30–80/user	Very High

1. VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your employee's device and your office network. It allows remote workers to access internal resources — shared drives, printers, intranet applications — as if they were sitting at their office desk.

How It Works

VPN software is installed on the employee's laptop or PC. When activated, all internet traffic is routed through your office network's firewall, giving the user access to on-premise resources while keeping data encrypted in transit.

VPN Security Rating

2. Remote Desktop Tools

Remote desktop services allow your employees to connect to and control their office workstation from any location. The employee sees their office desktop screen on their home computer and can interact with it in real time — running applications, accessing files, and using peripherals as normal.

Popular Remote Desktop Solutions

Tool	Price (per user/month)	Key Features	Best For
LogMeIn	£25–35	File transfer, remote printing, multi-monitor	Enterprise teams
TeamViewer	£15–25	Cross-platform, easy setup, chat	SMEs & quick setup
Solarwinds Take Control	£18–28	Bulk management, diagnostics, scripting	IT managed services
Microsoft RDP	Included with Windows Pro	Native Windows integration	Windows-only offices

3. Migration of Files & Folders to the Cloud

Moving your business documents to Microsoft 365 (OneDrive & SharePoint) means your team can access, edit, and collaborate on files from anywhere — without needing to connect to an office network at all.

What You Get with Microsoft 365 Business

Migrating your files to the cloud means employees can work on the same documents simultaneously, with automatic version history and real-time co-authoring. At Cloudswitched, we provide an all-in-one Office 365 migration service that takes care of planning, data transfer, and user training from start to finish.

Cloud Files vs Local Files

4. Migration of Servers to the Cloud (Microsoft Azure)

For businesses that rely on custom applications, databases, or complex server infrastructure, migrating your entire server environment to Microsoft Azure is the most comprehensive solution. Azure replaces your on-premise servers with cloud-based virtual machines managed by Microsoft's global data centre network.

This isn't just about remote working — it's about building a resilient, scalable, and secure IT infrastructure that supports your business no matter what happens. No more worrying about hardware failures, physical security, or costly server room cooling.

Setup Cost Comparison

While Azure migration has a higher upfront cost, the long-term savings are significant. You eliminate hardware replacement cycles (typically every 3–5 years), reduce electricity costs, and gain enterprise-grade security and disaster recovery that would cost tens of thousands to replicate on-premise.

Overall Security Comparison

Security is a top concern for any business enabling remote work. Here's how each method compares across key security dimensions:

Which Method Should You Choose?

The right approach depends on your business needs. Many companies use a combination of methods — for example, Office 365 for file sharing alongside a VPN for accessing legacy applications.

"The best remote working setup isn't always the most expensive one. It's the one that matches your team's actual workflow and security requirements."

Quick Decision Guide

• You need quick, low-cost access to office resources — Start with a VPN. It's the fastest to deploy and works well for teams under 20 people.
• Your team relies on specialist desktop software — Use Remote Desktop tools. Staff can access their exact office setup from home.
• You're a document-heavy business (legal, finance, creative) — Migrate to Office 365. Real-time collaboration and cloud storage will transform your workflow.
• You want to future-proof your entire IT — Migrate to Azure. It's the most comprehensive solution with the best long-term ROI.

Getting Started

Enabling remote work doesn't have to be complicated. At Cloudswitched, we've supported businesses across London and the UK in making the transition smoothly — whether that's a simple VPN setup or a full Azure cloud migration.

Our team will assess your current setup, recommend the best approach for your business, and handle the implementation from start to finish. We offer ongoing support to ensure everything runs smoothly once your team is up and running remotely.

To find out which remote working solution is right for your business, get in touch with our team today for a free, no-obligation consultation.