How to Effectively Manage Devices for a Fully Remote International Team?

Are your employees using Macs or Windows? Knowing this could definitely tailor the solution more effectively, as it affects how you might manage devices across different platforms.

You might want to consider switching to a provider like Deel IT (formerly known as Hofy). They handle everything from procurement, MDM to offboarding recovery all in one platform. They ship pre-configured devices worldwide, so new hires just pick from a catalog, and it shows up ready to use. It greatly reduces wait times from weeks to about 10 days. Their MDM includes zero-touch enrollment, remote wipe capability, encryption, and patch management, which works across macOS, Windows, and Linux. Plus, when someone leaves, their device is automatically locked and wiped, which helps with security and ensures the device gets returned from wherever the employee is located.

Consider looking into solutions like Entra combined with Apple Business Manager for Macs and NinjaOne for managing devices. It’s affordable and should work fine for a team of your size. Plus, it simplifies things a lot when handling various operating systems.

This is a tough challenge! First off, why not consider implementing MDM? It would let employees self-enroll devices, including any that they procure themselves. For procurement, we teamed up with a supplier that ships from the US and can handle deliveries to other locations, as customs hurdles are often a major headache, especially from the US.

One approach is to buy laptops locally from a major Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) like Dell or CDW and provision them using Intune and Autopilot. It's generally not a good idea to ship laptops or have employees buy whatever they can find, as consistency is key.