The tecdesk

16 July 2026

5 IT Checks Every Business Should Make Before the Summer Holidays

Q: Why is summer a higher-risk period for business IT?

Staff holidays, reduced office cover and increased remote working can create opportunities for cyber criminals and make IT issues more difficult to spot or resolve quickly.

Q: What is the most important IT check before staff go on holiday?

There isn’t a single answer, but ensuring MFA is enabled, backups are working and user access is up to date are three of the most important steps.

Q: Should employees use public Wi-Fi while working remotely?

Public Wi-Fi should be used with caution. Wherever possible, employees should use secure, trusted networks and follow your organisation’s remote working policies.

Q: How often should businesses review user permissions?

It’s good practice to review user access regularly and whenever staff join, leave or change roles within the business.

Q: Can The tecdesk carry out an IT health check before the summer holidays?

Yes. We can review your Microsoft 365 environment, cyber security, backups, user access and wider IT infrastructure to help ensure your business is ready for the months ahead.

Summer IT security checklist | Business continuity | Cyber security for SMEs | Managed IT Support UK

Summer is a time for well-earned holidays, but it’s not a time to put your business IT on autopilot.

As staff head off on annual leave and others work more flexibly from home, holiday accommodation or on the move, businesses often face increased cyber security risks and operational challenges.

Fewer people in the office, changes to working patterns and reduced cover can all create opportunities for cyber criminals, while small IT issues can quickly become larger problems if they aren’t spotted early.

At The tecdesk, we always encourage businesses to take a proactive approach before the holiday season begins. A few simple checks now can help keep your business productive, secure and supported throughout the summer.

Here are five IT checks every business should make before the holidays begin.

1. Review Who Has Access to Your Systems

When teams are working different hours or covering for colleagues, it’s worth reviewing who has access to your systems and data.

Ask yourself:

Does everyone still need the access they currently have?
Have former employees been removed from your systems?
Are shared accounts still being used?
Are administrator accounts limited to those who genuinely need them?

Keeping permissions up to date helps reduce unnecessary risk and supports good cyber security practices.

If someone only needs temporary access while covering annual leave, make sure it’s removed once it’s no longer required.

2. Check Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Is Enabled

Passwords alone are no longer enough to protect business accounts.

If cyber criminals obtain login credentials through phishing emails or data breaches, MFA provides an important extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification.

Before staff head off on holiday, check that MFA is enabled for key business systems, including:

Microsoft 365
Email accounts
Cloud storage
Remote access platforms
Business applications

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre continues to recommend MFA as one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect business accounts from unauthorised access.

3. Make Sure Devices Are Ready for Remote Working

Summer often means people work from different locations.

Whether it’s home, a customer site or while travelling, devices should be prepared before employees leave the office.

Check that:

Laptops are fully updated
Antivirus software is active
Devices are encrypted where appropriate
Automatic updates are enabled
Staff know how to report lost or stolen devices

It’s also worth reminding employees to avoid using public Wi-Fi without appropriate security measures.

A quick reminder before holidays can prevent costly mistakes later.

4. Confirm Your Backups Are Working

One of the most common assumptions businesses make is that backups are “just happening.”

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Before the summer holidays, take the opportunity to confirm:

Backups are completing successfully
Critical business data is included
Recovery processes have been tested
Backup alerts are being monitored

Backups play a vital role in business continuity, helping businesses recover more quickly from cyber incidents, accidental deletion or hardware failures.

As the saying goes, a backup is only valuable if it can actually be restored.

5. Prepare for Reduced Staffing

Annual leave doesn’t just affect your workforce, it can also affect how quickly problems are identified and resolved.

Think about:

Who is responsible for reporting IT issues?
Who has key supplier contact details?
Is there a clear escalation process?
Are important passwords stored securely?
Do staff know how to access IT support if needed?

Having a simple plan in place helps ensure the business continues running smoothly, even when key employees are away.

Don’t Forget About Phishing Scams

Cyber criminals don’t take holidays.

In fact, they often take advantage of quieter periods when businesses are operating with fewer staff or reduced oversight.

Be particularly cautious of emails claiming to relate to:

Holiday bookings
Missed deliveries
Updated invoices
Travel confirmations
Password resets

If something doesn’t look right, encourage staff to pause before clicking.

Regular cyber awareness remains one of the most effective forms of defence.

Business Continuity Starts Before Something Goes Wrong

Business continuity isn’t just about recovering after a major incident.

It’s about reducing the likelihood of disruption in the first place.

Taking a proactive approach to IT means your business is better prepared for:

✔ Staff holidays

✔ Hybrid working

✔ Unexpected outages

✔ Cyber attacks

✔ Device failures

✔ Day-to-day operational challenges

Small preventative actions now can save significant time, stress and cost later.

How The tecdesk Can Help

At The tecdesk, we believe good IT support should prevent problems, not simply fix them.

We help businesses across North Wales and the North West with:

Managed IT Support
Microsoft 365 management
Cyber security
Backup and disaster recovery
Business continuity planning
IT health checks

Whether you’re preparing for the summer holidays or looking to strengthen your IT all year round, we’re here to help you stay productive, secure and supported.