Managing who gets access to what used to be simpler. You had one office, one network, a handful of logins. But now? Teams are scattered across cities—or continents. People work from cafés, coworking spaces, or their kitchen tables. The idea of a centralized, locked-down system feels almost quaint.
Which is exactly why access management is such a mess now.
The problem multiplies fast
You add one freelancer here, two new hires over there. Maybe someone shifts roles or leaves entirely, but their old permissions still linger. Then a contractor uses a shared Google Doc from last year. And suddenly, they can see way more than they should.
And it’s not just about who shouldn’t get in. It’s also about the ones who need access but can’t get it fast enough. Lost productivity, frustration, sometimes even people creating workarounds. Those are all signs the system isn’t keeping up.
There’s no clean fix. But there are ways to make it a lot better.
Start with a clear access strategy
This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many companies wing it. They rely on informal processes, like asking around on Slack or digging through old emails.
Instead, a basic access management strategy should cover:
- Who approves access requests (and how fast they’re expected to respond)
- What tools or data different roles actually need
- How permissions change when someone shifts departments (or exits)
Nothing fancy here. Even a shared doc that maps this out can help. Just make sure it’s maintained and actually followed. That part’s harder.
Go role-based, not person-based
One-off permissions are tempting. It feels easier to just give “Ben from marketing” access to the customer data tool “just this once.”
But it creates headaches long term.
Role-based access control (RBAC) flips the model. You define access based on job role, not individual requests. Everyone in the same role gets the same permissions. When someone changes roles, they inherit the new access level—and drop the old one.
This structure can feel stiff at first, especially in smaller teams. But as you scale, it’s the only thing that keeps access from spiraling out of control. NIST has a helpful breakdown on how RBAC works in practice.
Don’t rely solely on memory, or spreadsheets
People forget. That’s not a moral failing. It’s just reality.
Expecting someone to manually remember who has access to what (or to update it all in a spreadsheet) is a recipe for mistakes. Automate as much as you reasonably can. That could mean:
- SSO (single sign-on) tied to role permissions
- Expiring guest accounts after a set period
- Notifications when someone’s access is manually overridden
Some companies are going further, using behavior-based access monitoring. If someone suddenly accesses files they never touch, the system flags it. That’s a big investment, though. For most teams, just cleaning up expired accounts is a huge win.
Keep password hygiene realistic
People reuse passwords. Or they write them down. Or they use “changeme123” because it meets the character requirement.
Tight policies only help if they’re realistic and enforceable. One way to strike a better balance is by combining Active Directory with strong passwords that are actually enforced. This can help guide users toward better practices, without relying entirely on their memory or good intentions.
Multi-factor authentication helps too, obviously. But it’s not a cure-all. If someone gets access through a forgotten admin account or stale login, MFA won’t save you.
Make access part of offboarding
This one’s often overlooked, especially in fast-paced teams.
The moment someone leaves, their access should change. Not next week. Not after someone files a ticket. Immediately.
That includes:
- Email and internal chat systems
- Cloud storage and shared drives
- CRM, CMS, admin dashboards. Basically, anything they touched
Automating offboarding through your HR system or SSO provider is ideal. But even a manual checklist is better than nothing.
IBM’s data breach report shows that insider threats (both accidental and malicious) are among the most expensive to resolve. Old accounts are low-hanging fruit for attackers.
Give teams visibility, not just IT
Access management often feels like an “IT problem.” But when something breaks (or worse, leaks) it’s everyone’s problem.
Create simple dashboards or logs that show access history and current permissions. Not everyone needs full admin-level details, but even managers should be able to see what tools their team has access to.
Transparency builds trust. It also makes it easier to spot weird patterns early.
A quick example: when it goes right
There’s a nice case study on how TradingSto approached access management. Basically, they locked down every endpoint across their distributed workforce. Not just laptops and servers, but also mobile and cloud-based systems.
It wasn’t flashy, but it worked. Their approach highlights how little things (like real-time permission tracking) add up.
The point is: you don’t need some massive overhaul. Just tighten up a few pressure points and stick with it.
One more thing—regular audits help
Set a recurring reminder, quarterly or at least twice a year, to review who has access to what. You’ll almost always find something weird. A contractor with admin rights. An old intern still in the Slack workspace. That kind of thing.
Keep it informal if that helps. Even just reading through permissions over coffee can catch issues before they become real problems. CISA’s guide to identity management offers some straightforward practices, if you’re unsure where to start.
Distributed teams aren’t going away. If anything, they’re getting more complex. Multiple time zones, hybrid setups, people using their own devices.
You can’t eliminate every risk, and you won’t catch every misstep. But a good access management plan doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be intentional. And it has to evolve as your team does. Otherwise, you’re just hoping nothing breaks.
And let’s be honest, hope isn’t a security strategy.
