An office manager does not need the owner's password to manage a shared mailbox or calendar. They need their own account with permission for that task.
That arrangement is often called delegate access. It is easier to protect, review and remove than a shared password.
How delegate access works
A business owner might allow an office manager to read and send messages from a shared mailbox. The office manager signs in with their own username, password and multi-factor authentication.
The exact name varies between systems. You may see delegation, shared access, roles or permissions. The principle is the same: each person uses an individual account and receives only the access needed for the job.
Why it is safer than sharing a password
When staff use individual accounts, you can remove one person's access without changing the password for everyone else. You can also require multi-factor authentication for each user.
Many business platforms record sign-ins and important actions. The detail depends on the product and its settings, so check what your system keeps and for how long. Even a basic record is more useful when actions come from named accounts rather than one shared login.
Individual access also reduces the chance of a password ending up in a notebook, personal browser or message thread.
Give people only what they need
Access should match the task. A bookkeeper may need financial documents but not the owner's full mailbox. A receptionist may need a shared calendar but not private folders.
Start with the smallest useful permission. Add more only when the role requires it. This limits the amount of information exposed if an account is misused or compromised.
Remove access when roles change
Permissions should not remain in place forever. Review them when someone changes roles, finishes a contract or leaves the business.
Keep a simple list of shared mailboxes, business apps and outside partners. Record who has access and who approved it. That makes regular reviews and staff departures much easier.
Check the setup in each system
Do not assume every platform handles access in the same way. Some accounting, social media or line-of-business systems may require a separate user account or paid licence.
Before granting access, check what the person can do, what activity the system records and how the permission will be removed. Confirm that the person can use multi-factor authentication on their own account.
Stop sharing master passwords
Delegate access will not solve every security problem, but it removes much of the confusion created by shared logins. Combine it with strong sign-in protection, regular access reviews, secure backups and a clear process for departing staff.
If staff still share a mailbox or business-app password, book a delegate access consultation with JCPIT Support. We will map who needs access and show where individual accounts or delegated permissions can replace the shared login.
