I have done some searching, and it seems that employees were using a specialized device which acts as a terminal or remote workstation without persistent memory of its own (disk). Known in IT circles as "thin client". It is, probably, the most secure way to accomplish it. The idea is very old. Before PC's and even before microcomputers, people used to work on text only "terminals". Even before computer networks became widespread, those terminals were connected to the "host" by "serial" RS-232 cable. Protocols like VT-50 and VT-100 were used. As computers grew more powerful, remote graphical network protocols became available, like X-Windows protocol on UNIX. The idea of "thin client" was around since 1990's, but most commercial users found networked PC ("fat client") to be cheap enough and more versatile. Former "Sun Microsystems", later acquired by "Oracle", were pushing the idea back in the day

It was VT-52, not VT-50, sorry. It was before my time. I am not that old.

My friends working at home has a huge impact on my productivity. Normally we will do Taco Bell and be done in 20 minutes, but now we are there for over an hour or we go golfing/bowling. They can drink, which tempts me. I like doing lunches, but I have to restrict myself now and avoid some of my friends or I loose the afternoon.

Where I work, in a DoD agency: overwhelmingly positive. Yes, there are distractions-as there are in an F2F environment. I do agree that Zoom-type meetings, and IMHO VTCs in general, are less useful than F2F. Also, there's the issue of classified work that you just can't do at home-for that we had to come in. I think the overall take-away for middle management is that the paradigm of commute-office-home has changed. Not unlike the societal change from working in one's shop/farm at home, to going to work in a factory in the 19th century.