In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses everywhere are forced to operate remotely. This poses risks because employees could be using unsecured wifi and devices which hackers can easily access. Your company data could be on the line and you need to take the necessary steps to protect it.

Here are 5 features you should be implementing during this pandemic, when working from home has become the new normal.

The right balance for your business

Remote working  has its benefits, but you need to ensure that all employees are on the same page. Having the same workflow application is important, since everyone needs to be receiving the same information, the same way.

When working remotely, some people may work different hours than the other person. This can pose some challenges especially when work is due or employees have questions. Having daily check-ins and routines can ensure that everyone stays on track and works together.

Security to match your workflow

When working remotely, users can work anywhere there is a WiFi connection, coffee shops, parks, libraries and so on. The chances of data getting stolen is high because of unsecured connections and you want to prevent that at all costs.

Bring your own device (BYOD) policies are becoming more common, and especially with the pandemic companies can’t afford to lend out equipment in case of theft. This means company data will be accessed from personal devices, and this opens up the door to more risks than working from an office.

According to Cybint, the average cost of a data breach in 2020 will exceed $150 million. With your company already losing money from the COVID-19, you can’t afford more losses, and security needs to be your top priority.

Security should be an important part of your workflow since users will be using their own devices and wifi to access data. The solution is to consider implementing a VPN and MFA into your workflow and applications, so you can ensure company data is secure wherever an employee is working from.

Employee education is important during this time, they should be trained on the best practices for staying secure and how to look out for potential email scams or risky websites.

Complete connectivity

How can you ensure that employees are able to connect from wherever they are? They should be able to access information from any device. If they don’t have the ability to access files and documents where and when they need them, employees won’t be able to get work done and this can cause disruptions to timely delivery and streamlined operations.

This is why cloud computing will be more beneficial compared to normal on-site servers during this time. Cloud data centers are estimated to process 94% of workloads in 2021. However, over 88% of organizations have encouraged or required their employees to work from home in 2020, cloud computing might eventually become the only option for your business.

Your employees need to have complete connectivity from wherever they are and the cloud can provide this for your company, which will make working from home a breeze. This is especially important throughout this pandemic, since we don’t know when we will be able to work at an office again.

Same workflow in and out of office

In the midst of this crisis, in order to maximize business continuity as a business, you need to establish that these specific boundaries are set in place and followed.

Remote working  solutions should be used in the office prior to working remotely. This will ensure that everything works correctly, and employees won’t run into issues with their workflow. It is important to have the entire business working off the same workflow application and set of data so everyone can work together.

This will eliminate bottlenecks when your employees are working remote and help your business to run smoothly in or out of the office.

Automatic and secured backups

A cloud computing solution compared to an on-site server can be more secure because data is automatically transmitted and backed up in seconds. An on-site server can take hours to backup data and isn’t always reliable.

There is a higher risk for remote employees to accidentally delete data or have the data stolen. This damage can be staggering to a business and you can’t afford that right now.

However, with a cloud computing solution you can automatically recover data with no loss to data.  Data is encrypted automatically, so it requires credentials to recover which helps prevent cyberattacks.

Use a cloud computing solution that has all these features, so you can have peace of mind knowing your data is safe through anything.

Easily manageable with complete visibility

Throughout the next couple months of working remote , the primary concern for your business should be accountability and security. If your company is not used to working remotely, it might be difficult to ensure everyone is working. Setting up best practices for tracking user activity and controlling user permissions is important. You want your employees to be productive and continue with business operations as normal even though the business world has drastically changed.

This is a tough time for everyone, and we are here to help. We want to be there for you and support you through this hard time.

If you have any questions about cloud computing solutions or some of our best practices throughout this whole process, you can visit our website  and ask us questions you may have.

We truly hope that your business has been able to continue operating throughout this pandemic.

Are you concerned about compliance now that most work has shifted to a remote environment? It’s certainly a valid concern as mobile working presents a new set of risks. Remaining compliant with mobile working solutions isn’t unfeasible; you simply need to understand these new threats and how to manage them effectively.

Compliance risks in mobile working situations

Most businesses offer employees the ability to work remotely. But, for many, the shift to mobile working is new due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You need to balance accessibility and productivity with security as your team becomes a remote one. Compliance risks aren’t unique from those you face at your office, but they are now in a new environment, and your network is being accessed from new places.

The major concerns with compliance have to do with security data and privacy. This is applicable to many industries, especially those that are highly regulated, such as healthcare and finance. No matter what your business does, it also needs to remain compliant with its own internal rules regarding areas such as BYOD (bring your own device), passwords, application access, and file sharing.

Beyond your policies, you should also refresh your staff’s training around risks and threats such as phishing. According to a recent report, 91 percent of cyber attacks begin with a phishing email. While you likely have systems in place to combat such emails from making it into the inbox, those protections might not be available if they are being accessed via mobile.

How to mitigate risks

There are several key steps you can take to stay compliant with mobile working solutions. First, you need to centralize applications in the cloud, ensuring security and compliance with regulated access. Unfortunately, according to a survey, 71 percent of staff are using apps not sanctioned by IT. If your employees have free reign to add programs to their work device, it could be dangerous.

Second, ensure that file and data sharing is taking place on a secure cloud infrastructure. This meets the needs of workers, providing them accessibility and the ability to collaborate, while also giving them a safe, secure place to do this.

Third, move your email to the cloud where it can be stored and encrypted, eliminating concerns over data leaks.

You are probably already using the cloud in some capacity. But now that mobile solutions are imperative, you may need to rethink cloud computing and how it’s managed. It doesn’t have to be complicated or a drain on internal resources when you choose to work with a managed cloud provider. The worry of risk and threats can be moved off your plate, delivering peace of mind. You’ll enjoy a host of benefits that support compliance, including automatic maintenance and updates, as well as backup and recovery services.

Top-tier cloud computing from an experienced provider

Insight Technologies is ready to help you remain compliant with mobile working solutions built on top-tier cloud computing via our partnership with Sophos, AWS and Microsoft. By leveraging this robust platform, your employees can work securely from home and stay productive. Learn more about how we can design a plan for you today by contacting us.

Many businesses are choosing to allow their employees to work remotely due to the COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic. Be assured that Insight Technologies remains committed to supporting your IT systems throughout the crisis. Fortunately, our systems for monitoring and managing your IT systems are designed so that our entire staff can operate virtually. Set your employees up for success during this time. Insight Technologies can provide IT solutions  for your business even while employees are not in the office.

Cloud-based mobility apps

Using cloud-based applications allows employees to communicate and remain productive. We can help set your staff up with tools that can be accessed remotely and only need an internet connection to work. If you are already using a cloud-based application such as Microsoft 365 and need to add additional users, we can increase the number of users to accommodate employees working remotely and need access.

Call forwarding

Ensuring that businesses and consumers remain connected during a pandemic is important. With VoIP phone systems, making and receiving calls while not in the office can be easily achieved. We can set your team up with call forwarding solutions to ring their personal device and connect with customers as they normally would.

Remote server access

Just because employees aren’t in the office doesn’t mean they can’t access files on the server. We can show employees a way to still access files through a remote desktop connection. Remote desktop access is a highly secure option that ensures all data and applications remain inside the business system. Implementing this will allow your staff to log in from their own device without compromising the integrity of your private data. Once set up, employees can use their personal computers to connect to their office computer and have access to all of their programs, files and network resources as though they were accessing their office computer in person. We have streamlined the setup process so that employees can easily walk through this process with a member of our IT support team via phone or email.

Maintaining cybersecurity

When you move your team out of the office due to health concerns or for any other reasons, you face a new set of security changes. Quality cloud-based tools allow you to collaborate remotely without sacrificing any cybersecurity. These tools encrypt files both in transit and at rest, protecting them from hackers, viruses, and other cyber threats. There are also mobile device management tools that help to maintain your security, even if workers are using their phones or laptops.

Consult an IT expert for help in making this transition

If you haven’t already consulted with an IT expert on how to best prepare your team for remote work, Insight Technologies can help. We offer a wide range of managed IT services to suit your needs and would be happy to assist as your company makes this sudden transition. Contact us today for details.

Blue highlights showcases opportunities for internal linking

The COVID-19 pandemic is somewhat unpredictable. No one can say with absolute certainty how and when the situation will be under control and things can go back to normal. Many countries keep going back and forth on measures to help curb the spread of the virus as infection rates and fatalities randomly fluctuate.

One thing that is clear so far is the indiscriminate impact this tide has had on businesses all over the globe. With nationwide lockdowns, strict social distancing, and numerous safety recommendations, many organizations have been forced to hurriedly make drastic changes in a matter of weeks just to keep going. Some entrepreneurs are still unsure of how to operate amid the crisis.

The key focus at the moment is business continuity . Here are some useful tips for keeping your business moving during the pandemic.

Formulate an effective work-from-home policy

For now, remote working is the only feasible workplace arrangement for many organizations. Nearly a quarter of the U.S. workforce was already working from home, at least part-time, before the pandemic. But for most businesses, this is their first time enforcing company-wide remote working setting.

Generally, conditions are not favorable for working from home. But, to maintain business continuity , you have to get some work done using any means possible. Below is a checklist for creating and implementing an effective remote working policy:

• Establish clear guidelines and rules for remote workers.
• Provide all the necessary remote working tools.
• Determine each worker’s roles and responsibilities.
• Develop a productive collaboration system.
• Provide virtual training on remote working best practices.

Keep employees tethered to the company

Communication breakdown is one of the main challenges of having employees work separately. Invest in a versatile and easily accessible communications system to bring workers together and keep them linked. Go for a unified communications suite that integrates all the essential communications mediums, such as conferencing, file sharing, messaging, emails, and voice calls, under one roof. You can also make social media a mainstream communication channel if it helps. The goal is to use all available communication tools to facilitate collaboration.

Adapt your leadership and management styles to support new changes

Conventional leadership methods do not hold up in remote working scenarios. You need to develop an effective management strategy to supervise remote employees and ensure they follow marked guidelines. First of all, make it clear to all members what is expected of them, from work conduct, working hours, and schedules to their job descriptions.

Also, hold regular online meetings to brief members on new developments and progress, and to check in on the team’s status and activities. Doing so helps sustain momentum.

Acknowledge that times like these are probably hard on your staff as well. So, keep communication lines open to everyone and allow remote social interactions to encourage emotional support. As a leader put prejudices aside and empathize with your employees to provide the much-needed reassurance.

Beef up cybersecurity

WHO recently reported a surge in cyber-attacks and scam emails centered around COVID-19, and urged the general public to be more vigilant. As businesses frantically try to make sense of unfamiliar circumstances, opportunistic cybercriminals are busy searching for easy prey.

The concept of remote working introduces some unique security loopholes. For instance, workers can access the corporate network from insecure public internet connections. You also have limited control over whichever end-user devices employees choose to use. Reinforce security around your end-points and network using firewalls, VPNs, and thorough user authentication systems. Cyber-attacks can potentially interrupt business continuity  to a greater extent than the ongoing pandemic.

Companies are responding differently to the string of challenges stemming from the global pandemic. Although most enterprise operations are severely affected, maintaining business continuity  means you will hit the ground running when it is back to business as usual