Many business owners look at their monthly IT expenses as a necessary evil or even sunk cost, like an electric bill or an office lease; you pay for it because you have to, not because it promises to help you win over new clients or unlock new opportunities. This is the mindset that’s going to get you left in the dust by your competitors, and if you’re still thinking about IT this way, you need to change your mind, and fast.
If your meetings feel like a lot is being said, but your goals are never really accomplished, you are in very good company. Approximately $37 billion USD is lost each and every year to unproductive meetings alone. When you consider how much of that $37 billion is potentially due to your business’ meetings, one could hardly blame you for being sick about it.
Listed below are a few ways that you can make the most of the time you spend in meetings.
Imagine one of your top employees suddenly stops caring. They aren’t leaving the company, they’re just leaving the conversation.
This is the reality of quiet quitting, and it often starts with something as small as a "ping." We’re talking about notification fatigue, the silent productivity killer. Listed below is a break down of why your team is drowning in pings and how you can throw them a lifeline.
The Trojan Horse didn’t succeed because the Grecian armies broke down the walls of Troy, it succeeded because the Trojans fell for the Greek army’s trick and brought the secret war machine—with a small group of Greek soldiers—inside their walls. It was a tactically brilliant plan, and ended what was reportedly a decade-long siege in a matter of hours.
Whether or not the original story is based in truth, your business is potentially in danger from a similar problem: a threat coming in on what seems to be a trustworthy package. The difference is that this time, the package is a platform or tool you’ve procured from a third-party vendor.
Does your business operate in the moment, or does it prioritize what’s just around the corner? As a business owner, you have a delicate balance to strike between the two, and where technology is concerned, the answer is not always so clear-cut. But it’s generally better for your business to look at technology management with the perspective offered by an IT roadmap to inform your decision-making, from everyday implementations to major deployments.
As we stand on the threshold of a new year, it’s worth noting that the term "cybersecurity" didn't even enter the common lexicon until the late 1980s. Before that, we just called it "computer security" - mostly involving locking the server room door and hoping nobody guessed the password was "admin."
Fast forward to today, and the game has wildly changed. "Hoping for the best" is no longer a viable business plan. As you prepare your resolutions, it’s time to hit the ground running with a cybersecurity posture that is as modern as the threats we face, a goal that will require training for your entire team.
If one fact has been proven true, it’s that remote and hybrid work are not temporary trends, they're future operating models that help businesses achieve greater flexibility and talent retention. Of particular interest is hybrid work, an approach that mixes the demands of in-office work with the advantages and flexibility of remote work. If you want to build hybrid work into your operational infrastructure, there can be no denying that your IT infrastructure has to be locked in—especially if you want to stay productive, secure, and competitive.
Listed below are the benefits and risks of hybrid work as an operational model for your business.
As we try to get as much fun from the final months of summer as possible, many of us will find it increasingly challenging to disconnect from the office, even from miles away. We could be lounging on a quiet beach in Bora Bora, but instead of enjoying the tranquility, we’d still be itching to check our emails. Instead of being able to truly relax, many team members and business owners still feel the pressures of the office even when away, essentially undoing any benefits of the vacation.
Let’s discuss how this can be addressed for the mutual benefit of everyone, allowing you and your team members to step away from time to time without causing disruptions.
Are you blindly sprinting forward where your technology is involved, picking things that sound good, hoping you have enough forward momentum to reach the next stop? Alas, this approach is often an option that many businesses take, usually to their detriment.
We want to remind you that there is a better way: creating an IT roadmap to strategically merge your technology with your more functional business goals, helping you progress with every dollar invested.
Has this ever happened to you?
It’s late, after a long day of work, but you’re finally home and able to relax. Just as you get comfortable, your phone dings. You glance at your phone. It’s a work email… and if you’re like most, you’ll be itching just to check it and get it over with. The problem is, each time you do so, you whittle away the line between work and the rest of your life. This “always on” impression our technology offers has contributed to a few significant problems.
Let’s see if we can address these problems.
If your business technology setup is driving you crazy, you’re not alone. Many business owners and managers have endless gripes about the technology they utilize for their business. It could be that your Wi-Fi is crawling along and not allowing for productive Internet speeds, your software feels like it was developed for Windows Vista, or you’re constantly worrying how you are going to keep your data safe. Whatever the case, it can be fixed. Listed below: how to rebuild your IT plan from scratch.
It is great to have pride and confidence in your organization, especially in the team you’ve assembled… including your in-house technical support team. However, even the most capable IT team may not fully meet a business’ needs.
Listed below: an IT team's responsibilities and what can be done to correct any deficits they may encounter.
If your company has at least a couple of employees who spend part of their workday in a different location, are you doing all you can to help them be as productive as possible? While remote work is beneficial in so many circumstances, there are a lot of caveats to it that must be considered. Listed below is how you can mitigate risk and keep remote work from becoming a liability for your organization.
Alas, crises happen, so the only responsible course is preparing your organization to deal with them. Let’s walk through what modern crisis management should look like for businesses of all sizes, identifying the steps to address these risks and protect your operations.
Happy New Year! This time is usually dedicated to making plans and commitments to improve oneself over the coming months in the interest of the future. In the spirit of the holiday, listed below are some resolutions that can help your career or your business’ use of technology.
Software is critical for running a modern business. It helps with everything from managing schedules and paying employees to making and selling products. Essentially, businesses need software to run smoothly.
A well-structured framework is essential for establishing effective, consistent policies and strategies. This applies to many areas, including network security. Listed below is a look into the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework, which outlines steps to help safeguard your business.
Over 25 percent of data breaches target small businesses, and the impact can be significant. To protect your business, you need the right technology and smart strategies. Listed below are some key steps to help safeguard your business from digital threats.
Video conferencing has become a mandatory tool for businesses, especially after the rise of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It used to feel like something from science fiction, but now it's a key part of how we work together. Video meetings are not only more reliable and easy to use, but they've also become a lot more accessible, helping people connect no matter where they are. Listed below is a look at some of the ways video conferencing has improved:
“Toxic” is a buzzword that is often used these days, but when it is used to describe a business’ work environment, it needs to be treated with deadly seriousness.
If a workplace is a place people don’t like to be, many drawbacks will ultimately impact operations. Thus, it is to your advantage to keep your business as positive a workplace as possible.
Listed below: how to tell if your organization has a toxic workplace and, if so, how to resolve it.
