How working from home is changing the way organizations view the day-to-day
If you are trekking through the uncharted territories of working from home, you’re not alone. In response to the world-wide pandemic, millions of people across the globe have made the transition to remote working. As we remain uncertain about the long-term impacts of COVID-19, one thing’s for sure: organizations are having to adjust in big ways. From communication hurdles to data security, we’re all having to change the way we view our day-to-day.
How to stay on top of Communication
Without being able to walk down the hall or sit together in a conference room, effective communication can present a challenge during social distancing. Even though emails, texts, and conference calls can continue on as they would in a normal setting, video conferencing services like Zoom and Skype can provide a unique face-to-face connection with fellow employees. Not only do most video conferencing features include screen sharing, chat tools, and multiple webcam accessibility, but there’s the added benefit of human connection by being able to see each other’s faces in real-time.
Video conferencing is not without risks, however. For example, many instances of “ZoomBombing” have been reported in which video conferences have been hacked by outside sources. As with all digital activities, measures can be taken from home to help prevent such cyber threats as keeping software updated, using complex passwords, not using personal logins but instead business logins when hosting meetings, and being mindful of participants in the calls.
Data Security while Social Distancing
How can organizations keep their information safe when working off-premises? For example, how do workers access fund accounting data without the risk of phishers skimming that information? Using VPNs, private WiFi or hotspot connections, and keeping work data on work computers instead of personal devices is a necessary start. Moving to a cloud-based system can vastly help in the ability to retrieve necessary data from anywhere which, if your organization is not currently using the cloud, more information on that can be found here.
There are also services that can be utilized to help you keep your data even more protected. Here at Cornsilk, we’ve partnered with BCyber Savvy to provide our clients with an extra level of protection from phishing scams. BCyber Savvy uses the PhishER™ platform to instantly identify and respond to suspicious activity. (read more about our partnership and how we can help your organization here)
Leaning into the Challenges
If there’s a silver lining to this global movement, it’s that for the most part, we’re all feeling the stress of change together. Whereas before, it may have been frowned upon if your child went running through the background of an important video conference, these days, most people are pretty sympathetic to having to juggle the work-life balance from home. There are also studies surfacing about the positive impacts of less commuting not only for the environment but for the well-being of commuters spending less time on the road and savings on fuel.
The bottom line is that transitioning to a remote work environment does present new challenges for organizations and it does force a close examination of security practices, data storage, and finding creative ways to keep business running smoothly. But more importantly, it does provide us all an opportunity to see things from a different perspective, connect in new ways, and find solutions to mitigating risks that maybe had not been considered before.
