Why Cyber Security Is Important For Business?

Cyber security can be a business issue. If it happens, it’s probably going to impact your online presence and risk your customer’s data. But it doesn’t have to be! Use these tips to make cyber security part of your business-building mission instead.

The Three Types of Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is an important topic for businesses of all sizes. It is essential to implement managed IT services Alpharetta, whether your company manufactures products or provides services online. Here are three types of cyber security:

1) Data Security

Protecting your data is one of the essential aspects of cybersecurity. If you have confidential information, you need to ensure it’s protected. Especially if you need to save data on clients, agreements, and sales, use a sales commission calculator to always keep on track. 

Cybersecurity experts recommend using strong encryption and authentication methods to protect your data from unauthorized access.

2) Infrastructure Security

Your business’s online infrastructure is key to its success. If it’s compromised, your business could experience serious consequences. 

Ensure your website is well-configured and up-to-date, and keep an eye on your network traffic or computer systems for signs of intrusion. Entrust your efforts to have a safe experience online, to professionals from our top ranked West Palm Beach web development agency. 

3) Human Resources Security

If a hacker obtains access to a worker’s personal information, they could use those facts to damage the company’s reputation. 

Ensure you have comprehensive employee privacy policies in place and keep track of who has access to sensitive information.

How To Stay Safe Online Today?

Businesses should take cyber security seriously because it could have serious consequences for the organization if a cyber attack occurs. 

Hackers can steal confidential information, damage company reputation, and disrupt business operations. To ensure that your business is protected, follow these tips: 

1. Install antivirus software on all devices used in the business.

2. Educate employees about the importance of cyber security and how to protect themselves.

3. Create a policy governing social media and other online channels in the workplace.

4. Secure data using strong passwords and firewalls.

5. Monitor network activity and track suspicious activity using monitoring tools.

How To Protect Your Business From Cybercrime

Cybercrime is a growing problem that you can’t avoid being blind to. It is a serious issue, not just for individuals but also for businesses.

 What Measure Can You Take To Improve Your Protection?

 1. Keep up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity threats. Be familiar with the different types of cyberattacks and know how to identify them. 

Implement privileged access. It allows administrators to fix and resolve problems faster and access data unavailable to regular users. 

Privileged access is meant for individual users or groups of users based on their roles in the organization.

2. Educate employees about potential cyber threats and how to protect themselves. 

One of the best ways to protect your business from cybercrime is to inform your employees how to identify and report online threats and what steps to take if they encounter them. 

Train them about data security and privacy, and encourage them to use antivirus software and other protective measures. 

Finally, regularly update your employees on the latest technological advances that could help protect their business against cybercrime.

3. Install effective security measures such as firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems (IDSs). 

4. Regularly back up your data in a secure location so you can restore it if necessary. Keep copies of essential files offsite in case of a burglary or other data loss. 

5. To protect your business from cybercrime, you need to be proactive and monitor your systems constantly. You should also have a detection system to alert you when malicious activity is detected.

Here Are Some Tips On How To Monitor Your Business For Cybercrime:

1. Keep an eye on your network traffic and scrutinize all data that flows through your network for signs of suspicious activity.

2. Install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Malicious code can enter your system through email, file sharing, or other means.

3. Monitor your online accounts and passwords. Ensure that all funds used by your business are secure and that passwords are strong enough to protect against unauthorized access.

4. Use firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) to block unauthorized access to your systems.

Cyber Security Importance For Business

Cybersecurity is vital for businesses because it helps protect their data, systems, and networks. Cybercrime includes any illegal activity in the virtual world or through computer networks. It can consist of theft of information, sabotage of designs, or attacks against individuals. 

Businesses need to protect themselves from cybercrime, including installing antivirus software and firewalls, encrypting data, and managing logs. They also need to educate employees about cyber security and encourage them to report any suspicious activities.

The best way to prevent cyberattacks is by working with a cyber security firm that can help your business identify and mitigate potential threats.

The Benefits of Cyber Security

Cyber security is essential for businesses because it can protect companies from cyberattacks and data breaches.  It can also help companies to maintain compliance with governmental regulations.

Cybersecurity can also improve the performance of businesses by protecting against malware and cybercrime. In addition, cybersecurity can help to protect the reputation of companies. 

Finally, cybersecurity can help companies recruit new employees knowledgeable about its processes and efficient methods.

1: Increases Productivity & Reputation

Cyber security is an essential aspect of business because it can improve productivity. 

For example, if a company’s systems are not secure, employees will probably pause from completing their work, resulting in lost time and delayed progress. 

Additionally, if a company’s systems are hacked, confidential information may be compromised. This could damage the company’s reputation and image and lose customers. 

Cyber security also facilitates communication and collaboration between employees. For example, if someone is working on a project and needs access to a file located on a server that is not owned or operated by the company, they may need to contact the IT department to get permission to access the file.

2: Adaptable Solution to All Businesses

Cybersecurity is an ever-growing concern for businesses of all sizes. The potential for cybercrime to impact any organization, no matter how large or small, gets real day by day. 

Cybersecurity threats can come from anywhere globally and include viruses, malware, spyware, phishing scams, etc. 

Businesses of all types are at risk when it comes to cybercrime. 

Small companies may be more vulnerable because they often don’t have the resources or expertise to protect themselves.

On the other hand, large businesses may be more likely to suffer a data breach that could lead to stolen or compromised customer data.

3: Steady Website Performance

Industries that rely on the internet for their day-to-day operations are at a higher risk for cyberattacks. Cybersecurity also helps companies maintain regulatory compliance, protect customer information, and reduce the risk of business disruption. 

There are various efficient plans to consider before you take concrete action to improve your enterprise’s cybersecurity posture: 

1. Installing antivirus software and regularly scanning for malware.

2. Implementing solid passwords and limiting access to sensitive files and systems.

3. Maintaining up-to-date firewalls and intrusion detection systems.

4. Educating employees on best practices for online security and protecting personal information.

4. Protects Business from Losses

Cyber security is a crucial segment of any business’s protection from digital threats. Cybersecurity can help prevent data breaches, identity theft, and other attacks that damage a business’s reputation and bottom line. 

Some of the most well-known methods to protect your business from cyber threats include installing antivirus software, deploying firewall rules, and training employees to identify and avoid online risks. However, the most successful cyber security strategy is always tailored to the specific needs of your business.

5: Enhances Safe Experience

Cyber Security is fundamental for companies because it protects against online threats and cybercrime. It protects your systems and data from unauthorized access, hacking, and viruses. 

Cybersecurity also includes protecting your organization’s reputation by preventing public exposure of confidential information. It encompasses the overall security program for identifying risks, assessing vulnerabilities, developing, implementing controls, monitoring, and evaluation.

There are many ways to protect your business against cyberattacks. You can use firewalls to protect your systems from unauthorized access. 

You can also install antivirus software to protect your computer against viruses and spyware detectors to protect your computer against spying by hackers. 

Conclusion

Cyber security professionals work to protect businesses against these types of threats by implementing appropriate safeguards and protocols. 

Cyber security is an essential issue for businesses of all sizes. The theft or destruction of data, intellectual property, and customer information can significantly impact a company’s bottom line. 

They also work to educate employees about the importance of cyber security and the dangers of cyber-attacks.

Five HR Digital Trends That Are Urging The Evolution Of The Hiring Process

Modern globalization trends, mobility, business going online, high competition, and high speed in the industry require companies to transition to a new networked digital economy. The impending digital revolution certainly requires a revision of the rules of doing business, new management models that provide productivity, innovation, flexibility, and adaptability come into competition. And the foundation for this transition is the transformation of human resources.

Planning a personal career path

In managers, employees of “creative” professions, and all those areas where there is a high share of personal responsibility for decisions, where there is a lot of communication with people, typical career ladders are not enough. HR directors, company leaders, department heads take into account the personal ambitions of employees, their predisposition to certain types of activities, their strengths and weaknesses, and personal goals for the coming years. Based on this, the employee’s career path is built, personal goals are set.

Help-management

The prescriptive setting of goals and requirements is being replaced by facilitation, participation, and assistance. With regard to complex tasks requiring complex knowledge, responsible decisions, coordination of significant resources, help-management is exactly what is needed. The employee is offered assistance to complete the task on time and in the required quality from management and HR. This can be helpful with various resources, training, information, involvement of other team members, etc. So the company simultaneously makes it clear that it shares responsibility for the task with the employee instead of escalating the situation.

Systematic work on the brand of the employer company

Companies invest in their employer brand to retain existing employees and attract new talent with the desired professional experience, values, and personal qualities. In the past, especially for small and medium-sized companies, these efforts were often chaotic, multidirectional. Now we can note a serious shift towards consistency of actions, improving the company’s quality and usefulness about the company, more interactivity is involved.

This aspect is crucial for hiring – young companies whose branding has not yet been formed often experience difficulties finding new employees since there is no information about how the team lives. This is why such companies can partner with an employer of record that will do the hiring for them. 

Increasing the diversity and quality of employee training

Training becomes more targeted: for the development of specific competencies of employees, helping to solve specific commercial tasks of the company. Accordingly, narrower topics are selected, programs with the promise of a specific result. HR directors and HR specialists set more stringent criteria for the selection of agencies, trainers, and consultants. At the same time, they also set the requirements within the company for how employees report on the results of training, and how they apply the acquired skills.

Increased flexibility in organizing personnel management and significant revision of personnel standards

Looking at the same training, more varied formats are used. For example, they combine live activities, online courses, participation in a master group, and solving personal tasks. Flexibility also applies to the definition of working hours and the use of various forms of employment. Outsourcing of directions is still in demand, and freelancers are more actively involved. If this does not harm the business processes of the company, then employees, if desired, are provided with a mobile workplace, the schedule is adjusted.

Companies are changing personnel policies because the previous ones have lost their relevance. The updated policies pay more attention to the translation of the company’s values, a flexible approach to employees, and employee participation in the comprehensive development of the company’s activities. Several requirements, for example, measurable actions and results, are described more specifically, just in the language of numbers.

Stimulating creativity on the part of employees

Typical business models and products are copied very quickly, and it is increasingly difficult to surprise customers. Companies understand the importance of using employees’ potential to generate new ideas for optimizing current activities, for new products, services, etc. HR and directors are becoming more empathetic and attentive to employees, their life and comfort. Comfortable lounge areas are being organized, employees are provided with sports corners, and corporate libraries are being expanded. Companies pay more attention to equipping meeting rooms. By the way, there are more meeting rooms themselves. Some more companies create “zones of silence” – as an option, small offices, where you can work on a task under conditions of excellent sound insulation.

Conclusion

The result is a humane, positive picture. The global, long-term trend of modern HR management is engagement, feedback, understanding, participation, and personalization. Due to these areas, it turns out to form and support a dynamic, developing, and honest team that works for the result.

How Technology Is Changing Nearly All Major Industries

Considering the fact that we live in an entirely digital world, learning that smart and intentional use of technology is key to business success won’t exactly come as a surprise. But the impact technological advancements have had on major industries spans deeper than the use of mobile devices, data analysis, and cloud computing solutions. The opportunities for automation are now greater than ever, and the possibility for growth, expansion, and success truly seem endless. Many believe we are currently on the cusp of another industrial revolution, only this time a completely digital one, as technology continues to evolve and drive important change in almost all major industries.

Intricate software

From word processing tools like Microsoft Word to incredibly complex and detailed products that allow companies to create 3D models and virtual images of their products, different types of software are now used across all industries, allowing businesses to accomplish their objectives much more quickly and easily. With customer relationship management now being a priority for many organizations, CRM software for businesses is among the most popular solutions as well, particularly when it comes to the HR and recruitment sectors.

However, what the future holds might be even more interesting and important. Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are driving significant changes in major industries, not only in terms of automating simple tasks and processes, but also for executing specific actions, predicting consumer trends and needs, and allowing companies to gain a competitive advantage. As technology continues to evolve, intricate AI solutions will likely play an even greater role across industries.

Camera drones

In countries such as the US, camera drones have significantly impacted a number of industries. One area that possibly benefitted the most from drones might be the medical field, as these simple, easily controlled gadgets made it possible for healthcare workers to deliver crucial medicine and other necessary medical supplies to isolated areas, dangerous zones, and other locations that might have been difficult to reach otherwise.

But drones aren’t only used in the healthcare industry, as fields such as agriculture could find a great use for them as well. For instance, farmers are able to view and access their crops remotely when using drones, giving them the opportunity to inspect their crops more closely, notice potential damage and destruction, and even look out for unwanted pests, all without having to physically perform these tedious and time-consuming actions.

Contract manufacturing

Australian companies, on the other hand, consider outsourcing to be an essential aspect of their business models, often deciding on third parties to produce their goods in all stages of production, from product innovation and component manufacturing to contract electronics and mass production. For that reason, they often hire experts in contract manufacturing in Australia to build custom solutions that will meet the specific needs of their businesses.

Such professionals are able to cover all aspects of the designing, building, and manufacturing processes, easily meeting any specific requirements a wide range of industries might have. This allows companies to begin manufacturing with minimal capital, outsource facilities and labor force, and easily scale their production, thus having more resources to invest in other areas of business, and more flexibility to focus on their core competencies.

Computer-aided manufacturing

Whether manufacturing is outsourced or not, technology has made the need for hundreds of employees positioned on production lines completely redundant in this process. Instead, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems allow companies to utilize computer-controlled machinery and specialized software in an effort to automate, accelerate, and improve their production processes.

This process can be as simple as filling up containers in food industries or intricate enough to assemble large, heavy, and complex aircraft components in the aviation industry, including the more common solutions such as the use of robotics in factories and assembly lines in a wide array of industries. As this technology continues to develop, CAM systems might even play an important role in the designing and manufacturing processes of everyday household goods as well.

Telephone systems

While we might not consider something as simple as telephones to be of any special technological importance, the truth is that telephone systems used in major industries today are actually quite elaborate. The most popular business phone systems nowadays consist of hardware units that utilize software in order to split company phone lines among individual handsets, with the complexity of used software often going a step further as well.

Automated attendants have become the norm across the globe as well, allowing callers to effortlessly find needed employees, place service calls, check their account statuses and balances, and even get more information about their orders and transactions. Not only has this simplified the automation of routine tasks, but it has also allowed businesses to provide a more enhanced level of customer service and HR services without ever having to truly interact with callers.

Evidently, major industries have significantly changed and evolved due to technological advancements, and we have yet to see how new technologies might impact businesses worldwide. No matter the outcome, one thing is clear – no business can expect success and prosperity in the modern world if they sit idle as technology progresses around them.

5 Ways Blockchain Technology Can Revolutionize HR Management

Blockchain technology has transformed many industries and processes, and it’s about to impact human resources management in the nearest future too! It has the power to alter the way HR experts approach their everyday tasks.

Demand for this innovative technology in HR departments is on the rise as its capabilities can be extended to various sectors to simplify and improve its operations.

Read on to learn more about five ways blockchain technology can revolutionize human resources management!

1. Enhanced data security and protection from cybercriminals

HR departments typically handle vast amounts of sensitive information like personal and financial data on employees. Information relating to pay, health insurance, finance and banking, and performance records can be stored, and therefore exposed to a certain risk.

Blockchain technology can elevate managing confidential data. It can transform data security as the information stored on the blockchain is decentralized and secured through cryptography. 

And as an added layer of security, every change that’s being made requires authorization and verification. This is especially important when it comes to delicate information like medical conditions or disciplinary records.

The adoption of this technology significantly reduces the ability of cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data, making it extremely difficult to tamper with. Organizations from all industries could take advantage of blockchain to secure employees’ data and identify potential data breaches. 

2. Transformation of recruiting and hiring process

Recruitment requires significant time and resources like financial investment within the HR department. Many companies turn to third-party agencies or recruiters for this reason, but their services usually come with a substantial fee.

Blockchain technology can help organizations streamline sourcing and managing talent. Instead of going through dozens of resumes, it would enable employers with access to verified data stored on the blockchain including grades, degrees, work history, certificates, and experience. 

Applicants could acquire virtual credentials in a distributed blockchain network and provide potential employers with permission to access their records. Unalterable records of their work histories would eradicate the chances of inaccuracy and fraudulent applications.

With this innovative technology in place, the verifying process would be more efficient and secure as the need for third-party background and employment history checks would be eliminated. 

This way, it would be easier for HR managers to find the right talent for the right role. 

Advanced tech solutions like blockchain could enable the building of the next generation work platforms, eliminating bias, spam, third-parties and their fees, and lack of visibility of available workers. 

3. Paying workers in cryptocurrency

Blockchain is widely associated with Bitcoin and its mining. With the right hardware, bitcoin mining is a profitable business, and as a result, it got mainstream attention. And since Bitcoin hit its all-time high in 2021, it’s no wonder more and more people are exploring mining cryptocurrencies as an income source. 

But blockchain isn’t confined to this use only. There are other advantages to this technology that can make HR processes more efficient. Facilitating payments to the workforce is one of them. 

Employees want to access their money as soon as possible and move it with ease, and that’s where blockchain technology comes in. With cryptocurrency payrolls, there is no need for intermediaries to process the payments. 

Also, the transactions on the blockchain are encrypted and unalterable, and therefore more reliable.

This is especially important when doing business with underdeveloped nations where banking systems aren’t trustworthy, and the currency is devalued. Crypto-based payroll systems could provide a competitive edge to companies looking to attract more skilled workers across the globe.

4. Introduction of smart contracts

Smart contracts between the employer and employees would enable instant payments for the workers. And what’s even better, the risk of delay or fraud during transactions would be eliminated. This has particular importance for gig and contract workers, as their work and invoices are usually manually verified, so they have to wait to be paid.

The use of blockchain and smart contracts can automate this process, so payments can be distributed instantly when the criteria for which the wages are earned are met. 

Once the worker completes the assigned task (e.g. deliver cargo safely at its destination), the payment is released automatically. Without uploading workers onto the payroll system, HR teams will have more time for more important tasks.

The gig economy is on the rise, so the adoption of blockchain and smart contracts could help companies attract more talent and expand their business. 

5. Simplifying international payroll

The world is becoming increasingly globalized, and the remote workforce is growing. For this reason, cross-border payments are an important topic in HR departments. Due to multiple intermediary banks, currency fluctuations, and third-party vendors, paying international employees is time-consuming and expensive.

The international business would benefit greatly from blockchain technology, as it simplifies this process and eliminates the need for intermediaries. As a result, the cost of cross-border payments is reduced, and they are completed almost immediately. 

The introduction of blockchain-based corporate cryptocurrencies would only ease this process further for the HR and finance departments. And of course, the employees would benefit from faster, more secure payments with no changes in exchange rates.

5 Benefits of Technology for Lifelong Learners and Career Advancement

Lifelong learning is one of the healthiest habits any self-loving and goal-oriented woman can embrace. As if learning in itself isn’t a treat, a way to become a more fulfilled human being, and a way to expand your horizons, it serves a very concrete purpose for those among you who have high goals for career development, and want to acquire the skills necessary to become a leader, an inspirational figure, a specialist in a certain field, and more. That said, let’s not kid ourselves, learning takes time, consistency, effort, and usually money, none of which you might not be able or willing to give.

That’s okay, as always, technology is here to lend a helping hand. From those nifty laptops and tablets that make mobile learning a breeze, all the way to amazing new learning platforms that give you access to the world’s knowledge base, technology can help you achieve your goals, become a founder, or get a job at a reputable and responsive company – you name it, learning through tech can help you achieve it. Here are the five benefits of technology for lifelong learners and those seeking to advance their careers. 

Learn on the go

One of the first and most obvious benefits of modern technology is that you can put all of your learning material on your smartphone, Kindle, tablet, or laptop, and take it with you! It’s a mobile world we live in nowadays, and there is no denying that many women are balancing numerous daily tasks and overcoming numerous challenges every single day – so nobody would blame you if you simply haven’t the time to stop, pull out a book, and read for an hour or two.

Instead of missing out on the opportunity to expand your knowledge base, why not use the tech you always have on you to take knowledge with you on your commute to the office, or anywhere else? This type of mobile learning is best reserved for subject matters you can memorize quickly, ones you don’t have to practice on a piece of paper, like math. 

Fit education into your busy schedule

Speaking of the hectic modern lifestyle, learning through smart technology allows you to manage your time more efficiently, consume the material in bite-size pieces for better long-term retention, and most importantly, pick up where you left off easily. This type of learning flexibility is one of the primary benefits of learning apps and innovative platforms, as it doesn’t really matter if you’re working from home or if you’re at work all day long. 

Modern applications and platforms specialize in condensing the material so that you can learn it easily, while giving you the opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter if you so wish. By creating a profile on the platform, you can track your progress, save data, and receive professional guidance and support. In turn, all of this will allow you to fit education into your busy schedule.

Learn nuanced skills to propel your career

Another powerful advantage of modern learning platforms, one that many people fail to recognize at first, is that they allow you to learn very specific and nuanced things. Sure, general subject matters the likes of developing leadership skills, basic math, or music theory are still there, but what happens when you want to learn about molecular biology, astrophysics, or geodetic engineering? Or what if you want to contribute in the fight against the pandemic? Should you apply for college all over again?

No, you should search for those courses online and delve right in on your own free time. This is one of the best ways to upskill and even develop a new career path. If you’re looking to join the healthcare industry, for example, then getting PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certified and learning about PALS drugs and pharmacology can be your entryway into pediatrics and a way to join the battle against COVID-19. This is the type of freedom and flexibility that only technology can provide – the type of learning opportunity that can help you take your career in a completely new direction.

Diversify your learning material

Students, established business leaders, stay-at home moms who want to kick-start their own career, it doesn’t matter which group you’re a part of, what matters is that you should always strive to diversify your learning material in order to acquire knowledge from various reputable sources. This will allow you to a) compare and contrast, b) learn more efficiently, and c) retain information easily.

However, you also need to equip yourself with the right tech to make the learning process more efficient and effective. Some of the leading learning platforms will use a dedicated VoIP communication system that facilitates synchronous and asynchronous learning and allows you to communicate more efficiently with educators and other students in a virtual meeting room.

It is especially important to have such systems in place when you’re going over exceptionally difficult subject matter. In such situations, it’s also good to use various review materials, anything from videos, guided tutorials, hands-on projects, open-ended questionnaires, all of which can expand your knowledge and help you retain information faster. And all of that with a push of a digital button.

Access to renowned colleges and teachers

And finally, you’ve probably noticed that e-learning platforms and popular apps are now offering unprecedented access to world-renowned colleges, institutions and businesses, and that they are even partnering up with prominent figures from various industries in order to spread their knowledge across the world. This is your golden opportunity to learn from the best of the best, to consume knowledge that has been cultivated at top universities, and tap into the genius minds of your idols – so don’t waste it by sticking to the outdated learning methods.

Wrapping up

Technology has changed every aspect of our lives, so why shouldn’t it change the way we acquire knowledge as well? With these five tips in mind, go ahead and use technology to take your personal and professional life forward, and make lifelong learning a passion.

The Future of Work: What Will Jobs Look Like in the Coming Decade?

Once upon a time a farmer grew up in the fields, owned a family farm, and bequeathed it to his offspring upon his death — offspring that were raised with the singular purpose to carry on the family tradition of farming.

While being “born into an occupation” is a concept as old as time itself, though, it has never been more outdated than the present. The modern work world is awash with change. Everything from workspaces and tools to employers and the employed themselves are all in a state of flux. The 21st-century has already witnessed shocking developments that have rewritten the employment script, and the situation only looks primed to heat up heading into the 2020s.

A Look at the 2010s

While it’s interesting to consider where the future of work will take us at this point, the speculation is made especially poignant when it is juxtaposed against the backdrop of the previous decade or two.

There’s no doubt that the 2010s (and to some degree the decade that preceded it) were times of incredible change for the average business. The steady creation and proliferation of new technological marvels — things like social media, smartphones, and cloud computing — served up a steady hum of digital disruption that turned the average workplace on its head.

Many of these shifts focused heavily on communication. Video and text-based electronic communications, the internet, and the instant transmission of news around the world forced companies to adapt to a more global business mindset. Even the marketplace as a whole shifted as consumers began to rely heavily on mobile phone usage. They shopped online and adjusted to free two-day shipping expectations. By the end of the decade, even traditional, non-digital advertising spending had been surpassed by its online counterpart.

To further complicate matters, the incoming millennial generation prompted a dramatic shift in workplace culture and expectations. Topics like work-life balance and addressing a toxic workplace environment began to take the front seat.

Corporate social responsibility percolated up the ranks to upper management, and businesses began looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint through things like eliminating waste or shifting to solar power. Even small items addressing work-life balance that had previously been brushed under the rug, such as bringing your dog to work, were brought up and addressed.

From one end to the other, the first decade or two of the 21st-century was riddled with transformation, experimentation, and in many ways, a complete overhaul of the traditional workplace.

A Look at the 2020s

With so much change in the rearview mirror, a question that must be asked is if the trend shows signs of slowing in the future — and the short answer is: not likely. The 2020s promise to be at least as transitional if not more than the previous two decades combined.

For instance, the millennial generation served, in many ways, as the guinea pigs of a technological world. They were born into a world with corded phones and boomboxes, only to have things like social media, self-driving cars, big data, and widespread internet use thrown in their face.

In contrast, the 2020s will be Generation Z’s chance to shine. As the first generation to completely grow up in a technologically steeped world, Gen Zers won’t have to face the need to learn to adapt. They’re already used to it.

Rather than shift the job landscape out of a necessity to adapt to change, Generation Zers are likely to take the workplace by the bit and bridle and turn it to their own will. They expect job stability, diversity, social responsibility, and flexible schedules, and they’re not afraid to question the benefits of technology.

Many Gen Zers have also eschewed a traditional degree, focusing, instead, on more entrepreneurial opportunities. When commenting on the termination of Doritos’ popular “Crash the Super Bowl” crowdsourced commercial contest, chief marketing officer Ram Krishnan pointed out that, “If you look at when we started the program, millennial consumers were the target…[Now] Our Doritos target is Gen Z consumers and they’re already content creators.” This recognition of their creative abilities speaks volumes to their potential as entrepreneurs in the 2020s job market.

Apart from the generation change, there are several other major factors that will likely shape the next decade of jobs, starting with the gig economy. In the waning years of the 2010s, the gig economy exploded. Remote work had become both easy and expected — by 2018 70% of the global workforce worked remotely at least once a week — and the rise of the freelancer began to erode the remnant of the traditional work office environment at an accelerated pace.

While controversial laws have recently been enacted looking to bring gig economy workers under the umbrella of common workers’ rights, it’s unlikely that they’ll fully bring a stop to the freelance movement.

How will this movement look over the next decade? While only time will tell, there are several likely adjustments coming down the pike including a proliferation of entirely remote offices and a further elimination of the need to commute to work. And then there’s the topic of automation. While automation already wrested numerous low-skilled jobs from workers throughout the early 21st-century, the trend only looks likely to accelerate going forward.

Balancing out the effects of automation and the gig economy is a natural rise in the demand for more skilled professionals. As employees prioritize work-life balance and flexibility, more skilled professional positions are becoming available in fields like technology, data science, and skilled trades.

Also adding fuel to the first is an increased pressure for businesses to shift their operations to more sustainable methods. Solar power and other alternative forms of energy are being pursued more aggressively than ever as part of larger business objectives. Waste is also being systematically eliminated, as has been clearly demonstrated by the coffee chain Starbuck’s continual efforts to increase the sustainability of its operations.

All Hail the Ever-Changing Changing Business Landscape?

With so much change continually swirling, a natural question that arises is whether or not things will ever slow down again. The 2020 election is already setting the tone for the future, with employment remaining a hot topic and some candidates pushing fairly radical agendas, such as Andrew Yang’s plan for universal basic income.

While many of these changes are easy to predict in general, though, time will only tell how the specific changes in the workplaces will play out as the 2020s unfold.

Image Source: Pexels

What Technologies Might Replace Human Resource Professionals?

One recurring concern surrounding technology in the workplace is the potential replacement of living workers. In fact, this concern has been with us since the industrial revolution, with the introduction of factory machinery even prompting the formation of Luddite groups in opposition. Today we’re unlikely to respond in quite the same violent manner, but we are nonetheless wary of how machinery might make us obsolete.

Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a steep uptick in technological advancement and its introduction into the workplace, from robotics in manufacturing to artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnostic medicine. However, while some traditional tasks have been replaced by technological methods, machines are more likely to be used to support human talent rather than replace it. New technology has also shown potential for creating roles in entirely new industries.

The ebb and flow of labor due to change is well understood by those who specialize in human resource departments. But how could greater reliance upon tech impact the careers of HR professionals, themselves? Is there any cause for concern, and what opportunities might be presented?

Remote Teams

Remote work has proven something of a double-edged sword for some businesses. On one hand, technology has advanced to the point where we can employ a worldwide talent pool, yet we can’t always replicate the benefits evident in physical teams. While the trends lean toward remote workers primarily being used for project teams, 52% of companies that use virtual teams use this method in employing upper management, too. This tech advancement presents challenges for HR.

In this example, there is not a huge concern that remote technology might replace HR professionals. Rather, it is more likely to result in shifts in what is required and expected of those who take on these roles. There will be a need for HR professionals to understand how technology can enhance the hiring process — from utilizing artificial intelligence to narrow down potential candidates, to how best to use video conferencing during the interview process. What’s more, there may be an increased reliance on cloud services to track data and forms for all the remote employees, leading to a higher likelihood of data loss if members of HR are not up-to-date on their tech training.

It could also become necessary for HR professionals to gain a deeper understanding of company projects in order to best understand how to support individual teams and team members, especially when it comes to the nuances of hiring remote employees. In essence, this is an issue of leadership.

Nursing in the healthcare industry provides a useful illustration on this subject. Specifically, there is an emphasis on the need for transformational leaders who understand the technology being utilized and how it affects the holistic operation within work environments. Similarly, HR professionals need to grasp how remote employees best operate in order to provide services which have a beneficial impact on the entire company.

Training and Development

It is perhaps more helpful to look at the implementation of HR technology as a way to lighten the load of day-to-day duties, rather than a threat to the sector. One of the ways in which we are already starting to see digital platforms becoming useful is in learning and development. This is particularly important in businesses where L&D and HR roles are combined.

Educational technology (EdTech) has been useful in reducing the need for a dedicated staff member to be present during every aspect of training, for example. While HR and L&D professionals may need to become savvier in the initial building and ongoing maintenance of training programs to be delivered via EdTech platforms, once designed, there is relatively little need for supervision, and the in-person aspects of the course can be scheduled for convenience.

Thankfully, this is already in line with how most employees prefer to work. Millennial HR professionals will likely already be comfortable utilizing technology in various aspects of their work, and studies show that employees, in general, are keen to improve their digital skills. This bodes well for advanced technology that HR workers may need to introduce into training scenarios, including the rising popularity of virtual reality (VR) in corporate learning spaces.

Closer Human and Technology Relationship

One of the ways in which it’s important to look at technology’s role in any industry is through the lens of collaboration. Rather than simple replacement, elements of technology could prove to boost HR professionals in their daily responsibilities — enhancements that allow them to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

Combining technology with our bodies might seem like a drastic step straight out of a sci-fi novel, but it may also hold the key to more efficient working practices. Biohacking is, in essence, a method through which we can use scientific knowledge and equipment to better understand and utilize our bodily processes, including augmentation to optimize our bodies and brains in order to achieve our full potential. The success of any business often relies upon the productivity of its staff members, after all — so is it beyond the realm of possibility that HR professionals could develop expertise in this area which could help make themselves and staff more effective in their roles?

We’re not quite at the stage where chips are being implanted into brains, but biohacking isn’t just about hardware. Technology could be implemented to keep HR professionals and staff in routines that are beneficial to their health and productivity, too. Sensors connected through the internet of things could monitor life signs and activities, and recommendations could be made for supplements, or Nootropics, which could enhance cognitive performance. This combination of analysis, scientific knowledge, and augmentation may become part of the HR landscape as part of a generalized employee wellness plan, ensuring not only day-to-day productivity, but also minimizing areas of inefficiency such as sick days.

Conclusion

It may be time to ask fewer questions about whether machines will replace workers, and spend more time discovering how technology can evolve the roles already being performed. For HR professionals, there are exciting opportunities being presented by our rising digital landscape. By understanding how they can best form a collaborative relationship with technology, human resources departments can help give their companies a competitive edge in a constantly changing labor environment.

Image Source: Pexels

How to Fast Forward your Employee’s Career

Your employees’ professional growth doesn’t happen overnight. Developing people’s skills needs investment of thought, time and love in order to create meaningful change. Ideally a manager becomes a mentor. They provide guidance and coaching to evolve employee skill-sets, knowledge and confidence. With managers acting as the catalyst for progression, we’ve pinpointed five ways to effectively advance your employee’s career path.

Align your business goals

When you’re working closely with your employees, don’t forget to feed back the “bigger picture” to them. You can coach people in leadership qualities all day long but it’s pointless if you’re not communicating why. Employees motivation to excel can diminish if they don’t feel valued or believe they can create an impact for the company. Realistically, how empowered would your employees feel if they’re given the freedom to make smart, informed decisions however they still need to run their ideas by you before making moves? Communicate the objectives and company goals before anything else, and provide freedom for them to actually reach these.

Create a career development plan

Having conversations around career progressions is the first step in gauging employee development, but it’s important to follow up with implementing achievable objectives. This encourages employees to formulate their goals so they can actively execute them. Create a space where you can collaborate openly on short-term and long-term career goals and most importantly how these can be achieved. If you’re not sure where role progression can evolve, check out Search Party’s Career Path Tool to see all possible options.

Articulate expectations

Objectives and Key Results (OKR) is a popular technique to setting and communicating goals and results in organisations. The main purpose for OKRs is to connect the company, team and individual’s personal objectives to measurable results, ensuring everyone is moving in the right direction. The structure is fairly straightforward.

• Define 3-5 key objectives on company, team or personal levels. These must be qualitative, ambitious and time bound.
• Under each objective, define 3-4 measurable results based on growth performance, revenue or engagement.

When OKRs are a place and remain transparent across all teams, employees have complete clarity of knowing what’s expected of them and have something to work towards. Defining these can take into account career progressions or onboarding new responsibilities or projects and when you’re able to measure you’re also able to mentor. No wonder OKR’s are loved by tech giants like Google, Twitter, and Oracle. It’s a proven process that genuinely works.

Actively identify new opportunities within the organisation

When employees begin to seek new experiences or want to build their portfolio of skill-sets, 9 times out of 10 they’ll leave their current organisation rather than take on a new role in a different area within their current company. And it’s no surprise that losing talent and re-training new starters is timely and costly for managers. However this behaviour can be avoided if there is real encouragement and facilitation of internal transfers. Speak with the individual about what skills they would like to gain or areas they wish to excel in and then identify all possible new opportunities and paths they can explore within the organisation. Mentors are those who can look beyond their own areas or personal needs for growth opportunities, even if it means they’re losing a great asset.

Encourage developmental assignments

Developmental assignments come from the opportunity to initiate something new that an employee takes the majority of the reigns with. Internal projects, new product lines or championing a change such as adopting new technology or a restructure in workflows are all great ways to allow employees to step outside of their comfort zones. These kind of initiatives are the gateway into harbouring new skill-sets and embracing areas not usual to their daily tasks. Enabling employees to lead or manage side projects or totally new initiatives are the stepping stones into project management fields and opens a huge number of doors into other leadership roles.

Although most CEOs understand the importance of employee development, the sad truth is that they don’t devote the necessary time into excelling them into greater things. But the proof really is in the pudding. The more effort you put into developing employees, the higher the employee retention, productivity, engagement, turnover…the list goes on!

If you’re unsure as to where career progression can take you or your employees, Search Party have developed a nifty Career Path Tool. Simply type in your current role, and see how careers of people who’ve been in your shoes developed. Or, type in your dream job and see which paths can take you there. Check it out and let us know what you think!

---

Originally published by Search Party on 29 August 2016.

New ServiceNow Research Highlights What Employees Really Want

Perks at work have become a source of pride and a competitive differentiator for companies vying for top talent. Stocked fridges, catered meals, on‑site fitness facilities, laundry services and complimentary transportation are just a handful of popular perks companies offer to lure new employees. But according to new research by ServiceNow, an effective way to build an engaged and productive workforce is giving employees a better employee service experience during big moments and even small ones in between.

ServiceNow’s “The Employee Experience Imperative” Report, which studies the service experience at work, reveals that employee enthusiasm for work peaks at the start of a new job, but wanes by 22% shortly thereafter. Where are employers missing the mark? The findings tell us that employers aren’t supporting employee’s basic needs on a day‑to‑day basis during the employee lifecycle: 41% still struggle to obtain information and answers to basic questions, like finding a company policy or resolving an issue with their equipment. Furthermore, only 41% believe their employers make it easy to select their equipment before their first day and only 51% of employees believe their employers make it easy to receive equipment necessary to perform their job responsibilities at the onset of their job.

Employees today – regardless of their role or generation – want to be heard and valued, and they want an employee experience that suits their needs throughout their career with an organization,” said Pat Wadors, Chief Talent Officer at ServiceNow. “If an employee’s experience is lacking at the onset of their new job, the impact for some employees can likely be felt until the employee’s last day. By creating beautiful and meaningful experiences and an environment where work gets done efficiently, employers will benefit from a more engaged and productive workforce.”

Pat Wadors, Chief Talent Officer at ServiceNow

Where Can Employers Improve? Mobile Work Experiences

One‑third of our lives is spent at work. And, employees want their experiences at work to be more like their experiences at home – like having mobile technology at their fingertips to make finding information and accomplishing tasks simple, easy and convenient. In fact, more than half (54%) of employees expect their employers to offer mobile‑optimized tools at work. Yet, the majority (67%) report not finding it easy to complete necessary paperwork on a mobile device before their first day and only about half (52%) of employees have been allowed to use a smartphone or tablet to access employee tools from HR or other departments. However, those who do have such access self‑report higher productivity than those without these mobility tools. This is a miss for employers who haven’t yet introduced mobile self‑service to their workforce, especially for those aiming to retain and attract millennials, as over half (59%) expect employers to provide mobile‑optimized tools.

A Generation Gap? It’s Smaller at Work Than You’d Think

Baby boomers and millennials aren’t so different at work, after all. Across the four generations that comprise today’s workforce – baby boomers, Gen‑Zs, millennials and Gen‑Xs – employees want a better experience at work. The research found that, across generations and departments, employees are losing faith in their employers to deliver positive employee experiences:

• Less than half (48%) of employees believe that employers are invested in improving the employee experience;
• More than half (61%) of employees rate their employers poorly based on a negative experience with personal leave;
• Less than half (45%) of employees feel that their opinions and perspective matter to their employer. However, millennials (43%) are more optimistic that employers will address feedback when compared to baby boomers (35%);
• Only 37% of employees believe that employers automate processes to improve the worker experience; and
• Less than half (44%) of employees believe employers provide them with easy access to information from HR and other departments; the same number felt they did not have access to the information vital to their job on day one.

A positive experience at work strongly correlates high employee net promoter scores (eNPS)– meaning, employees that create great employee experiences are likely to have more loyal, satisfied employees. That’s real business value.

Backlog Management: Making Sure Your Backlog Is Lean

A lot goes into running an online business. An online business can be classified as a variety of different things. You can run a website, build software, create an app or a wide range of other ventures. While more and more people are venturing online to start a business, it isn’t an easy task. There is not only a lot of competition but many new startups (whether online or not), will fail.

However, running a business today can also be easier than ever. There are many tools, software, and programs that can help with numerous aspects of your business. For example, with how important coding is to many businesses, there have been several different tools that can assist with your coding and monitoring your app. If you want to learn more about some of them, check out this link: JavaScript Error Logging Service Error Handling.

Unfortunately, trying to do too much or bloating your company with tools or other things can also often be problematic. Clutter or bloating in a company can cause many issues, and this is especially true when it comes to your backlog. A backlog is a collection or list of different new features, bug fixes, changes and more than your team wants to implement. If this backlog is too big or clogged up with stuff, it can hurt your business in many ways. It can slow down innovation, lead to confusion and can greatly reduce your time to market. With that in mind, this article is going to look at a couple of different tips to ensure your backlog is lean. 

Do Your Best to Prevent or Eliminate Waste

When you have a ton of unnecessary items in your backlog, it does nothing but wastes both time and resources. It can also make it quite tough to focus on the actual important items that could be buried in the backlog. As a result, you should get rid of any unnecessary entrants. Reducing the inventory to only things that are essential can go a long way. 

In addition to this, you should be sure to prevent any future waste or overproduction in your backlog. This means you should only look to provide what customers and users actually need, and not try to go above and beyond by overproducing. This will keep everything clean and concise and helps people focus on what is most important. 

Know When to Say No

As you are likely aware, it can be incredibly challenging to say no. This is especially true at the workplace and responding to colleague or coworker requests. However, when dealing with your backlog, it is incredibly important to be able to say no. Any ideas or potential entries that don’t contribute to the overall goal of the team should be declined.

This will ensure your product, software, company or program never becomes bloated. Sure, turning ideas down can be disheartening, it needs to be done. The less amount of items within the backlog, the leaner it will be. Even if something might be important later on, refrain from adding to the backlog to ensure it stays lean. Instead, you could add it to your roadmap or simply keep it on the back burner until it is time to make use of it.

Manage and Prioritize Your Backlog 

Of course, how your team actually manages the backlog can have a huge impact on how lean it is. You need to come up with a management plan and ensure everyone is on the same page regarding it. Everyone should be a part of ensuring the backlog is continuously updated and kept fresh. 

In addition to managing the backlog, it needs to be prioritized as well. You and your team need to work together to decide when and how each item should be implemented. Is it needed right now? Or can it wait for a future update? Addressing this early and often will make sure your team always knows how to move forward. 

In conclusion, hopefully, this blog post is able to help you make sure your backlog is lean.