with Stephen Dwyer, Head of Technical Solutions at Intuity Technologies

If we could wave a magic wand and Covid-19 would suddenly disappear overnight, where would that leave the Irish workforce? Would there be a mass return to workplaces, or will a state of remote working exist? In all likelihood, it is the latter, so being prepared for it is the sensible approach. 

While the Government is busy revising their Living with Covid plan, a gradual return to normality is what we can expect, rather than an instant restoration of life pre-lockdown. In this month’s newsletter, we are offering some guidance and advice to both employees and businesses about how our home offices and work offices will operate in the not-too-distant future.

Here are some tips for your consideration:

Work will be something you do, not somewhere you go

In 1996, The Irish Times published an article entitled “Death of the Office?”. It described a hypothetical future wherein workers no longer encountered long daily commutes to the office but rather used technology to become more productive from the comforts of their home. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition in Ireland to remote working by several years and proven that it is possible on a national scale. Remote working, be it a blend of time spent in the office and at home, is now here to stay. It is a sea change for many, but organisations must be flexible in supporting their staff as well as managing expectations.

Be mindful of business data

It is vital that businesses protect and manage their data. Guidance may be required around the needs of balancing data security and cybersecurity when you have employees in a remote working situation. Under GDPR regulation and the Data Protection Act of 2018, enhanced privacy protection legislation covers the processing of an individual’s data. Now may be a sensible time to conduct a risk assessment on each remote environment and to give consideration to how the data will be processed when working from home.

Invest in some smart tech tools

You probably don’t need a colour-changing LED keyboard or a blue-light filtering pair of glasses (though they are useful) to work from home optimally, but there are some additions to your home office which may make the process a little more convenient. A large, high-resolution monitor, a dedicated microphone if you find yourself on daily conference calls and more importantly, a good surge protector in the event of the inevitable power outages that we face sporadically, will all prevent frustration down the line.

Security is not optional, it is essential

Kaspersky, a leading Antivirus company, has carried out research that indicates global damage to businesses because of cybercrime is in excess of $1.5 billion per year. Given that 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error, having the correct security layers within your tech stack is absolutely critical. In the USA, the FBI has reported a 300% increase in reported cybercrimes since the beginning of the pandemic. Awareness of threats and a robust technical solution against bad actors can prevent your business from such dangers.

We hope this advice is useful and if you would like any further discussion, please feel free to get in touch with me directly or any of the Intuity team.

Best wishes for the month ahead.

Stephen Dwyer, Head of Technology, Intuity
Stephen.Dwyer@intuity.ie

References Sources:
Remote Working – Cyber Security Tips for Working from Home | Kaspersky
Scaling security for remote working – KPMG Global (home.kpmg)
134 Cybersecurity Statistics and Trends for 2021 | Varonis
15 Alarming Cyber Security Facts and Stats | Cybint (cybintsolutions.com)