Introduction
The recent work-from-home mandates have brought a few things to light — with undoubtedly more to come! For example, we realized Forget Computers has been working remotely since 2006! We have a lot of experience to share about the changing climate, and we're trying our best to share what works well (and not so well).
On March 24, Dresner Advisory Services published Research Insight: Preliminary Findings on How COVID-19 Impacts Budgets and Projects. The entire article is worth a review. I’ve summarized their six recommendations below and mapped these to OUR CORE RECOMMENDATIONS (near the end of this article):
- Continue to invest in technology as a means of improving planned execution.
- Reinforce in all business interactions the need for data-driven decision-making.
- Consider this an opportunity to review and update data governance policies and data-access levels.
- Ensure that your technology is sufficiently robust and connected to meet business users’ needs.
- Consider moving applications to third-party cloud infrastructure to accommodate employees working from home.
- Continue online engagement to increase organizational resilience. Encourage peer groups to act similarly.
I acknowledge my self-interest here — I view everything through the lens of technology and resilience (security). However, I’m also a business owner with 20-years of experience working alongside a range of large and small clients across various industries. I want to do everything possible to help you make the best decisions for your business.
Some companies may elect to reduce their IT spending. In doing so, they risk operating during uncertain times with unknown security vulnerabilities, crippled productivity, and poor job satisfaction amongst employees. Others will use this opportunity to iterate and prepare for the upturn.
Framework for How To Control IT Spending
MANAGE CHANGE
Every business has unique IT needs and business risk. Although it's often true that reducing headcount will reduce IT spending, this is not always true. Change — or rather how you manage change — has the most significant effect on IT spending. Being reactive and making changes with no plan is always more expensive than having a plan. (Sometimes this comes in the form of productivity loss.) We cannot stop change, but we can minimize and plan for it.
THINK LONGER-TERM
Before you downsize people and licenses, consider what will be required to come back strong when sheltering-in-place ends (current estimates put this around May 1). It’s not just about managing headcount. If you terminate an employee and their related accounts, you can marginally reduce your short-term costs. However, if you reduce employee hours, move full-time employees to part-time, or replace full-time employees with freelancers or contractors, then your spend increases because you've introduced change, but cannot eliminate hardware or software.
Always consider the long-term repercussions before deleting accounts. Software is typically billed monthly, and some have a one-year commitment. If an account is not required for a short period (3 months), it’s often not worth deleting. Why? Because it will take more resources to delete the account and re-activate it later than it will to keep it active for a short period. License fees could increase for new subscriptions, and some companies levy early termination fees that eclipse the cost of leaving the account alone. Here are a few guidelines:
- If you release someone with no plans to bring them back, then delete the accounts immediately.
- If you release someone with plans to bring them back within three months, then keep the accounts active.
- If you reduce someone’s hours or convert them to a contractor, then keep the accounts active.
Cutting IT spending jeopardizes the productivity and security of the entire business. We’re already seeing remote employees who haven’t had any training resort to Shadow IT, which means they’re using methods and tools you’d never permit in your office. Working-at-home will produce even more of this if not properly managed. (NOTE: Shadow IT doesn't come from a place of malice, but rather from self-sufficient, creative employees trying to problem-solve. However, with even the best of intentions, they can introduce security concerns into the workflow.)
OUR CORE RECOMMENDATIONS
Leading a distributed team that is working from home presents more security and technology challenges that you must manage! You’ve substantially expanded your office location from one (or a few) to several. Continue to invest in technology as a means of improving planned execution and reinforce in all business interactions the need for data-driven decision-making. Your team may be following some or all of these recommendations, but if you’re missing anything, start planning to fill the gaps now (we can help.) If you feel everything is under control, then use this opportunity to make improvements and remind your team what your expectations are to ensure everyone is on the same page — and ready for the upturn when it happens.
SECURITY
Cybercriminals are using this time to their advantage, making the need for training critical.
- Create strong passwords with the help of a password manager (1Password).
- Always use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA).
- Continue your ongoing Security Awareness Training (pii-protect.com).
- Encrypt all devices in case a device is lost or stolen.
- Encourage staff to report any problems. Especially crucial for security issues.
SOFTWARE
Leverage Software as a Service (SaaS) applications whenever possible. Consider moving applications to third-party cloud infrastructure to accommodate employees working from home.
- Chat Services (Microsoft Teams, RingCentral, Slack).
- Video Teleconferencing (Zoom or RingCentral Meetings).
- Document Sharing (Microsoft OneDrive, Box, or Egnyte).
- VPN: additional incenses, capacity, or bandwidth may be required.
- Use Advanced Endpoint Protection (antivirus, anti-malware).
PROCEDURE
Consider this an opportunity to review and update data governance policies and data-access levels.
- Have written work-from-home guidelines that include what software to use (or not use). Only allow products supplied by the organization.
- Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) to set up devices with a standard configuration.
- If you permit people to use their own devices, have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.
- Continue online engagement to increase organizational resilience. Encourage peer groups to act similarly.
HARDWARE & ADDITIONAL
Ensure your technology is sufficiently robust and connected to meet business users’ needs.
- Now could be the time to sell old hardware and buy new rather than ask an employee to use a home computer.
- Encourage staff NOT to use removable media and instead rely on corporate storage or collaboration tools.
COVID-19 laid bare the triumphs of organizations that have done the work of moving critical business functions to the cloud. They were ready, prepared, and experienced few interruptions to their productivity. Those that were not prepared have the challenge of catching up. Those who choose not to adapt will become the next victims of unplanned events. We all must face the preventable-risks that have appeared in our businesses due to employees working from home ... with access to critical company and client data ... on unmanaged networks ... and unknown family devices. Now is the time, and it's not too late. We're here to help.
Plan for change and stay safe!
Ben Greiner
Founder & President
Forget Computers
Chicago's Highest-Rated
Team of Apple Consultants
Business Resources
Because we LOVE checklists: Remote Working Cybersecurity Checklist (PDF).
Our Window and Networking partner, Ntiva, has done a great job of gathering RESOURCES FOR MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC including:
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