What IT Managers Are Worried About Now

COVID restrictions are finally easing and things are starting to feel “normal” again. However, this loosening of restrictions also has left IT managers struggling with a new set of challenges associated with a hybrid remote/on-site work environment.  

 

Supporting Remote Workers

During the pandemic, many workers had to work from home to comply with pandemic related guidelines on reduced office occupancy levels. Although businesses are now reopening their offices, some are still allowing their employees to continue to work from home, at least part of the time. A lot of this has to do with employee demand– Buffer’s 2021 State of Remote Work report shows over 97% of employees would like to continue working remotely at least some of the time. Some businesses have also seen increases in productivity with remote workers.

The downside of this is that business leaders in C-suites and business owners must continue to be cognizant about the security vulnerabilities this creates.  It’s not surprising given that the devices employees are using at home are being used to access sensitive work materials.

Even if businesses provide and configure the equipment used by their remote employees, they still worry how an employee might be using them offsite. Remote workers could be letting their kids use a work laptop, or they might use it to visit dangerous sites. The problem then becomes – what happens when the employee reconnects to the network or brings the device back to work?

Cybersecurity threats only grew during COVID. Now that businesses are preoccupied with the shift in how employees work yet again, cybercriminals are taking advantage. They know that businesses might not be prepared for the unique challenges of devices that are used both at home and in the office.

Managed IT service providers can help businesses set up stronger security protocols and create policies for managing remote workers’ devices. This can take some of the stress off managers so they can focus on other tasks.

 

Securing Business Data

Many businesses are still struggling to fully secure their data as employees have become accustomed to the convenience of working remotely, even if it is just part-time. For instance, what happens if an employee decides to work from a local restaurant with public Wi-Fi? Or, what if they click on a phishing email, potentially exposing your business’s databases to a hacker?

Managed IT services are designed to help mitigate data security risks. With cybersecurity threats evolving on what seems to be a daily basis, you need a team that knows how to protect you from the latest threats. Managing remote devices isn’t easy, but having to do it is the new norm. Transitioning successfully without risking or even losing your business’s data may take some extra help.

 

Keeping Up with Hardware

During COVID, trying to find new laptops, tablets, and other essential hardware for your business wasn’t always easy. While they were not impacted as drastically as auto and large appliance manufacturers by semiconductor shortages, there was impact up and down the supply chain. This was because factories had to adjust their working environments to comply with government regulations that limited building occupancy. They also had to adjust when disease breakouts occurred to protect employees. Similar problems reduced the active labor force in the shipping industry. All of this put additional stress on the ability of manufacturers to respond to the high demand from workers and students doing everything from home and resulted in extended delays in delivery.

Despite the return to “normal”, manufacturers are still struggling to meet demand. Trying not only to figure out how to upgrade everything, but successfully secure older devices is a concern for businesses large and small. The last thing they want is to see business productivity suffer simply due to outdated hardware. IT service providers can guide your business team through prioritizing hardware upgrades, securing old and new devices, and minimizing the impact of manufacturer slowdowns.

 

Getting Help as Challenges Arise

As COVID continues to shift the way people work, companies still have many challenges and worries ahead. It can be difficult trying to handle all the changes on your own. An IT service provider with the right expertise can provide the support you need as these challenges arise.

Managed IT service providers can help SMBs meet new cybersecurity challenges associated with employees coming back to work post-COVID so that they can have one less worry. Plus, support is always available for new projects, no matter how challenging they might be.

 

Why Your Business Needs to Partner with GSDSolutions

GSDSolutions offers managed IT services in the Bay Area and the Central Valley for many different types of businesses. We understand the constant pressure that companies face in today’s workplace, and we can help you by guiding your through the challenges of the hybrid onsite/remote working environment. Our proactive and forward-thinking approach to technology will keep your business on the cutting-edge, maximize performance, and help you maintain business continuity.

 

Want to Learn More?

Give our team at GSDSolutions IT Services a call at (650) 282-7695, or drop us an email at getstuffdone@gsdsolutions.io to learn more about our business IT services and how we can help you put a robust IT service program strategy in place for your business. We offer Managed IT Services, Data Security Services and Virtual Event Management Service, with a predictable cost model and a commitment to customer satisfaction. From implementing new cybersecurity protocols for a hybrid workforce to ensuring you’re using hardware that is optimal for your business’s goals, GSDSolutions can help your business “Get Stuff Done”!