The Importance of Technology Governance Policies

A well-defined policy on technology use ensures that employees, contractors, and other business stakeholders understand the rules and expectations for utilizing company systems, networks, and data. This includes:

• Remote and hybrid work security guidelines
• BYOD policies and security measures
• Acceptable use of AI-based tools
• Data privacy and compliance considerations
• Consequences for policy violations

By implementing a clear governance strategy along with an Acceptable Use Policy, organizations can reduce security risks, protect sensitive data, and enhance operational efficiency.

The Cybersecurity and Compliance Risks

• Mitigating Risks from Remote and Hybrid Work: Employees working outside the office increase the risk of data exposure and cyber threats. Organizations can implement security measures such as VPNs, multi-factor authentication, and encrypted communication to ensure secure remote work.
• Securing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policies: Personal devices introduce potential vulnerabilities into corporate networks. Establishing tight security policies for personal devices, such as endpoint protection and controlled access, helps mitigate these risks.
• Managing AI-Based Tools and Their Implications: AI-powered tools can enhance productivity but also pose risks related to data security and ethical concerns. Organizations need guidelines on how AI tools can be used responsibly to prevent data leaks and biased decision-making.
• Ensuring Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations: Businesses must comply with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA. Governing technology use ensures that data handling, storage, and sharing practices align with regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of legal consequences.
• Protecting Against Cybersecurity Threats: Unauthorized software, malware, and phishing attacks can disrupt business operations. Clear technology usage policies minimize the chances of employees engaging in risky behaviors that could compromise security.

Best Practices for Effective Technology Governance

• Develop Comprehensive Policies: Cover all aspects of technology use, including AI tools, remote access, and BYOD security.
• Regularly Train Employees: Provide ongoing education on cybersecurity best practices and compliance requirements.
• Continuously Update Policies: As technology evolves, governance policies should be reviewed and updated regularly.
• Enforce Policies Consistently: Ensure that policies apply fairly to all employees and stakeholders.

Governing technology use within an organization has never been more critical. With remote and hybrid work not going anywhere, AI-powered tools growing in popularity, and increasing cyber threats, businesses must implement strong policies to protect their data, maintain compliance, and enhance security. Taking proactive steps in technology governance will help organizations adapt to modern challenges while maintaining a secure and efficient work environment.

Download Thrive’s Acceptable Use Policy template today to get started on implementing robust, company-wide data governance policies and privacy protocols that make safeguarding sensitive information a priority.

Contact Thrive today to learn more about establishing a clear technology governance policy because now is the time to take action. A secure and compliant workplace starts with well-defined guidelines that protect both the organization and its employees.

The post Why Technology Governance in Your Organization is More Important Than Ever appeared first on Thrive.

As the technology landscape continues to change and evolve at lightning speed, CIOs and CTOs have more on their plates than ever before. For many, spending time on valuable business drivers—the ones that give your business a competitive advantage—takes the backseat to managing and maintaining an IT environment that’s increasingly complex. This challenge is diverse, with many tech leaders needing to oversee everything from vendor management, to rising cyber security concerns, to the many facets associated with maintaining business continuity. And at the end of the day, these tasks leave little time to focus on innovation.

Throughout this blog series, we’ll touch on three major challenges that today’s tech leaders are facing, along with some suggestions to alleviate the burden.  Let’s start with our first challenge: vendor management.

CHALLENGE 1: VENDOR MANAGEMENT 

So Many Vendors, So Little Time

As cloud-based “aaS” solutions explode into the marketplace with a range of affordable, accessible IT solutions, businesses are turning to outside vendors more and more. But for each business, as the number of vendors grows, so does the time and attention needed to manage and monitor them. And this responsibility often falls on the shoulders of already-busy CIOs or CTOs.

Companies large and small are feeling the strain. A single area of IT—take cyber security, for example—alone may require a handful of outside vendors. That’s on top of several other areas where vendor services might be needed, such as web hosting, compliance, disaster recovery and off-site backup, telecoms, hardware maintenance, network … and so the list goes on and on.

A Look at The Numbers

To truly understand the impact of vendor management on today’s IT departments—and how this has changed in recent years—here’s a look at some recent statistics.

• 47% of companies in 2017 said they use more than 10 outside vendors
• 57% say their IT staff spends more time managing vendor relationships than they did two years ago
• 71% of IT leaders state they spend up to half their total budget on external vendors—which doesn’t account for the time and attention spent

Source: Tech Pro Research Survey 

Which Tasks Are Bogging Down Tech Leaders?

While the overarching task of “vendor management” has several moving parts and pieces, we’ve broken it down into three primary areas that pose the most strain on your IT team’s time and resources.

1. Vendor selection. From the sea of cloud vendors, how do you choose the right one? From the moment your organization identifies which IT needs they want to outsource, through your final vendor selection, the process of vetting vendors takes time, diligence and careful consideration to questions that include the following:
   • What is the vendor’s downtime history or record?
   • What level of support can the vendor provide? Can issues be resolved 24x7x365 if needed?
   • Is the vendor reinvesting in emerging technologies to extend to clients and deliver ever increasing value?
   • Is the vendor specialized in your industry-specific applications—for example, compliance for a particular industry vertical?
   • How secure is that vendor’s solution? Is their infrastructure secure and sensitive data well-protected?It’s important to give this selection process careful consideration upfront; otherwise you may spin your wheels with an insufficient vendor before having to repeat this same task down the road, creating an even greater time burden. 

2. Vendor communications/relationship building. After the initial legwork in selecting the right vendor, the ongoing communication and collaboration with those vendors is just as critical—and perhaps even more time-consuming than the vetting process. Also important is continuous collaboration with vendors to take advantage of new offerings, products and desired features that might benefit your organization.According to the CIO Executive Council’s Research Advisory Board, a panel comprised of thirty global CIOs, “Communication is the bedrock of any vendor relationship, and the business-enabling quality that helps drive the success of all other categories.”

3. Using vendors as a strategic partner. Ideally, external vendors can and should provide technical insights that ensure your business is following a strategic path for the future. The optimal vendors can help connect the dots between technology trends and business strategy; ideally, they will rise above the transactional elements to address those business objectives that have been simmering on that back burner for too long. They may even be able to identify industry trends that could provide additional competitive advantages.According to the Strategic Partner Index Survey, IT leaders and vendors need to “forge relationships of trust and collaboration. Failure to do so puts both groups in peril.”

There’s no question that outside vendors can provide value to your organization, and each of the tasks mentioned here simply come with the territory of using them. Yet too often, the importance of each task is undermined by the lack of time and focus that it requires from tech leaders.

How to Ease the Burden

To alleviate the task for IT leaders and utilize vendors more strategically, one option to partner with a managed service provider (MSP). Certain MSPs have experience stepping in as an all-important liaison to act as a single point of contact between your business and multiple IT vendors. The right MSP may even possess many of the skillsets needed to replace of the need for some outside vendors altogether while managing the ones that are still needed.

Additionally, a good MSP is often more familiar with different vendors’ operational processes, and has the technical know-how required for communicating with each vendor. This deeper level of expertise puts them in a better position to evaluate whether certain vendors are indeed a strategic choice for your business.

Finally, MSPs often have a finger on the pulse of the IT industry—and can therefore strategically advise your business on the latest and greatest industry-specific products or solutions that will fulfill your organizational goals.  Keep in mind, though, not all MSPs are the same—so if you’re considering going this route, be sure to ask upfront about the breadth of services and technical capabilities they provide.

Of course, vendor management is just one of the top pain points for today’s tech leader. What about cyber security? How are CIOs and CTOs managing all that’s required of them as security requirements grow? Stay tuned! We’ll cover cyber security in Part 2, Too Much To Manage: Top Challenges Facing Tech Leaders Today (And What To Do About Them).

About PSGi/Thrive

Partnering with PSGi/Thrive alleviates the growing challenges that tech leaders face today, including vendor management, cyber security and maintaining business continuity. PSGi picks up where other MSPs leave off, acting as a strategic industry partner who helps you understand how your system architecture can support your evolving business needs and goals. PSGi delivers the full package of services to bridge the gap between business software and your OS.  Thrive is a leading provider of next-generation managed services. Their technology solutions platform utilizes Cloud, Cyber Security, Networking, Disaster Recovery and other pioneering managed services to help compliance-driven businesses solve complex IT issues. Thrive was acquired by M/C Partners in 2016 as a Northeast United States growth platform to service the Financial Services, Healthcare, Biotech, Life Sciences, Banking and other mid-market verticals.

The post Too Much To Manage? Top Challenges Facing Tech Leaders Today (And What To Do About Them) appeared first on Thrive.

Management Challenges for IT Administrators

IT administrators are responsible for the backbone of modern information technology systems which are reliant on complex network infrastructures. For medium to large-sized companies there can be literally hundreds of thousands of devices which are mission critical to company operations.  The server and network devices can include many different types of hardware from a variety of vendors, security components, switches, routers, and other components that make up the infrastructure.  Here are some of the challenges in terms of a manual approach to managing server and network infrastructures.

• Configuration Tasks: When using the conventional approach to network administration IT personnel typically invests a lot of time into performing configurations which are repetitive and time consuming.  This takes time away from planning for future innovations that increase productivity.
• Network Growth: As a company expands so does the number of devices and applications. This means additional tasks in terms of configuration. IT administrators end up prioritizing according to business task importance which increases the risk of errors and network outages.
• Network Security: The tasks associated with network security can be monumental in terms of patching, firewalls, intrusion detection monitoring, and other security measures which are used to secure data on a server.  This leaves a lot of room for error which increases the risk for data breaches.
• No Centralized Management: When you use the conventional approach to server and network management there is no centralized control for keeping track of configuration changes, updates, and other mission critical steps which are required to meet compliance regulations.  Performing each management task separately is time consuming and repetitive.
• Lack of Accountability: With most network infrastructures there is no way to ensure accountability for device configurations and user actions.  If a security breach occurs or there is an unauthorized configuration change there is typically no way to trace the action back to a specific user.

How to Conquer Server and Network Management Issues

Thanks to a higher availability of solutions providers and automated tools, server and network management can be simplified. This leaves more time for IT administrators to focus on new company innovations instead of performing time consuming and repetitive tasks.  Automated tools provide a way to keep track of configurations, reduce the possibility for human error, improve policy compliance, and reduce operational costs.

Additionally, many companies choose to use a virtualization solutions provider that can oversee and manage server and network infrastructures either onsite or from a remote location.  Most solutions providers offer configuration, change, and compliance management services.  They are also equipped with the necessary automation tools to reduce errors and perform audits and reports on the status of network configurations.

With a quality virtualization solution  in place companies can make the best use of their resources and time.  To learn more about how you can improve productivity and business continuity while cutting costs contact Thrive Networks today for a consultation.

The post Server and Network Management Challenges appeared first on Thrive.

New data backup and recovery technologies eliminate failure risks while increasing efficiency and promoting faster recovery time.  Additionally the newer technologies and services reduce network risks that often go undetected and provide solutions that reduce storage management and maintenance costs.

Every company has different data storage requirements that depend upon the type of industry.  In order to choose the best data protection solution it is important to know what your options are and why these options are the better choice for information security management.

Hosted Cloud Services

 Cloud-based data protection is an option that many companies are using due to its accessibility, reliability, and security.  Data storage in the cloud represents an affordable solution for many businesses because it has the capability to provide the best of both worlds which is immediate access to data while enjoying the reliability and security of offsite storage. Also, most cloud service providers offer different levels of vaulting solutions to meet industry compliance and regulatory standards.

In terms of protecting your servers and workstations, a quality cloud hosting provider is capable of backing up your servers in the cloud and data which is relevant to your workstations.  If your company experiences a hardware failure or natural disaster you can quickly recover by tapping into your resources with the cloud hosting service.

Onsite Data Storage and Backup

 Some companies deploy onsite data storage  to provide easy access to data.  By storing and backing up data onsite recovery time is faster than offsite storage and you can add storage as needed.

A few of the drawbacks of onsite data storage  is your company can suffer a complete loss in the event of a fire or flood if you are not using multiple backup methods.  Also, it is necessary for someone to monitor the system and perform backups on a routine basis.  Depending upon the data workload, onsite storage can also be costly in terms of hardware and maintenance.

 Offsite Storage and Backup

 Offsite storage is offered in a variety of different methods which include tape storage, data warehousing, or data storage strategies which are configured by the company.   Offsite data storage utilizes redundant data storage which provides multiple backup copies and can be designed for storage in multiple locations.

 Although offsite data storage eliminates the possibility of human error it can be costly and bandwidth intensive when it comes to ongoing backup.  The recovery process is significantly slower than onsite storage depending upon the methods that are used for recovery.

What we have described here are the primary options that companies consider for data protection and storage.  It is important to mention that multiple backup and storage methods are commonly deployed for added reassurance in the event of a disaster.

Data protection and backup  does not have to be complex.  To discover cost effective options for data protection, contact Thrive Networks for assistance with setting up a data protection and backup strategy.

The post How to Choose the Best Data Protection Solutions appeared first on Thrive.

The answer to this dilemma is the incorporation of new technologies into your IT infrastructure.  Although this may sound like you are increasing IT capital expenditures you are actually cutting costs while increasing productivity in response to the ever changing market.  Here are some thoughts on how to reduce costs while still maintaining the competitive advantage.

IT Lifecycle

 It is a well known fact that IT infrastructures which are older are much more expensive to maintain and present many challenges in terms of working with hardware and software that is no longer compatible with new applications.  In many cases the older IT infrastructures tend to remain in operation because they serve as a comfort zone, so to speak, for the IT department and management despite the fact that the system is very costly to maintain.  If one were to analyze the exact cost of retaining the older infrastructure chances are the results would show exorbitant maintenance and operating costs in addition to high energy consumption.  So what is the answer?

Let’s consider the virtualization model.  Virtualization is a methodology that provides a solution for companies to consolidate older infrastructures.  This is accomplished by combining servers which can then be controlled through single point access.  This type of system increases the utilization of hardware by as much as 85 percent where the older infrastructures may use as little as 20 percent.

Transitioning to virtualization means cutting operating costs significantly while improving reliability and reducing downtime.  Server consolidation is also scalable so you can deliver IT services on-demand. Plus fewer servers mean lower energy consumption and reduced cooling requirements.

Information Lifecycle Management and Data Storage

 Without a doubt, the growth of data and information is a major contributor to the increase in IT costs. The older infrastructures are unable to meet the demand for more affordable solutions that help to reduce the data storage footprint.  Older methods such as tape storage can increase downtime in the event of a disaster plus offsite storage is typically more expensive compared to the newer methods for data storage and backup.

When you consider a cloud hosted model, virtualization is the channel to a solid data storage and backup system in the cloud.  This means that your IT resources are consolidated into logical steps for storage, network, and servers which create a virtual datacenter.  This is known as a holistic approach to information lifecycle management and data storage requirements. The result is the reduction of IT capital expenditures in terms of maintenance and administration while improving the level of service.

Virtualization and cloud hosted services are being considered by more companies for the reasons we have discussed in the article.  Hopefully these thoughts will help to spur some ideas and options as to how your company can save on IT capital expenditures.  When it comes to remaining competitive in today’s marketplace most companies should not be asking, “Why should we consider virtualization and cloud hosting?”  Instead, the question should be, “Why are we not already using virtualization and cloud services?”

If you are trying to find ways to reduce the cost of IT capital expenditures, contact Thrive Networks today for assistance with designing a strategy for reducing IT costs over the next one to three years.

The post Thoughts on Reducing IT Capital Expenditures appeared first on Thrive.

When you apply regulatory compliance to IT, the regulations apply to two different aspects of company operations which include the internal requirements for IT and compliance standards that are set forth by external entities.  Both types of regulatory compliance affect IT company operations and can potentially restrict what a company can and cannot do.

Company Concerns with Regulatory Compliance

When it comes to information technology and security, regulatory compliance for IT can impose added costs on company operations depending upon the industry.  At the same token, the cost of not complying with regulations both internally and externally can be significantly higher in terms of fines and time invested following up on a security breach.

One of the primary issues with regulatory compliance is information security and the potential for data leaks.  Although there may be policies in place, it is necessary to ensure that employees follow the policies as well as the entire staff within a company.  This is an ongoing process and one that can lead to a high profile data breach if companies become too lax on policy enforcement.  A primary example of this is the Sony breach earlier this year which can undermine a company reputation and end up costing more in fines than it would if you followed the compliance policies.

When it comes to regulatory compliance for IT on the external level, companies that follow the regulations set forth by external organizations are more likely to survive a potential investigation than companies that neglect regulatory compliance.  Additionally, there are many benefits that come with following regulatory compliance policies which include protection of company reputation.

Issues Associated with Regulatory Compliance

In order to ensure that the proper steps are taken to meet regulatory compliance policies, it is first important to understand where the weaknesses in IT are so you know exactly what practices should be applied.  If you skip this step and then try to meet regulations and policies, it is highly likely it will cost more over the long term since the practices were not implemented correctly.

The main issue that surrounds regulatory compliance is that many companies face multiple policies and regulations with regard to IT and data storage.  This presents a challenge for most businesses, especially if the IT personnel changes frequently or over a number of years.  Some compliance regulations require companies to archive data for a specified period of time. If IT staff changes over a period of time it is easy to lose sight of data storage and retrieval processes.

How to Make Regulatory Compliance Work

The number one priority for making regulatory compliance work is assessment and evaluation.  If you do not know where the company weaknesses are in terms of IT then this makes it nearly impossible to put the best practices into action.

Once you know where the best practices should be applied there are many new tools that assist with simplifying the processes for regulatory compliance.  These are automation tools that save time and perform the necessary requirements according to schedule.  Tools for regulatory compliance are also capable of monitoring IT processes and providing reports to be used for analysis and future modifications.

The other alternative that ensures policies and procedures are carried out according to requirements is to consider using a virtualization solutions provider.  A professional solutions provider such as Thrive Networks can help your company design strategies that guarantee your business will remain in compliance both within the company and with the external organizations that audit your processes.

The post What is Regulatory Compliance? appeared first on Thrive.

In the last few years small businesses have become the target for network intrusions because hackers are aware that most small businesses do not implement security practices.  The perception is that network security is only important for large companies, government organizations, and financial institutions.  This perception is rapidly changing with the increased number of small businesses. So, what does network monitoring typically involve?  Let’s start by defining network monitoring.

What is Network Monitoring?

Network monitoring involves multiple methods which are deployed for the purpose of maintaining the security and integrity of an internal network.  The internal network is also known as a Local Area Network (LAN) and monitoring encompasses hardware, software, viruses, spyware, vulnerabilities such as backdoors and security holes, and other aspects that can compromise the integrity of a network.

Network Monitoring Methods

There is a wide variety of network monitoring methods which are implemented by IT professionals.  The techniques are deployed via network monitoring solutions that automatically detect and respond to security and performance problems.

• Intrusion Detection: Intrusion detection monitors local area networks for unauthorized access by hackers.  This method can be implemented manually however, most IT professionals prefer to use an intrusion detection program which automatically detects viruses and malware, network vulnerabilities such as backdoors, logic bombs and other security threats, individual PCs which are connected to the network and file settings.  intrusion detection programs generate reports following a system check so any issues can be addressed.
• Packet Sniffing: A packet sniffer is a program that inspects every packet of information that passes through the network.  The purpose of a packet sniffer is to detect unauthorized network monitoring software which may be installed by hackers for spying on business activity and information processes.
• Vulnerability Scanning: A vulnerability scanner will periodically scan the network for vulnerabilities and weaknesses which open up the potential for an exploit.  This method varies from intrusion detection because it detects a weakness before the attack has taken place.  Intrusion detection identifies unauthorized access after the hacker has breached the network.
• Firewall Monitoring: Firewalls monitor the traffic that is coming in and out of the network.  Firewall monitoring tracks the activities of a firewall to ensure the screening process for incoming and outgoing connections is functioning properly and securely.
• Penetration Testing: Penetration testing is carried out by IT professionals by using methods that hackers use to breach a network.  The purpose of this process is to take network security to another level by discovering vulnerabilities that hackers may have knowledge of but have not yet been detected via other monitoring methods.

If you have a small business you may want to consider network monitoring as an essential part of your data security strategy.  As you can see there is a lot involved with keeping a local area network secure which can result in increased network maintenance costs.

The other alternative is to consider using a network monitoring service that will oversee the important security aspects of your underlying infrastructure.  If you would like to learn more about network monitoring contact Thrive Networks to discover ways to reduce costs while maintaining network integrity.

The post Network Monitoring Methods appeared first on Thrive.

How Backdoors Work

Hackers gain access to a network by creating backdoors on compromised systems.  This is accomplished by searching for vulnerabilities in the network such as unused accounts which have passwords that are easy to crack. Once the intruder is in they change the password to a different password that is difficult to break.

When the systems administrator monitors the network, the account where the hacker modified the password does not appear.  This makes it difficult to determine which accounts are unused and should be locked from the network.

Although a backdoor is capable of hiding a hacker’s initial entry from the systems log, the intruder can still continue to access the network despite the fact that the systems administrator has detected unauthorized access in the systems log.  This is especially true if the default passwords created by the manufacturer are left on the system.

A backdoor is used by hackers to install malware for the purpose of stealing information from a network such as company trade secrets or customer financial data.  Backdoors can also be used to launch Denial of Service attacks which can bring down an entire company network. DoS attacks are performed by sending an excessive amount of information packets over a network which results in network failure.

 How Hackers Find Network Vulnerabilities

 In order to create a backdoor on a network the hacker must find the weak points in the system.  The weak points are known as vulnerabilities which are the perfect location for an exploit.  Often these are unused accounts on a network perhaps once used by a former employee that left the company or other type of situation.

Vulnerabilities in a network system can be detected by using specialized software that the hacker activates from a remote location to sniff around the system and identify the weaknesses.  The typical target is unused accounts or services or even accounts that have been disabled.  The hacker can choose one of these components and remove it and then install a new system under the same name.  This helps the hacker’s point of entry to remain anonymous when the systems administrator performs a security inspection of the network.

Once the hacker installs the system to gain access to the network the files are hidden deep in system directories using names that are not conspicuous to a systems administrator.  The same method is used when accessing a port to establish backdoor access. This allows the hacker to escape detection on the systems log when the administrator reviews it.

A backdoor can also provide the hacker with access other components of a network by creating an account that allows system privileges.  An account that has system privileges is similar to your PC administrator account.  It allows you to change passwords and privileges for other accounts and basically have full access to the network and its components.

There are many different types of backdoors but the type that allows the hacker full access is the most hazardous.  Keeping hackers out of network requires careful monitoring of the system and consistent review of the event log that provides a report of events on the network.  A systems administrator that is on top of how network criminals operate and the latest techniques they use will be able to adequately protect the network from intrusion. Allow Thrive Networks to monitor your network and save you from potential intrusions. Contact us today for more information!

The post How Hackers Use Backdoors to Access a Network appeared first on Thrive.

First thing you should analyze is the workload on the workstations/servers.  Use an Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) monitoring system to help you monitor and manage your network resources. SNMP is a secure network management system which delivers real-time monitoring for your entire network infrastructure. Its objectives are:

• To find the highest traffic links
• To identify protocol errors
• To provide diagnosis of specific problems
• To describe the system’s configuration

It allows the administrator to free resources at time of need. This non-invasive tool automatically discovers all active IP addresses and monitors all devices and services in the network such as WAN Links, Servers and Applications.

After assessing the health of your workstations/servers you need to check security. If you already have an antivirus installed then you should make sure that it has been updated with the latest antivirus database. Do the same thing in case of a firewall.  If you don’t have an antivirus or a firewall you should get one ASAP.

The IP address listing function allows maximum resources available to the users of the network by restricting unauthorized access to the network. This allows users to connect to the network using IPs allowed by the administrator. For example if the network has 50 users then the IPs will start from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.50. If a new user wants to join he/she will have to ask the administrator to make an IP available for him/her.

Now comes the identification of weak links. Weak links can be identified simply by using speed testing software. Here are some steps that will guide you:

1. Search for Local Area Network (LAN) speed testing software
2. Download  recommended speed testing software to get accurate results
3. Run it and let it complete
4. If your link speed is 100Mbps, then you should get a transfer rate around 11MB per second to show your network is healthy

Anything less than 7MB per second and you should be checking your wiring. If you want to check the speed of your internet connection you should do the same, except now search for internet speed. Also your transfer rate will be different, if you have a 10Mbps connection you will get a speed around 1.1Mbs per second.  To save time you can also use the SNMP to test connection speeds with all the computers on the server.

Regular check-ups are an excellent idea for all of us. Your network is no exception. That is why Thrive offers comprehensive Network Health Assessments to evaluate the performance and sustainability or your technology infrastructure. For more information on all of our IT services, please contact Thrive Networks today.

The post Tips on Assessing the Health of Your Network appeared first on Thrive.

At its core, Thrive Networks is a service delivery company.  This means that our people are our product, so as long as they are happy, efficient, and productive at all times, Thrive can be confident in its ability to deliver the best customer service possible.  One approach to making sure that each and every day we don’t miss a beat, Thrive employees are given the technological ability to work remotely whenever necessary.   VPN access, terminal servers, and soft phones are available at Thrive to all employees.  These remote technologies are put into place not only for some catastrophic moment, but also for more common events such as the electricity going out in your office building or a snow storm hitting and the plows falling behind schedule.  Obviously there are industries that will remain exceptions, such as manufacturing or education, but for those businesses that can give their employees the ability to work remotely, I would certainly encourage it.

The reason I mentioned the previous snow storm example is because that is what is going on right now as I compose this blog.  This morning my supervisor sent an email stating that I should work from home today as opposed to braving what are still mostly unplowed roads.  My wife, however, made her way to her office, as her company has a less lenient policy on working remotely.  What this boils down to is that I’ve been working productively for the past 2 hours, while she is still  on the highway trying to get to her office located a mere 10 miles away.  So my point is simply, instead of having your employees arrive 2 hours late, worry about their commute home during the day, and likely have some people leave early to deal with snow removal, you could actually get more than a full day’s work from someone who can just pull up at their kitchen table and not have to worry about any of those things.  This is something I’m quite passionate about, but from a business perspective, as long as your employees are safe and happy on a day like this one, then you are bound to get more production from them.  I would strongly urge any business that hasn’t thought through their policy on working remotely in these terms recently to take these ideas into consideration.

The post Working Remotely appeared first on Thrive.