Writer: CHARLIE FLETCHER
Almost 75% of global organizations cited digital transformation as their top IT priority in 2022 compared to only 50% in the previous year. In addition, 42% of employees have adopted a hybrid work schedule recently.
Automation is a core part of the digital transformation companies are undergoing. Because they’re leaning on automation and other technological tools more, cybersecurity is a top priority too. Also, the remote work side of hybrid workforces makes cybersecurity solutions that much more critical.
Let’s continue to explore advancements in automation and cybersecurity that are particularly helpful in hybrid work.
Automation’s Impact on Businesses
Companies that have managed to implement automation tools successfully see how influential they can be in increasing profits and reducing risks. For example, customer relationship management (CRM) software can automatically collect and organize customer data based on activity, demographics, location, and interests. This software also has automated marketing functions that can send customers emails, ads, and other personalized communications that increase the chances of a conversion, increasing profits as a result.
Keeping with this same example, by handing the repetitive task of sending marketing communications or conducting data collection and analysis off to automation tools, you improve your team’s efficiency and free up their time for tasks that need creativity and a human touch. In addition, these tools are much more accurate, reducing human error and improving work quality.
How Automation Helps Hybrid Work
Whether your employees are working in the office or at a remote location, you should always be looking for ways to increase their productivity and efficiency. Automation tools can do exactly that by taking repetitive tasks away from employees and leaders and completing them faster and more accurately.
For example, managers leading hybrid teams are often concerned about what employees are doing during their shifts from home. Instead of having to physically watch over your employees’ shoulders to ensure they’re getting things done, you can hand this task off to an employee monitoring tool. It can automatically track internet and device activity and send this information to you for review at various intervals.
You can find more meaningful responsibilities for yourself and your employees that lead to better productivity and engagement in your and their roles.
The Future of Automation
Automation’s future is significant in the business world. Many companies are interested in implementing more of these tools. However, there must be a focus on helping these tools achieve their full potential, beyond solely taking over simple, repetitive tasks.
It’ll take time to create automation tools that think and behave more critically and creatively. A good example of progress in this regard is automated content creation. There are artificial intelligence (AI)-based content creation tools that can generate entire pieces automatically, whether social media posts, blog posts, or articles.
However, these pieces typically lack creativity and depth and are easily identified as AI-generated. So, content creators have to go in and humanize this content to ensure it comes across as genuine.
If we can amp up the ability of automation tools to think and behave more creatively and critically, businesses will be able to expand their use of automation and find additional ways for employees to work alongside these tools.
The Influence of Cybersecurity on Business
When people are working from home, it’s difficult to ensure their work devices and stations meet security standards. In addition, becoming more digitally focused and employing automation and other technologies to elevate hybrid work exposes your company to cybersecurity risks.
For example, most remote workers rely on their home internet to get work done, and home wifi may be considerably less secure than the one used in an office. This means easier access for cybercriminals into not just worker’s personal networks, but the company’s confidential information as well.
Because of the increased risk of exposure to cybersecurity risks, businesses have invested in top-tier cybersecurity solutions. Not only can they protect their employees and confidential business information while engaged in remote work, but cybersecurity tools make for a more secure digital transformation.
How Cybersecurity Helps Hybrid Workers
Protecting remote workers from security breaches is more challenging than doing so for in-office employees.
This is because you’re in control of the devices, systems, and software in-office employees use. You can also better watch over your employees’ online activity to ensure they aren’t engaging in behavior that could result in a cybersecurity incident.
An increased focus on cybersecurity is helping hybrid work because many company leaders are taking steps to build a secure remote work experience. For instance, they’re offering company-provided devices and software and equipping them with the same top-tier cybersecurity solutions.
Leaders are also creating training programs that teach hybrid and remote workers cybersecurity basics, like the most common cybersecurity attacks and how to prevent them.
The Future of Cybersecurity
The future of cybersecurity is hopeful and concerning simultaneously. As businesses become more digitally focused and sophisticated, so will cybercriminals. They’ll continue to evolve the ransomware ecosystem, dig into compromising collaboration tools, and lean on hacktivism and deep fakes.
The good news is that government leaders are taking measures to further protect citizens and businesses from cybersecurity attacks. For instance, the United States has a variety of agencies and task forces dedicated to fighting cybercrime, including Electronic Crimes Task Forces, Cyber Incident Reporting services, and others. The government is also creating new data breach regulations and holding businesses responsible for keeping customer data safe.
In addition, cybersecurity tool developers will continue to elevate their software and apps so that they’re able to better protect data and online engagements.
Safely Leading Remote Teams
Yes, automation and cybersecurity tools are helping hybrid work become safer and teams more efficient. But you too have a role in ensuring your remote teams are secure and as productive as possible.
First and foremost, you must ensure your remote workers are set up with the proper cybersecurity solutions, including a virtual private network (VPN) to access business systems, cloud applications equipped with advanced security features, and a password manager that keeps passwords and login credentials secure and organized.
After this, you must train your employee to spot common cybersecurity threats and prevent them. Ensuring employees know how to use automation and other technology appropriately is also critical. Without such training, they won’t be able to use these tools to their advantage and improve their productivity. So, include this in the training you provide.
As you can see, incorporating automation and cybersecurity tools to assist hybrid work in your company is a wise move. Just make sure you’re also playing an active role in keeping remote workers safe and ensuring they use these tools effectively.
[Image Source: Pexels.com]
