There is a direct correlation between security solutions and productivity. The Internet is used for a lot, including reducing the amount of paperwork that slides across a desk at any given time. However, paper is still being used for a lot as well, including invoicing and reporting. Much of this has to do with the lack of security in various areas.
Risk Assessments
Research has shown that approximately 24% of organizations have failed to conduct any kind of risk assessment on their business. They focus solely on operations and communications. They are not working efficiently because of the lack of security solution analysis.
Organizations want to continue with “business as usual” and if they have to install comprehensive solutions that slow them down or have a negative impact on their operations, they will avoid doing so. The problem with this is if there were to be a security breach, it could drastically reduce productivity on the spot.
Productivity vs. Security
There are more devices than ever that allow employees to be more productive. This includes laptops and smartphones, USB drives, and the cloud. People can get their work done on a plane or on a train, as well as out in the field in front of a client.
With all of this portable productivity, there are no longer physical barriers and this makes it harder to keep information secure. Many companies are taking a chance that they won’t have their information hacked into, but because they are not doing the risk assessments, they don’t even know how secure they are. Their focus is on productivity, but at what cost?
There is always the concern about cyber threats. Unfortunately, in today’s economy, budgets are constantly being slashed and technology departments are told to cut their resources. There are limited funds and therefore, employees focus more on the productivity than the security because most companies make the assumption that they can only do one or the other.
The best security solutions
There are security solutions that are affordable and still allow for productivity. There needs to be a balancing act between the two so that there is security in place that allows for a high level of productivity without exposing the company to risk.
Some of the things that you can do include:
- Integrating defense across all networks and systems
- Using real-time threat intelligence
- Conducting security and risk assessments
- 24/7 network monitoring
- Organize the existing infrastructure to identify strengths and weaknesses
By taking the time to do all of these things, you can reduce the security threats and the potential for security breach while maintaining productivity. It doesn’t have to be one or the other though it can take some time in order to plan and organize the IT infrastructure and implement the various security solutions that best match the needs of your company. Additionally, you will need to consistently and continuously monitor and evaluate your IT infrastructure going forward. As you add various devices and programs to improve productivity, the security needs to be adjusted in order to account for those things as well, otherwise, you increase risk once again.
You do not have to do all of these things alone. There are firms that can help with security research and provide you with competent administrators to provide real-time network monitoring to ensure employee productivity is not reduced and that response times are where they need to be.
Security solutions can impact productivity, but not always in a negative way. You simply need to use security in the best way possible so that you can still have productivity without it opening up the risk of security breaches.
Clarus Communications is a leading, national provider of telecommunications technology. Clarus specializes in providing over 60 telecom provider options to businesses that need dependable, scalable and innovative technology solutions. Since 2001, Clarus Communications has been successfully helping clients make the best decisions regarding their phone service, phone systems, wireless and data needs. Please click here or call us at 855-801-6700 to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff so we can work with you on finding the right service for your business at the most affordable rates.