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How To Handle Employee Cyber Security Training

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Handle Employee Cyber Security Training | Cyber Security, Business, Corporate

If your employees’ financial and personal information is leaked to intruders, your company may lose a lot. Most employees in various companies have fallen victim to phishing scams, causing great losses to the company. Unfortunately, cyber attackers evolve as technology changes and make their attacks even more sophisticated.

To shield your company from attacks, you need to conduct a compromise assessment and assess where it’s more vulnerable. Setting up complicated systems to protect your business is great. But if your employees don’t know how to use the systems, you’ll still be vulnerable. That’s why every organization should give their employees basic cybersecurity training. That way, attacks targeting social engineering and phishing scams will stay out of your business.

Here are some tactics for training your employees in cybersecurity:

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Handle Employee Cyber Security Training1. Avoid Blame Games

When the news of a data breach gets into the ears of the company’s executive and other people, it’s easy to attach the fault to some employee who clicked the wrong link. Though it might be true that one of your employees may have fallen for an attacker’s trap, it isn’t advisable to blame them if they don’t have the right knowledge about such attacks. In fact, it may seem that the organization is dodging is the responsibility of training employees on how to keep its data and networks secure.

Instead of blaming the employees, you should develop a plan that’ll ensure every worker has the knowledge they require to prevent attacks. You should also encourage them to ask questions and set up a department that can address their concerns.

Training isn’t only about collecting your employees in some class and lecturing them on best practices, but it could also be sharing with them new threats through SMSs and pinning informational notices on their noticeboards and offices. That way, they’ll keep interacting with the information and enhance their knowledge of cybersecurity threats.

2. Have A Budget For Employee Training

While SMSs and notices can help inform your employees about threats, you may need to conduct a training to explain how to handle some complicated threats. Cybersecurity requires constant maintenance because new attacks are created daily and monthly. Therefore, conducting monthly training can be ideal for updating them on such threats.

According to experienced IT experts, people working in your organization are assets that need continual investment. If you don’t patch them regularly, they’ll be vulnerable. That’s why when planning for your yearly budget, you should include employee training. Securing your systems and data is just as essential as marketing your products and services. So it would be best to treat employee training with seriousness as you would treat marketing.

Furthermore, you need to use many approaches to keep your staff on top of the trends. That may need a mindset shift and not viewing an employee who opened a wrong link as a source of failure even after training them but recognizing that your training and security structure needs updating.

3. Prioritize Cyber Security Awareness

Being on top of trends doesn’t prevent your company from experiencing data breaches. According to Cyber Security Hub, companies like Toyota, Walmart, and Dunkin’ Donuts have experienced attacks in the recent past despite having sophisticated security systems.

If you think that your small enterprise is safe, you need to be very worried because a 2018 cybersecurity report by Ponemon Institute revealed that about two-thirds of small businesses were attacked within a year. The only way to keep your systems secure is always to enlighten your employees about cybersecurity news. That way, they’ll understand the frequency and volume of attacks and be alert throughout the day.

Though getting your employees aware of current events is vital, you shouldn’t flood their inboxes with many emails that may be sent directly to the archives. Instead, you can attach cybersecurity information in the emails or reports news section that you can customize. Also, including messages in the links you send to your employees can help them stay updated.

4. Train Them On Password Best Practices

Having password best practices in your organization is one way of developing a robust security plan. The only problem you may face is convincing your workers to implement it.

Strong passwords should have the following qualities:

  • Be Long Enough: Lengthy passwords are difficult to crack. That’s why IT experts recommend that you set passwords with at least eight characters.
  • Have Many Character Sets: Every character set you add enhances the complexity of the password and makes it difficult to penetrate. That’s why your password should have a lower case, upper case, symbols, and numerals.
  • Have Incomplete Words: There’s no doubt that common words are easier to remember. However, they make it very simple for an attacker to crack. So it’s advisable to use incomplete words.
  • Should Be Changed Often: If you keep on using the same password on many devices, it may be compromised. To avoid that, you should change your password after a smaller window. Setting a reminder can help you know when to change your passwords.
  • Shouldn’t Be Shared Across Accounts: Using similar passwords across accounts can make it easy for an enterprising hacker to obtain your information and use it on other websites. Fortunately, there are sites where you can key in your email to know if your password has been compromised.

To ensure that all your employees have complied with password policies, you can use password managing tools. These tools will generate memorable but strong passwords for every account that your workers use. They’ll also simplify the process of sharing passwords and allow the employees to collaborate remotely.

As much as training your employees on password policies is vital, you also need to complement their knowledge with other data protection policies. Don’t assume that they know and understand them, but remind them regularly through refresher courses.

That way, they’ll always be updated on policies and rules that they need to follow. Every time you hire a new employee, you should tell them about data protection regulations and inform them about the company’s cybersecurity policies.

Final Words

You can’t prevent cyber attackers from targeting your company’s systems, but you can try as best as you can to shield them. Training your employees on best practices can help you to minimize the chances of cybercrime immensely. Their knowledge of cybersecurity threats can make your company secure or a vulnerable target.

5 Reasons Your Startup Should Be in Healthcare

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article | 5 Reasons Your Startup Should Be in HealthcareWhen you think of startup companies, you may think of some obvious ones that are now household names. There are social media platforms, mobile video games, banking apps, ride-sharing services and home rental marketplaces. You know them well.

An arena that isn’t as often spoken about in the same breath as these other game-changing companies is the healthcare industry. The Patrick James Trico Group is well aware that startups in the area of medical innovation and data processing are where the biggest and most beneficial progress will be.

1. A Better Patient Experience

With technological advancements, a patient’s healthcare experience should begin long before a visit to the doctor’s office. Artificial Intelligence and wearable tech could collect analytical information for the doctor to evaluate before you even make an appointment.

The appointment itself could be scheduled by an AI-driven system in much the same way that pharmacies use software to send automated calls and texts when a patient needs a refill. There is a wide range of possibilities for improvements in all aspects of a patient’s experience.

2. Automated Data Collection

Robotic automation of data collection is an area in which many hospitals and healthcare facilities could benefit. Human administrative errors are a common occurrence, accounting for countless mistakes, which could cause someone to pay a higher price or, at worst, have the wrong procedure performed.

With data collection performed by robotic automation, many of these errors could be prevented. Other industries already use similar automated data collection and machine learning to streamline their business, creating straightforward, painless engagement and happy customers.

3. Improved Information Storage

Your healthcare information is fragmented across all the different clinics, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and any other health facility you’ve ever been to. Rarely do these entities communicate well and share that information without some complicated process of requesting that such information be sent from point A to point B.

A central ecosystem that houses data easily and safely would allow medical staff to retrieve patient records instantly, avoiding potentially harmful mistakes and allowing for accurate and timely care. An AI-driven functionality could also find and address any anomalies in patient records.

4. Creative Innovation

Medical researchers do a lot to progress healthcare and provide much-needed information by way of well-researched and thorough study. But often the solutions offered by those immersed in the healthcare field are from a calculated, linear and dogmatic approach.

Entrepreneurs are creative innovators willing to think outside the box and attack a problem from a completely new point of view. Their solutions may require some reframing of the way a facility currently does business, and therefore might never occur to a dyed-in-the-wool healthcare professional.

5. Everyone Benefits

Efficiency and progress in the healthcare space will benefit everyone involved: the healthcare providers, the patients and, of course, the startup company that provides the innovation.

Institutions with leadership that understands the need for the most effective quality care will be smart to embrace the technological advancements that startups may provide. The patient will reap the benefits of efficient and smart healthcare and the startup will reap the rewards of the market.

5 Things That Business Leaders Should Not Compromise On

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | 5 Things That Business Leaders Should Not Compromise OnAs an entrepreneur, if your business is struggling or your budget is tight, you might be tempted to make some compromises when it comes to your operations and the future of your company. However, there are a few elements of your business that leaders should always avoid compromising on at any cost.

Your Equipment

The equipment and tools that you use within your business can make a huge difference to the efficiency of your operations, as well as the quality of the products that you produce. While doing a better job, high-quality equipment and tools also often last longer, which can save you money in the long run. If you are struggling to juggle the quality of the tools that you are using with their cost, a Northern Tool coupon can help you to get the right equipment that you need without spending a lot of money to do so.

Health and Safety

When you do not have a lot of time or money, it can be easy to let health and safety standards slide. However, not only can you be sued and find yourself facing legal action for doing so, but compromising on health and safety can endanger the lives and health of the employees that you rely on, and can damage your reputation. You should make sure that you always take the right precautions by carrying out health and safety assessments and training regularly.

Quality

The quality of the products that you produce can help you to stand out from other brands and can allow you to get more customers. However, many businesses let the quality of their materials and manufacturing processes dip when they are in financial straits as this can help them to save money on elements such as suppliers and equipment. However, rather than saving money by lowering your standards, you should instead consider cutting your product lines to focus on one or two extremely high-quality and coveted products.

Your Values

When you opened your business, you may have created a mission statement that listed all of your values and which you used to promote your business. Even though it can be easy to forget these during business deals and growth, it is paramount that you constantly reflect on why you started your business and what you hope that it can achieve. This will ensure that you do not lose sight of your end vision and that your business still reflects the ethics, values, and opinions that your customers appreciate when they shop with your company.

Employees

The skills and dedication of your employees can make a huge difference to your business and its ability to be efficient and inspired at all times. So, rather than skimping on the skills of your employees, you should put more effort into training campaigns, consider fixing your recruitment methods, and choose to have a smaller team of highly skilled employees, rather than a large office filled with cheaper workers. You will be amazed at the difference.

Boost The Efficiency Of Your Business

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If you’re just starting up a business, it’s vital that you know how to run it as efficiently as possible, you can’t afford to waste even a penny on a poor investment. Knowing what you can do to make sure you’re getting the most sales and income while spending the least amount of money without sacrificing customer and employee satisfaction is key to growing efficiently!

Outsourcing

If you’re looking to take on more work so you can grow, you might find yourself struggling with the idea of all the new workload. Not only would you likely have to hire more employees, but you may even need to invest in new or more equipment; which isn’t always the best course of action! You may find that outsourcing your work to another business is the more cost-efficient way to go about things, and it can be almost anything. If you need deliveries handled, there are services that offer that, if you need chemical testing, there are services for that too! You don’t need to handle the work that’s out of your comfort zone, and it can be passed on to someone who’s already equipped and trained to do it!

Customer relations

The better reputation that you manage to build with your customers, the faster you’re going to be able to gain new ones! Your business can grow from word-of-mouth, and giving your customers something to talk about is a great way to encourage that! Being known as a business with great customer service can take you a long way! There are a number of ways you can nurture and encourage this, but mainly you need to focus on customer service for it to be effective. Encourage your customers to leave feedback after they’ve shopped with you, open up a way for people to publicly view reviews of your business, accept and use feedback from customers to grow in the future!

When buying online, a lot of people will use the reviews to determine whether you’re a reliable business or not, so it’s best you do what you can to make sure those reviews aren’t negative or a deterrent for potential customers!

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Boost The Efficiency Of Your BusinessMeetings

If you have a busy workday, the last thing you want is to be constantly interrupted with different problems, it can really slow down your work process. You can deal with this by holding meetings at the start and ends of the day so people can bring up problems there, meaning your work won’t be interrupted during the day. Not only this, but it allows you to make plans for the next day, and it can be handled effectively without getting in the way of anything.

Management

Proper management is essential if you have many people working in the same place, as it can be difficult to get your work done when you have to make sure everyone else is on track too. Always make sure you have enough management to make sure everyone gets their work done properly, without miscommunication.

How To Integrate Your Offline And Online Marketing Efforts

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, How To Integrate Your Offline And Online Marketing Efforts

When it comes to marketing today, there are many different options available to you. However, most techniques tend to fall into one of two categories; either online or offline marketing. A healthy balance of both approaches is often the remedy to success, depending on the nature of your business. However, you can supercharge your efforts if you manage to integrate both campaigns, ensuring they work together to help one and other. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the different ways you can integrate your online and offline marketing efforts.

Create QR codes to print onto your leaflets – There is only one place to begin, and this is with making a QR code and printing this onto your leaflets, brooches, and so on. You can make QR code designs with ease. By doing this, people will be able to scan the code on their phone and it will direct them to your app or website. They do not have to go through the hassle of typing in a URL or browsing through the app store. It makes it as easy and convenient as possible for people.

Advertise online competitions via print methods – Another option to consider is sending out flyers about competitions that you have running. Users should have to enter these competitions online, meaning that there is a clear connection between your online and offline marketing efforts.

Add an online call to action to your offline promotions – If you are establishing an offline promotion, why not get customers to take the action online? For example, you may send out postcards about a promotion that you have running, and you may want the person to sign-up to your online newsletter in order to gain entry. This is a great way of integrating your online and offline marketing methods.

Get your online customers to contribute to your offline efforts – Ask your online customers if they would be willing to contribute to your offline marketing efforts. For example, if someone has left a great review about your company, ask if they would mind this information being printed in your next brochure. This can act as social proof, proving that your products and/or services are more than worth the money.

Use your online data to support your offline marketing efforts – The final step when it comes to integrating your marketing efforts is to fuel your offline campaign by using data that you have collected online. One of the great things about digital marketing is that it enables you to capture a wealth of different data sets with ease. You can use this information to power your offline campaigns so that you’re getting great success.

As you can see, there are a number of different steps you can take to integrate your online and offline marketing efforts. If you follow the tips and advice that has been provided above, you can give yourself the best chance of making sure that your marketing campaign is effective and delivers the results that you hope for.