Recent Blog Posts
What?s Causing the Great Resignation? In short, burnout is a primary factor for the Great Resignation. Perhaps it is due to the pandemic forcing remote work on some folks, but people are spending a lot of time working even when not in the office. Without a break in the action, it?s no small wonder that employees are feeling burnt out. The hybrid workplace has created much anxiety with workers, with some of the topics contributing to this anxiety including missing out on opportunities, being left out of conversations at the workplace, and scrutiny about slacking off. With all of these factors coalescing, who can blame employees for wanting to get out and see what other opportunities are available to them? Here are some statistics from Limeade?s research. These numbers come from a study that examined 1,000 workers who started a new job in 2021. 28% left jobs without having another lined up. 40% chose new jobs that offered remote work. 24% left because their new job offered more flexible hours. 22% felt more comfortable disclosing mental health issues with their new employers. 29% of workers earned a 10-19% pay increase when leaving their old jobs. 23% took a 13% pay cut at their new job. Furthermore, some of the major trends indicate that workers are feeling underappreciated and that they are starting to grow mentally exhausted. And who wouldn?t, considering the issues that face most businesses these days? What Do You Do Without Talent? For small businesses, losing talent can be devastating, especially in areas where talent is somewhat limited due to geographic or population reasons. Thankfully, the Internet has enabled businesses to take advantage of outsourcing to shore up any issues they might have with their workforce. Say what you will about the pandemic, but it has shown that many positions are perfectly capable of being done in a remote setting, even if it might still be preferable to have someone on-premises doing the job. One aspect of running your business that is enriched dramatically thanks to outsourcing is technology management and maintenance. Since technicians and other positions like these require intensive knowledge built up over years of experience, finding the appropriate technician can be difficult. Most technology management and maintenance can be performed remotely these days, meaning you are no longer restricted by your location or the talent in your area. White Mountain IT Services can help your business overcome challenges related to your IT staffing. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
Frankly, there will no longer be a Google My Business service before very long. Instead, business owners will have access to a web-based Google Business Profile sometime in 2022. Google Business Profile is Intended to Simplify Things for Businesses With the transition from a standalone application to an integrated Google Business Profile, all it will take for a business owner to access their online tools is to enter their company?s name into the Google Search Box. Doing so will return the typical results one might expect as well as the business-centric tools that Google has to offer. With Google Business Profile in place, you?ll be able to do more to manage your online presence. For instance: Google Search and Google Maps will be usable as a means of verifying your Google Business Profile. Google Search can also be used to chat with customers through your Business Profile, with read receipts being controlled through Search and Maps. Google is also experimenting with call history features and call forwarding. This will also make any online marketing activities you undergo through Google easier for you to manage, with new tools like the local search campaign budget Performance Planner. What Features are You Looking Forward to the Most? While this rebranding/migration will take a while to fully implement, it?s always good to remain apprised of these kinds of developments so you are in the best position to benefit from them. We?ll be there so you can be sure that you have the technology necessary to take full advantage of any opportunities that come your way. Find out what we can do for your IT by calling (603) 889-0800 today.
The VPN, a tool used to encrypt data as it is transmitted between networks has long been used to secure data-in-transit for businesses and other organizations. With remote work more prevalent nowadays, threats targeting the VPN are growing. The National Security Agency recently released information suggesting that state-sponsored hackers have managed to take advantage of exploits and common security vulnerabilities to intercept data, remotely execute code, and steal authentication credentials. Of course, this news is troubling. Exploiting vulnerabilities that aren?t supposed to be there has the cybersecurity community concerned. In fact, stats show that attacks targeting VPNs have increased substantially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Security professionals are responding by implementing more secure cryptography, but the whole situation is an ebb and flow that doesn?t always work out in the good guys? favor. The NSA and CISA have begun to issue recommendations for how organizations should implement VPNs to ensure that they give them sufficient protection for their transmitted data, and data security professionals are listening. Unfortunately, with so much being made about the tools being used to exploit vulnerabilities and protect data, the focus on the human element?a crucial part of any cybersecurity strategy?has been muted. With that considered, most cybersecurity professionals agree that for comprehensive security while using VPNs, businesses should ensure that the people using the encryption tool understand their place in organizational cybersecurity. Unfortunately, for many businesses, the information relayed from these cybersecurity organizations tend to be extraordinarily technical in nature, making it hard for even adept technology users to completely understand. This could create a problem for any business. At White Mountain IT Services, our technicians can help you make sense of both the tools you use and the information that is being relayed from security organizations. Our team of IT professionals can not only get you the technology you need to protect your data while in transit, we can help you support your whole remote team with technology and advice that make sense to you. If you want to ensure that your data is safe while in transit, we can have a conversation about how to get the tools that you need in place and how to get your staff trained with the industry best practices. Don?t be confused by technology advice that goes over your head, reach out to us today at (603) 889-0800.
Black Friday The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is often touted as the busiest shopping day in the United States?a title it has held for the past 15 years. Because of this phenomenon, many retail stores announce their Black Friday deals ahead of time and expand them into the day afterward. Cyber Monday Cyber Monday does not have as long or as storied a reputation as Black Friday; rather, it?s an extension of Black Friday that takes place on the following Monday. Cyber Monday started at shop.com in 2005, but has expanded in scale and scope every year since. In 2020, Cyber Monday was the largest retail day in history, bringing in close to $11 billion, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 Extends Holiday Shopping Many retailers have responded to the lingering supply chain issues caused by the pandemic to expand their holiday shopping into the online space, offering more deals online than ever before. Most retailers are doing what they can to make sure that their consumers have chances to get the deals they want just in time for the holidays. Technology is Front and Center You can never go wrong with technology as a gift, especially in 2021 when there is so much to choose from. Here are some of the more popular gifts that you might see during your post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping shenanigans. Amazon Fire Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote The newest iteration of the popular HDMI streaming media dongle features voice controls through Alexa and is 4K-capable. Starting at $25. Apple AirPods (Gen 2) Apple?s popular wireless earbuds. Starting at $89. Samsung Chromebook 4 With an 11.6-inch screen, this laptop is a good value for people looking for a reliable laptop for everyday tasks. Starting at $129. Facebook Portal Go and Portal+ The Portal Go and Portal+ are video chat interfaces that integrate with Facebook Messenger. Starting at $199.99. We can?t cover everything here, but if you are looking to pick up some computer hardware or other electronics, late November will be a prime time to do so. What?s on your holiday wish list? Let us know in the comments.
The Alternatives Don?t Work In short, the biggest reason why managed services work is because the alternatives simply do not work for small businesses. Consider the fact that many small businesses simply do not have access to the same resources as major enterprises. This involves both human resources and financial resources, both of which can have a considerable impact on a business? ability to get the technology talent necessary to keep operations going and acquire solutions that facilitate them. This combination of a limited budget and limited access to talent often means that companies forego maintenance on their technology until it is absolutely necessary. By that point, it might be too late to apply maintenance, as technology that is not working as intended starts to cause problems; and, when your technology starts to create problems, the last thing you want is to rely on untrained users performing maintenance. Thankfully, all of this and more can be remedied through the use of managed services. Let?s see how you can save time and frustration by working with a managed service provider like White Mountain IT Services. Capital Expenses Can Add Up When you dump a bunch of money into new solutions up-front, this is what is called a capital cost. These types of oft-unexpected costs can create problems for your budget, especially when you have many of them pile up at once, like with a server unit or networking component breaking down and you having to replace them both at the same time. Managed IT services are operational expenses that fit neatly into budgets through the use of smaller, more manageable monthly payments, making them ideal for small businesses with limited budgets. Minimal Downtime While there is certainly a sense of financial loss from having to replace technology, the real kick in the teeth comes from what comes after the technology breaks down. You?re not just paying to replace the technology itself; you?re also paying the employees who are left without work to do and the lost productivity during this downtime. When you properly maintain your technology through the use of managed IT services, you are effectively staving off downtime and preparing yourself for when it will occur, all while having a contingency plan in place. Hands-Off Maintenance More than anything else, managed IT services allow your business to take a step back to focus on operations rather than keeping your technology going. You can then use these opportunities to implement new solutions and focus on what matters most to your company. Without the stress of managing technology, you might be surprised to see what you can accomplish. Don?t waste any more time and energy on your IT infrastructure than you need to. Give White Mountain IT Services a call today at (603) 889-0800.
