Fact: Millennials are entering the workforce en masse. Therefore, employers and workers from earlier generations shouldn?t be so quick to write off the generation that now makes up the largest segment of the workforce. In order to properly leverage this differently-thinking group, managers need to understand a few things about how Gen Y thinks, behaves, and what they value. First of all, Millennials generally hold a strong desire to balance their professional and personal lives–or, in simpler terms, they want a life outside of the office. As a result, they will possess a rabid work ethic during their office hours if it means that their time at home is really their time. At the same time, they also want a greater level of control in how that time is balanced. For instance, if given the choice between spending their time commuting to the office to do their work, or working from home, the majority of Millennials would rather work from home, devoting more time to company business. Recent estimates put the number of Americans working from home at around three million, with an anticipated growth rate of 63 percent in five year?s time. With recent figures from Pew Research Center stating that 64 percent of Millennials want the option to work from home on occasion, that growth seems feasible. Also serving their desire for work/life control, Pew found that 66 percent of Millennial workers wanted to see a shift in their work hours–something a self-managed, work-from-home approach would allow. Secondly, a goal shared by many Millennials is to experience career growth and improvement. They want to have a mentor-pupil relationship with their boss, rather than that of a superior and an underling. Their prime motivator is self-improvement, and so they will seek challenges in order to gain more education and experience. Upward mobility is very important to the Millennial employee as well, and they are more likely to actively seek opportunities to improve their professional and/or financial standing. Members of Gen Y want a situation in which their individual input to the big picture is valued and validated. Therefore, it?s recommended that new hires are given smaller responsibilities in the prospect of advancing to bigger and better things. They also crave feedback and evaluation following their accomplishments and their failures. By giving a young employee regular responses to their work, you can teach them to be a better employee while simultaneously allowing them to feel valued and work harder toward improving. An important thing to keep in mind is that Millennials will strive to grow one way or another, and so if they are unable to do so at your company, they will move on to other opportunities. Finally, Millennials were raised among more technology than any generation before them, and so can adapt more easily to unfamiliar systems. Again, the generation as a whole has a tendency to relish challenges, so giving them tasks where they can use your most cutting-edge solutions will give them an incentive to stay and excel on behalf of your business. Not sure if you have the solutions that Millennials would respond to? White Mountain IT Services can equip your business with the latest and greatest technologies that Millennial workers prefer. Call us at (603) 889-0800 to learn more.
Change Passwords FrequentlyPasswords are one of the most common ways that accounts and data are protected, for both commercial and personal uses. As such, you?ll see a wide array of different passwords that could be used, which means that you?ll see easy-to-remember passwords like ?password? or ?123456.? To keep your business from falling victim to this vulnerability, consider the following best practices: Make your passwords long (at least 16 characters). The longer, the better, as this makes the passwords more difficult to guess. Make your passwords complex. Use a plethora of special characters, numbers, and both upper and lower-case letters. Never use the same password twice. When a hacker steals a password, they may try to use it on other related accounts. A password manager can make these tips much easier to follow, as you can create complex passwords and share them across your organization?s network. You can also assign users to groups so that they only have access to credentials that they need to perform their jobs correctly. These passwords can be synced to company devices in real time, and you can use complex passwords without the pain of remembering them all. Be Mindful of SpamHackers tend to use spam as a way to move malware to many users at once. Most hackers will attempt to spread malware in hopes of infecting as many computers as possible, while others will reach out to unwary users to steal credentials or sensitive information. Here are some of the most common spam messages that you?ll encounter, and how to respond to them. A big congratulation: These types of messages try to entice the user with the promise of a big win, like winning the lottery or a new car. It?s safe to say that messages like this are spam, and that messages that prompt you to click a link to claim a prize are dangerous and unpredictable. Just make sure that you think twice before responding to unsolicited messages. Fake law enforcement threats: Hackers know that people fear being threatened with legal action, so they take advantage of this fear by impersonating law enforcement agencies. The message claims that there will be action taken against the user unless they pay a fine. These messages appeal to the innate fear of authority, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. Spear phishing tactics: Spear phishing aims to take targeted attempts to steal specific data from a user, all through using personalized messages designed to look just like the real deal. This can include details such as your personal contact information, or customized emails that look like they are from an institution you attend, like a bank. Since these attacks tend to look more legitimate than normal spam, you need to stay vigilant. Whaling schemes: These types of attacks are at the top of the social engineering pyramid, as they impersonate the CEO or business owner. The scammer will use this disguise to get financial departments to wire transfer funds to offshore bank accounts. Be on the lookout for inconsistencies in contact information, and always cross-reference before assuming that the message is real. You?ll notice that many of these threats are based in email messages such as spam. Thankfully, you can block the majority of these threats simply by implementing an enterprise-level […]
What is a Rootkit Hack?A rootkit is a type of malware that?s intended to remain covert for an extended period of time. In a way, it acts like a trojan, remaining hidden from traditional security tools. It?s designed to snatch administrator privileges and access systems rather than delete data or mess with operations. Basically, you?re using a computer, but everything you?re doing is being intercepted and controlled by someone else. Of course, not all rootkits are malicious by nature. Many organizations will equip their company-provided workstations with rootkits to allow for remote access and control. The problem stems from those that are used by malicious entities to steal credentials and sensitive information, and cause general chaos. How it WorksOnce a rootkit has administrator control, hackers can use it for pretty much anything that?s allowed by the system administrator. This could include tasks like installing new software, deleting or moving files, changing programs, installing spyware, recording keystrokes, and so much more. The possibilities are almost limitless. Hackers could steal sensitive credentials, log communications, transfer data, and modify your programs to suit their demands. Though rootkits are usually software-based, there are hardware-based rootkits that work in largely the same way. Preventing Rootkit InfectionsJust like most online threats, a rootkit will make its way into your system by way of an infected download, phishing scam, or other similar technology. This is why it?s so important to be mindful of what you?re downloading, and from where. Keep security best practices in mind whenever you use the Internet. Doing so may save you from the misfortune of dealing with dangerous and risky threats. Additionally, you should be using an enterprise-level firewall and antivirus solution, backed up by web content filtering and spam blocking. Plus, making sure that all of your operating systems and critical software solutions are up to date and secure can go a long way. What You Can DoAs per usual, you can know that something?s wrong with your computer if it?s behaving abnormally. If you suspect that a rootkit has been installed on your workstation, you should immediately cut it off from Internet access to prevent remote control and data leakage. Even under the best circumstances, though, rootkit software intentionally hides itself from your system?s software, making it difficult to locate and eliminate. From here, it?s best to contact a professional who is skilled at removing nasty malware and viruses from computers. If you?re having trouble identifying threats and protecting your business?s infrastructure from malicious online entities, you need to contact White Mountain IT Services. Our trusted IT professionals can help your team fully understand how hacks happen, and what you can do to stop them in the future. To learn more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
Managed services are rather simple to understand, even from a business perspective. Let?s say that your organization focuses on providing a specific service to your area. This means that you?ve dedicated significant time and effort into honing your craft. There are countless other businesses in your region, too, all dedicated to pursuing their own industry or market. When you invest so much time into something, it?s natural that there will be others who have more skill in a particular craft than others. For example, a marketing company may be great at advertising, but falls short when it comes to waiting on tables and supplying food for hungry customers during a lunch rush. In essence, managed services (also known as outsourcing) use your organization?s operational budget to eliminate certain capital expenses. In particular, you?ll notice that your technology requires extra loving care in order to stay functional, but not just anyone is qualified to administer this care. If you want to capitalize on your technological investment, it?s imperative that your hardware is cared for by someone who knows what they?re doing. The problem with this is that many small and medium-sized organizations struggle to find the money in their budget to hire an on-site technician, let alone an entire IT department. This leads them to outsourcing to solve the problem of IT maintenance. Then, of course, the next question that needs to be asked is whether to go with a general-purpose break-fix IT company that only resolves problems when they happen, versus a managed service provider which prevents problems from happening altogether. The conundrum isn?t necessarily a difficult one, as the solution is common-sense. Look at this issue from a financial standpoint. When your critical systems fail, you?re likely going to be replacing some pretty expensive hardware, like server units or workstations. This can put a huge dent in your budget. Then, while your technology is being fixed, you have workers sitting around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for your business to get its act together. This wastes even more time and money. This is how break-fix IT works. You get your technology fixed when it breaks, rather than taking a proactive approach to prevent major problems. On the other hand, you have managed IT. With its monthly payments and proactive solutions, managed IT is the exact opposite of break-fix IT. By preventing issues from evolving into huge problems that could cost your business in the long run, managed IT manages to successfully save your organization time and money. You?ll experience minimal technology trouble and downtime, all while taking a capital expense and transforming it into an operational expense. To learn more about what managed IT solutions can do for your business, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.
Cleanliness is Next to Productivity-nessSure, everybody has their own system when it comes to getting work done, but if this system includes piles of paperwork and copious amounts of clutter, then it?s a sure bet that the office contains messes that are hurting your bottom line. Even if you?re dealing with a minimal amount of mess, there?s certainly a noticeable difference between a disorganized office versus a workplace that?s neat and tidy. For your workers, this difference will be seen in how they carry out their tasks, as well as carry themselves. To cut back on the clutter, utilizing storage solutions will go a long way. Adding shelves will help organize your equipment, and drawers serve as a handy way to keep items out of sight. Also, one major step you can take to declutter your office is to go paperless. This can be done by taking advantage of a document management solution, which allows your team to access, edit, and collaborate on the same digital document, while cutting back on the piles of paper. Consolidate Your Equipment Having technology is a good thing, but having too much unnecessary equipment laying around can actually hinder productivity. For example, fax machines and traditional landline telephones can be swapped out for a digital VoIP and fax server solution. These technologies will eliminate unsightly telephone cords from your office, as well as banish the storied fax machine from your office once and for all. Another way to cut back on the amount of equipment in your office is to virtualize your current IT infrastructure. This can be done by migrating your data to the cloud, which can eliminate the need for owning and operating servers altogether, depending on how much you wish to migrate. Also, if you prefer to keep a fleet of server units in-house, then you should consider consolidating your older sever units to newer ones. In some cases, this move can cut back the amount of server units by as much as 5:1. This helps free up space in your office to make it less cluttered and more efficient. Workers Need Space to CollaborateIf you?ve gone through with the previous two tips, then your office should now have more open floor and desk space than before. Now, what to do with all of this open space? Instead of filling it with more stuff, try keeping it open and using the space for employee collaboration. Enhancing employee collaboration is a sure way to improve overall productivity, and having an office with a designated space to collaborate will ensure that collaboration actually happens. This can be achieved by making room for an open table big enough for your staff to gather around, preferable in such a way that allows for eye contact and fosters good discussion. Adding a whiteboard may be a good way to help your team better communicate ideas. Also, when it comes to collaboration, think of ways to equip your staff with mobile devices. You may be able to free up additional space by swapping out workstations and desks for laptops and open rooms. As an added bonus, setting up a large LCD television can be used for presentations and reviewing digital files. To take advantage of this, streaming devices can be set up so a laptop or mobile […]
