Posted by Narene Nicolas
Mar 27, 2024
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Admittedly, the worldwide shift to a hybrid set-up was first brought on as a means to cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic lockdown restrictions – in one way or another, companies had to make sure their operations’ continuity and setting up the necessary logistics to be able to work remote and from home became the best choice. However, it is slowly starting to gain traction as the preferred working arrangement regardless of the pandemic.
Read: The Importance of Operations Excellence and How it Contributes to Company Growth
It has now become clear that the hybrid work set up is here to stay. In a recent study by the World Economic Forum, it was shown that 68% of employees worldwide prefer a hybrid work arrangement while 28% prefer a fully remote set up and only 8% prefer to work on-site full time. At D&V Philippines, we have fully embraced the benefits that this brings not just for our employees but for our clients as well and, determined to not just maintain but make the most of this set up, we rely on our IT Department’s adaptability in handling the needs and mitigating the risks of a hybrid set up.
How We Do It
At D&V Philippines, our IT department has fully embraced being a modern workplace by adapting to cloud technologies to not only secure the information that is entrusted to us but to make the collaborative experience stay smooth regardless of each employee’s location.
First, the IT department issues all the necessary assets for every employee such as a company laptop, screen and other devices and accessories to make sure that our tools are only accessed using a secure device.
Subsequently, the department manages all devices, leveraging cloud technology for comprehensive visibility. This allows the IT department to track all device activities, ensuring compliance with all current policies and updates, while also proactively identifying and mitigating any potential threats.
We also put utmost priority in respecting the privacy of both our users and clients throughout all this, focusing on security and not on privacy invasion.
Throughout all this, the entire ecosystem of the company remains under one domain that is managed by the IT department. Everything under the domain – communication channels, storage management systems and all task tools are only accessible by employees in the company, protecting both the company and our clients’ information from external risks.
Risk Mitigation
Alongside the IT Department’s stringent security measures and asset protection policies, they have also set preventive preparations for risks that may occur. Knowing that risk mitigation requires the awareness and cooperation of all employees, the IT Department releases a quarterly module on the latest cyber risks and threats and what cybersecurity practices should be done to combat these threats along with a Cybersecurity Assessment Test that all employees are required to comply with.
On the back end, the IT department also conducts routine assessments of their current protocols and processes to maintain relevancy – this is done with the help of our Quality Assurance team as together they identify our strong points and create improvement plans for our pain points.
Adapting to our Clients
At the core of our IT department’s adaptability lies their flexibility to cater to all of our clients’ needs. As we are an outsource provider, The IT department makes sure to address all the security needs of potential clients and openly discusses any requirements that they may have. For example, if a client requests our employees to use outdated software for financial tasks, despite its security risks, the IT department will communicate with the client for the potential vulnerability of using outdated software.
For times like this, not only does the IT Department communicate the weakness but also offers an array of alternatives that can still handle the needs of the client with greater security, orienting the clients on all these alternatives and helping them decide which caters to their specific needs.
Once the client's application requirements are finalized, only the IT department is authorized and accountable for installing the necessary applications on each of our employees' devices. This ensures the smooth integration of the client's needs into our workflow.
The Bottom Line
With the hybrid work-set up here to stay, reluctant companies who are worried about the security of their data should take a step back and explore the holistic benefits that the hybrid work set-up offers for the employees, the operational costs of the company and the service delivery process for their clients and/or consumers and instead focus on strengthening their IT efforts to embrace the set up and adapt to technology that keeps company information regardless of the work set-up.
By doing this, you are optimizing your company’s resources and ensuring the longevity of your operations, adapting to the changes of today as we fully enjoy the freedom that technology brings in all aspects of our lives.
Read Next: How to Maintain Client Relations after the Initial Engagement
Need Secure Finance and Accounting Services?
D&V Philippines provides scalable finance and accounting solutions that are equipped with the best cybersecurity practices in the field. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, schedule a free consultation with us or download our Employees to Partners whitepaper to see how we value our talents!
This article has been written in collaboration with Aly Tagamolila, a content specialist at D&V Philippines.
