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  • What is Cyber Hygiene and Why Is It Important?

    What is Cyber Hygiene and Why Is It Important?

    In the current business environment where almost everything is done online, cybersecurity has become one of the biggest concerns of organizations. Ignoring cybersecurity precautions and best practices can cost a company much more than they expect, as we see companies trying to save themselves from the ruins of a data breach all over the news every day.

    In order to make sure that their employees, devices, and data are secured, organizations practice cyber hygiene. Cyber hygiene is to safeguard sensitive information and protect it from theft and breaches. By adhering to cyber hygiene procedures, organizations can preserve their cyber “health” and make sure they are not affected by data breaches and cyberattacks.

    What is cyber hygiene?

    Cyber hygiene describes the core cybersecurity best practices that your employees and IT staff can implement. Following cyber hygiene helps you protect the network and assets of your company. Much as personal hygiene habits help you protect your own health.

    The majority of data breaches are the result of making simple cyber hygiene mistakes. Your business must be able to correctly analyze its present cybersecurity posture and cyber hygiene. You and your IT staff must be aware of what is on your network, how everything is connected, and the risks involved.

    Benefits of cyber hygiene

    Protect your company from cyberattacks

    One of the most prominent benefits of cyber hygiene is that it protects your devices, networks, and data against various dangers relating to cyberattacks. Your employees and clients depend on you to protect the sensitive data that you have, and not employing cyber security best practices can result in a loss of your reliable reputation.

    More effective operations

    Another benefit of employing good cyber hygiene is that well-maintained systems operate more effectively. In addition to that, lack of maintenance results in fragmentation, out-of-date applications, and other problems that disclose security gaps over time. Cyber hygiene makes it necessary to perform routine maintenance procedures to make sure that any hazards are identified early. This can help your company mitigate issues before they even emerge.

    Reduced costs

    It is obvious that data breaches are expensive for companies. Employing good cyber hygiene is therefore much more cost-friendly than risking losing millions of dollars as a result of a data breach or cyberattack. Also, cyber hygiene also helps you make sure that you are compliant with cybersecurity laws and regulations. Being non-compliant can have a high cost and is one of the main causes of company failure. With the correct tools, you can increase productivity while reducing expenses.

    Cyber hygiene best practices

    Make sure you have the right tools

    When we think about our personal hygiene, we have specific tools for specific actions. We use a toothbrush to brush our teeth, a comb to brush our hair, and a washcloth to wash our bodies. The same can be applied to cyber hygiene. Personal data that you believe to be secure may really be in danger if you don’t use the proper goods and tools.

    Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)

    By requiring extra authentication steps such as a text message or a phone call before users are logged in to an account or access specific data, multi-factor authentication systems enhance enterprise security. Google claims that utilizing multi-factor authentication prevents all automated bot attacks. It helps to minimize the risk of data breaches by ensuring that every user that accesses sensitive information is indeed who they claim to be. 

    Employ VPNs in the workplace

    With the rise of remote work, employees have started relying on different Wi-Fi networks to get their work done. Public Wi-Fi networks in particular aren’t always secure. Using free Wi-Fi in public spaces like cafes and hotels can be dangerous. Even your client’s home networks may be compromised.

    The best way for a cybercriminal to access sensitive data of your company is through an unprotected network. Especially for employees who access sensitive data on a daily basis, this should be a risk you’re not willing to take. VPNs are one of the best secure remote access services, which will ensure your data is safe. Your internet traffic is routed over a secure tunnel when you use a VPN. This results in the data being encrypted, so anyone, even if they access the data, can’t decipher and use it.

    Back up your data periodically

    Data loss can result from hardware problems, power outages, virus infections, and other problems besides end users mistakenly deleting files. Ransomware is another threat to data. It is a type of cyberattack where a sort of virus encrypts files in an organization, which results in the attacker demanding astronomical ransoms from businesses in exchange for access to their data.

    By making backup copies of all crucial files, you can save your company time and money. To prevent laborious manual effort and eliminate potential user errors, you should have a backup schedule and maybe automate that schedule using a backup solution.

    Final words

    Developing a cyber hygiene plan that can stop cyber criminals from causing security breaches and putting your company at risk is more crucial than ever in the constantly-changing threat landscape of today. 

    Many businesses today recognize the need of maintaining good cyber hygiene. They are aware that continuing procedures that support cyber hygiene will keep their employees and company secure from online dangers that have the power to devastate entire organizations. Be one of those companies by following the cyber hygiene best practices above.

  • What Does the Software Development Lifecycle Entail?

    The software or systems development life cycle (SDLC) describes the steps involved in developing new software. The desired end-result is software that functions effectively and that is developed within projected timeframes and budgets. That’s certainly the short version, but having a basic understanding of the software dev lifecycle means taking a closer look at the different lifecycle stages a new type of software must pass through before you can expect results.

    1. Planning and Analysing Requirements

    It makes sense that software can’t be developed unless those responsible for the task know exactly what it is meant to do and how it will be put to work. At this stage of the life cycle, various departments within the business contribute information that will help developers to determine the feasibility of a project. It’s also the phase during which they build quality assurance into the process and work to identify and minimise any risks.

    2. Definition of Requirements

    The following step in the software development life cycle is the production of a software requirement specification (SRS) that lists all the requirements the new software will be designed to fulfil. This serves as the basic blueprint for functionality that will be designed and developed.

    3. Design of Product Architecture

    Using the requirements defined in the SRS, developers propose various possible product architectures that will yield the intended results and capture them in a design document specification or DDS. Stakeholders assess these options, selecting the approach they wish to see implemented during product development. Criteria such as cost, time required, cybersecurity, and the robustness of the system are considered in choosing product architecture.

    4. Developing the Product

    Having determined the architecture to be implemented, developers can start coding and developing the product itself. With experienced developers, and with the aid of various programming tools, this step is ordinarily not an overly lengthy one. However, the software development life cycle  doesn’t end with development.

    5. Testing the Software

    Testing occurs throughout the development process. However, at this stage of the SDLC, only testing takes place. If there are any defects, they will be identified, addressed, and retested until the developers are satisfied that the software meets the predefined quality standards and requirements previously decided on.

    6. Deployment and Maintenance

    The software product is ready for use, but may require further finetuning. Although the product may be released to the wider user market, many businesses prefer to test it on a limited segment that will use the software in its intended environment. Based on feedback, adjustments may be made, or the product may be rolled out to the wider market immediately. Following its release, routine maintenance occurs. 

    A Six-Step Process That Ensures the Desired Results

    In this overview, we have looked at the six steps in the software design lifecycle very fleetingly. It’s a basic introduction rather than an in-depth analysis. However, if you were to task developers with software design, it represents the process that would follow on your decision and shows how adhering to it should lead to the fulfilment of your specifications. Although it may seem time-consuming, especially during the first three steps of the lifecycle, it’s the surest route to the achievement of your software development goals.

  • Is It A Good Idea to Invest In Gold For Your Retirement?

    Is It A Good Idea to Invest In Gold For Your Retirement?

    Gold has been a popular investment for centuries, and for good reason. It is a valuable resource that holds its value well over time. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of investing in gold for your retirement. We will also talk about how to get started with investing in gold and the different types of gold investments available. If you are thinking about retirement planning, it is definitely worth considering investing in gold!

    Gold Is Rare and Durable

    One of the main reasons why gold is such a valuable resource is that it is rare. There are only a limited amount of gold mines in the world, and the supply of gold is slowly but steadily dwindling. This means that the price of gold will likely continue to rise in the future. Gold is also durable, meaning it does not corrode or tarnish over time. This makes it an ideal investment for long-term planning. There are many gold investment companies that can help you get started with investing in gold. It is important to do your research and choose a reputable company.

    Gold Is a Safe Investment

    Another reason why gold is such a popular investment is that it is not subject to inflation or market fluctuations. This makes it a safe investment for retirement planning. When the stock market crashes, the value of gold usually goes up. This makes gold a good investment for diversifying your portfolio. You can invest in gold through mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or by buying gold coins or bars.

    Gold Is Easy to Trade and Transport

    Another advantage of investing in gold is that it is easy to trade and transport. Gold is a global currency, so it can be easily traded on international markets. It is also compact and does not corrode, so it can be transported without fear of damage. When you are ready to sell your gold, you can do so quickly and easily. There are many online companies that will buy your gold at a fair price. Gold can be bought and sold easily, and it does not take up much space. This makes it a convenient investment for people who travel frequently or do not have a lot of storage space. You can also buy gold coins or bars that are easy to carry with you if you need to evacuate in an emergency situation.

    Different Types of Gold Investments

    There are many different types of gold investments available. You can invest in physical gold, such as coins or bars. You can also invest in gold ETFs, which are funds that track the price of gold. There are also mutual funds that invest in gold mining companies. Each type of investment has its own set of risks and rewards, so it is important to understand the options before making a decision.

    Investing In Physical Gold

    One option for investing in gold is to buy physical gold, such as coins or bars. Physical gold can be bought from a variety of sources, including online dealers, coin shops, and pawn shops. You can also find physical gold at some banks and credit unions. The downside of buying physical gold is that it can be stolen or lost. It is also difficult to transport large amounts of gold. If you do choose to invest in physical gold, it is important to keep it in a safe place where it will not be damaged or stolen.

    Investing In Gold ETFs

    Another option for investing in gold is to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the price of gold. Gold ETFs are traded on stock exchanges, just like regular stocks. They are a convenient way to invest in gold without having to buy and store physical gold. The downside of investing in gold ETFs is that they are subject to market fluctuations, so their value can go up or down.

    Investing In Gold Mutual Funds

    A third option for investing in gold is to invest in mutual funds that invest in gold mining companies. These types of funds are a more speculative investment than ETFs, but they can offer higher returns if the price of gold goes up. The downside of these types of funds is that they are subject to the same market fluctuations as other stocks, so their value can go up or down.

    How To Start Investing In Gold

    If you are interested in investing in gold, there are a few things you need to know before getting started. First, you need to decide what type of gold investment is right for you. There are many different types of investments available, and each has its own set of risks and rewards. Second, you need to find a reputable dealer or broker to buy gold from. Gold is a valuable commodity, so it is important to make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. Finally, you need to decide how much gold you want to buy. Gold is available in various weights and sizes, so it is important to choose an amount that fits your budget. If you’re just starting out, it is best to invest a small amount of money to get started.

    How To Choose A Broker Or Dealer

    When you are ready to start investing in gold, the first step is to choose a broker or dealer. There are many companies that sell gold, so it is important to compare prices and fees before making a decision. It is also important to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable company. You can check out reviews online or ask family and friends for recommendations. Once you’ve found a few companies you’re interested in, contact them and ask questions about their policies and procedures. This will help you get a better understanding of how they operate and whether they are right for you.

    Gold is a valuable resource that can help you secure your financial future. It is rare and durable, so it holds its value well over time. Gold is also easy to trade and transport, making it a convenient investment. And, unlike other investments such as stocks and bonds, gold is not subject to inflation or market fluctuations. This makes gold a safe investment for retirement planning.

  • Why Creative Marketing Can Give Your Business A Competitive Edge

    Why Creative Marketing Can Give Your Business A Competitive Edge

    The American business environment is more competitive than ever, and it is an industry-wide phenomenon. Brands need more than top-notch products and services at the best prices to entice customers and retain them for the long run. Marketing is the mainstay of success, but you cannot rely on average marketing ideas to drive results. Even if the conventional strategies work for once, you cannot expect them to deliver consistently. However, you can depend on creative marketing to be memorable in customers’ minds and differentiate yourself from your competitors. Let us explain how creativity can give your business a competitive edge.

    Drive brand recognition and awareness

    Buyers in the current landscape encounter information overload as different sellers constantly bombard them with marketing campaigns. The only way to stand out is by ensuring recognition for your brand so that they recall it whenever a need arises. Likewise, brand awareness is a factor to rise above competitors in a crowded space. A creative approach can cover both fronts for your business. A popping logo design, a captivating slogan, and an empathic tone of voice are creative elements that can make your campaign different from the rest. If good enough, these elements can make the customers click and stick with loyalty.

    Engage your customers

    Creative marketing gives you an edge by engaging your customers. It is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of running a business because buyers are spoiled for choice. If they are not happy with the way a brand interacts with them, it is easy to move to a better alternative. Moreover, they have no reason to give you a second chance because there are endless options in the market. You can engage them creatively with ideas like social media conversations, compelling blog posts, and rewards for feedback and reviews. Everything boils down to holding their attention and keeping them hooked for the long haul.

    Build an emotional connection

    Customer engagement is only a start when it comes to gaining a competitive advantage. Building an emotional connection with your audience is even more crucial. It starts with an understanding of your buyer persona, their pain points, and cultural norms in the local market. For example, an average consumer in New York will not have the same expectations as someone in a small town. You can collaborate with a creative agency new york to design a creative campaign that picks the pulse of the audience and establishes an emotional connection with them. Emotions work better than anything else to drive purchasing decisions, foster loyalty, and make people stick for the long haul.

    Reach your target market

    Creative marketing does not take a one-size-fits-all approach but digs deep to reach the target market. Once again, it relies on the emotional part of selling by linking sales with needs, wants, and motivations. There couldn’t be a better way to stand out from competitors. Marketers leverage relevant content to win customers and stay on top of their minds every time they create their shopping lists. It is much like convincing them that you have the best offering for their needs and that you care about fulfilling them.

    Consolidate your business reputation

    A robust reputation is the cornerstone of competitive advantage for a business. Nothing matters more than gaining the trust of your customers and prospects, and a good reputation does it for you. A creative marketing plan goes a long way in instilling customer confidence. You can utilize it to communicate the vision, values, and mission of your brand to customers. Integrating buyer reviews into your campaign is an even better way to win because people tend to trust others more than brand statements. You can go a step further by promoting your CSR strategies to maintain your business reputation.

    Getting a competitive edge for your business is a challenging feat in the current landscape. There are no shortcuts, but the effort is worthwhile because standing apart is the key to visibility, trust, and awareness. You can leverage creativity to achieve all these goals without spending a fortune. The best part about the approach is that it can help you achieve more with less and sustain the edge over your competitors in the long run.

  • Top 5 Reasons to Take Workplace Hygiene Seriously

    Top 5 Reasons to Take Workplace Hygiene Seriously

    For your business to thrive, you need to work in a conducive environment favoring your employees and customers. That is why as a business owner, you must ensure your workplace’s hygiene is great. Additionally, the employees must ensure cleanliness and great personal hygiene; this is often included in the policies. There are numerous ways to ensure good hygiene is maintained. This article will explore the top five reasons to take workplace hygiene seriously.

    Boosts Your Companies Image

    The business receives all types of people, such as employees, clients, investors, and suppliers. You must ensure your workplace hygiene is great to get a good reputation. You will scare away potential customers and investors when your place looks messy. The first impression is crucial; since you can’t predict when clients or investors might visit, always keep your place clean. Additionally, if you are dealing with sensitive products such as food, you need to be extremely clean and make excellent health policies to ensure clients trust you.

    Boosts the Health of Your Employees

    Working in a dirty place can lead to various health complications that can be expensive to treat. If your employee’s health gets affected due to an unhygienic working place, your production will be low, and you might be required to compensate them for the illness. As a business owner, you must strategize ways and policies to keep your place clean and hygienic. Working with healthy employees guarantees increased production, which means more revenue. You can consider using disinfectants in the washrooms for hand washing.

    Motivates Your Employees

    Good hygiene is another way of motivating your employees and ensuring they are happy. The working environment greatly impacts your employees’ satisfaction and mood at work. Subjecting your employees to a healthy and hygienic environment will boost them to be more productive. There are numerous ways that you can adopt if you want to keep your workplace clean. Some ways include emptying trash cans regularly and using commercial air fresheners to ensure your rooms have a great scent. Additionally, you need to clean the windows and open them to allow enough light and fresh air to enter the room. Further, make sure washrooms are clean and well maintained. Most people often ignore decluttering their offices; clutter keeps piling, and it gets messy. An easy solution is to use a decluttering service.

    Helps You Prevent Spread of Viruses and Bacteria

    Most bacteria and viruses spread more in a dirty environment as it offers them favorable conditions to bleed. That is why you need to be serious about the hygiene of your workplace to help avoid this. Ensuring you agree to the standard policies on hygiene will help kill disease-carrying bacteria and viruses that can easily spread among the workers as they share common rooms. You must enlighten your workers on the importance of hygiene and ensure they follow the set rules.

    Reduction of Injuries Caused by Slips, Trips, and Fall

    You can incur considerable losses if a client or employee slips and falls on your business premises. This will be viewed as negligence and a breach of duty on the company. Regular cleaning can help avoid this and ensure the place is clean. In case of dirt or liquid that can cause slip and fall, it can be cleaned on time.

    Wrapping Up:

    The above are the reasons you need to take your workplace hygiene seriously. Educate your employees on the importance of cleanliness and personal hygiene. Additionally, look for a great air freshener to help make the place smell good.

  • 6 Main Types Of Training Your Employees Can Benefit From

    6 Main Types Of Training Your Employees Can Benefit From

    No training method can be said to be universally applicable. Many staff training types are available, each serving a unique purpose. If you teach your staff when it’s most beneficial to them, you can improve their learning outcomes and engagement, which can benefit your organization. There are several upsides to well-executed staff training programs, including but not limited to lower turnover and higher output.

    1. Online Diversity And Inclusion Training 

    This emphasizes cultural competency, confronts the pervasive issue of prejudices and stereotypes, and teaches employers and employees to collaborate to achieve organizational goals. Making money in business has always required cooperation between people. When filling open positions, companies nowadays can choose from a wide variety of qualified applicants. However, in terms of creating a fair and inclusive workplace, this diversity presents its issues. This includes seeking out and employing people of many backgrounds, including those of various faiths, languages, ways of life, ethnicities, and languages. The training emphasizes that everyone in your organization needs to be on the same page and working toward the same goal if you want to be successful; online diversity and inclusion training helps businesses foster an environment where all employees feel welcome and valued. Employees who have participated in diversity training have reported feeling more empathetic toward one another on the job. Cultural diversity training addresses the elephant in the room regarding cross-cultural dialogue, resentment, and competitiveness for progress.

    2. Leadership Training

    Leadership training is a subset of interpersonal skills education that focuses on developing qualities and talents that are directly relevant to leading other people. Management and leadership development programs have a multiplicative effect: It’s common for everyone to have a negative time if the management is incompetent. Due to leadership training, employees can improve their communication, project management, strategic thinking, and leadership abilities. Skills like crisis management and the technical knowledge needed to handle management-specific software and tools can be incorporated into leadership training. It is important to note that leadership development programs are meant to complement, not replace, career coaching. No matter what their current position or future goals may be, with the guidance of a coach, any worker may make the most of their professional experience. Coaching can be a valuable tool for anyone aspiring to a leadership position.

    3. Team Training

    Involvement and output are both increased through the use of training programs for teams. They help coworkers get along better and enhance operations. These can be presented in an all-at-once setting like a retreat or spread out over a longer time frame like weeks or months. Interpersonal communication, process management, and goal setting are common topics of concentration in team training programs. Training your staff is always a good idea, but it’s especially crucial following a significant organizational shift such as a merger, restructure, or new leader.

    4. Instructional Training For New Employees

    Onboarding refers to how new employees are educated on all aspects of working for your firm. Onboarding training is similar to compliance training but is focused on the new employee’s first days on the job. All new hires require a solid foundation in the fundamentals, such as how to use the company’s software and other resources, proper methods of communication, where to find help if they run into problems, and so on. Onboarding training content includes information and resources that new hires will need in their initial few weeks at the organization.

    While new hires need to learn the basics, it’s also crucial that they don’t feel overwhelmed by their training. Start with the minimum information new hires need to know, then build from there. When employees are overwhelmed with information, they may become anxious and seek other employment. Finally, ensure your staff access resources once their initial training has concluded.

    5. Adherence Training

    Any mandatory training is considered compliance training. Training of this type might focus on anything from basic security to more advanced technological skills. Employees should learn what they need to know to comply with the law and the business needs. As a result, the specifics of compliance education will differ significantly depending on the organization. Compliance training for a restaurant and a technology startup will be very different. In addition to job-related duties, topics like safety and security are frequently included in compliance training. 

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, for instance, must be addressed because they are mandated by law. Compliance should also include company-specific regulations, such as late-night office lockups, printer restrictions, etc. Compliance training can be challenging to design, so if you’re stuck for ideas, try talking to employees and finding out what they’re having the most trouble with and what knowledge they wish they’d received sooner. It’s safe to assume that anything brought up multiple times is meant to be covered in compliance training. You should provide updated compliance training when critical tools are upgraded, new harassment policies are implemented, and security measures are altered. Compliance training is necessary when new information or obligations affect the company’s capacity to operate effectively and legally.

    6. Sales Training

    Sales education focuses on the product’s selling points rather than finer nuances. In contrast to product training, sales training teaches staff how to persuade customers to buy the product, handle challenging customer questions, and highlight the product’s distinctive advantages. Ultimately, sales training aims to provide your staff with the skills to promote and sell the product effectively. Role-playing is commonly used in sales training to equip staff with practical experience in making sales. Employees act out a sales conversation with a fictitious client, complete with a question and response exchange. Incorporating sales training into new hire orientation is vital since salespeople need it to execute their jobs. It may be safe to postpone this type of employee training until after the onboarding process if the individual will not regularly interact with consumers in their employment.

    Growth-oriented and morale-boosting work environments require strategic use of various employee training at the appropriate times. However, it’s also vital to use the proper educational platform. The necessary training for the right individuals may be provided rapidly, allowing you to adjust to a growing and shifting workforce. This has the potential to produce a force that is more informed, more invested, and confident in its abilities. Most workers’ perceptions that they lack the necessary skills are unwarranted.