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  • Tame the Meeting Monster

    Meetings are what happens when people aren’t working Elon Musk famously said.

    Several recent articles have highlighted Elon’s advice on making meetings more efficient. While the outspoken Tesla CEO has no shortage of advice, his three rules for meetings are spot-on.

    Most meetings are scheduled without ever thinking about their actual “cost”.  Even small, weekly check-ins can cost organizations $30K or more per year. Large, all-hands meetings can run into the mid-6 figures.

    Meetings are actually one of the largest expenses and largest productivity drains in most organizations. In fact, workers expend more than 129 hours per year in meetings that were entirely unnecessary.

    Elon’s Three Rules for Meetings
    • Get rid of all large meetings, unless you’re certain they are providing value to the whole audience, in which case keep them very short.
    • Get rid of frequent meetings, unless you are dealing with an extremely urgent matter. Meeting frequency should drop rapidly once the urgent matter is resolved.
    • Walk out of a meeting or drop off a call as soon as it is obvious you aren’t adding value. It is not rude to leave, it is rude to make someone stay and waste their time.

    Some have said walking out of a meeting can be career suicide. Perhaps… but excusing yourself when leaving early the right way fends this off.

    Reducing the Cost of Meetings

    How to reduce the cost of meetings? Simply put, eliminate and reduce. 

    Eliminate the meeting entirely.

    Eliminating a meeting can be done by canceling it or conducting it asynchronously. That means using communication tools like Online Meeting, email, or video/audio recordings instead of holding a meeting. This saves time, frees up people’s schedules, and has many other benefits that come with real-time communication.

    Reduce the number of people.

    Strongly considering who needs to be there in the first place. Remember, you can always pull someone in for a portion of the meeting or send out meeting notes afterward to keep people in the loop.

    Reduce its duration.

    Cut all your recurring meetings by 15 minutes and see what happens. You can always add time back into a meeting.

    Reduce its frequency.

    If the meeting is recurring, try cutting its cadence in half. Moving a weekly meeting to biweekly often has very few negative consequences — but it halves the cost of the meeting.

  • U.S Government Issues Advisory on Texting Scams

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued an advisory about a substantial increase in Robotext scams via automated smishing attacks.

    These attacks involve unsolicited and automated text messages impersonating entities such as government agencies or familiar businesses.

    Verizon’s 2022 Mobile Threat Index reports 45% of organizations have suffered a mobile compromise in 2022. That number increased 50% from 2021, and users using mobile devices in 53% of organizations have access to more sensitive data than a year ago.

    It shouldn’t come to any surprise that the FCC has put out an advisory warning about the increased use of robotexting-based phishing scams targeting mobile users, commonly called smishing. The FCC noted that unwanted text messages include false but believable claims about unpaid bills, package delivery snafus, bank account problems, or law enforcement actions.

    According to the Federal Trade Commission, Amazon is the most impersonated brand in smishing attacks. Apple, Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo are also common in robotext scams.

    Some malicious SMS’s may also contain links aimed at stealing personal information for use in subsequent attacks or sale to other threat actors. Cybercriminals such as FluBot operators also leveraged smishing attacks to spread malware.

    Warning signs of malicious robotexts or smishing messages include:

    • Unknown numbers
    • Misleading information
    • Misspellings to avoid blocking/filtering tools
    • 10-digit or longer phone numbers
    • Mysterious links
    • Sales pitches
    • Incomplete information

     

    Being proactive is key

    Here are some simple steps you can use to combat smishing attacks:

    • Avoid responding to unsolicited text messages even with the word “STOP” or “NO.”
    • Do not click on any links included in such SMSs. If your contact sends a link via text, confirm that they have not been hacked.
    • Avoid sending sensitive information via text messages
    • Report texting scam messages to SPAM (7726) and file a complaint with the FCC
    • Check for misspellings and text messages from email addresses
    • Delete all malicious texts from your phone
    • Update your device’s operating system and security apps

     

    Knowledge is power

    NTELogic has partnered with KnowBe4, the world’s leading provider of cybersecurity training, to bring organizations like yours a tailored security awareness training platform without the hassles of doing it yourself. Contact us today to learn more or to register for our free phishing test offer.

  • 5 Obstacles to Overcome When Starting a Business

    Starting a business often means confronting lots of fears. Whether you’re worried about your finances, your own abilities, or finding more support for your idea, it’s normal to feel anxious. Turning to outside agencies for help, such as getting IT support from NTELogic, is often a smart choice. These tips outline a few strategies for overcoming common issues that you might face when opening your first business.

    Uncertainty About Your Plans

     Right now, you might feel like you’re a bit fuzzy when it comes to the finer details of your business. It’s time to get a little clearer on your vision by creating a business plan. Your business plan can include notes on everything from your chosen business structure to your marketing strategy to your funding needs. You can also write down your plans for staffing.

     Unrealistic Goals

     You might be tempted to set your goals sky high – but in the first days of business ownership, you don’t want to get too fixated on a bar you can’t clear. Falling short of lofty goals can be discouraging. Instead, set goals applying to different areas of your business that feel truly realistic for your company. Jotform recommends writing down goals based on your finances, growth projections, employee development, customer service, and even your social following.

     Lack of Support

     Perhaps most of your friends work at 9-to-5 office jobs, and your family doesn’t understand your desire to open your own business. But if you feel like you’re not getting the support you need from your social circle right now, it’s time to look outside of it. You can begin networking with local professional organizations, attending events and conferences for people in your industry, and reaching out to other entrepreneurs in your field online. For additional support, you may want to look into finding a mentor. Intigro states that a mentor can share their valuable perspectives on business, learn new skills that you can apply in your everyday work, and help boost your confidence as you take on new projects as an entrepreneur.

     Confusing Administrative Tasks

     As a new business owner, you might feel intimidated by the number of confusing administrative tasks that you need to check off of your to-do list when you officially launch your company. But you don’t have to navigate these tasks by yourself – instead, you can rely on useful online services that provide a start a business guide for help.

    For instance, you can work with an online formation service to register with your preferred business structure and register your company’s name in your state. This ensures that you’ll stay legally compliant throughout the process, and you’ll get to enjoy the benefits of registering your business, like limited liability and lots of tax perks!

     Marketing Questions

     Maybe you have faith in your products and services, but when it comes to marketing, you have no idea where to begin. Don’t stress too much – thankfully, there are lots of tools that can help you create basic marketing materials. For example, with a free online logo creator, you can develop a logo that symbolizes your company’s values, distinguishes your business from the rest of your competition, and furthers brand awareness. You’ll start by selecting your preferred icon and style, adding essential text, and then adjusting the fonts and colors on your favorite logo.

    Starting a business means confronting some of your doubts about yourself and your ideas. But when you choose to challenge yourself, you might be surprised by just how much you can accomplish. With these suggestions, you’ll be able to take on your fears and dive into building your business.

    Are you in search of an IT service provider for your business? NTELogic helps businesses with essential IT support! Call today at 209-790-4560 to learn more about our services today.

    Photo via Pexels

  • Does Your Organization Need Cybersecurity Awareness Training?

    Cybercriminals are getting smarter and more savvy with their attacks nowadays. Even the best security solutions in the world would not do any good if users are not cyber-aware and know what to do when they encounter suspected cyberthreats.

    Most cybercrime incidents begin on a smaller scale and do not become a full-blown data breach until it’s too late. 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error, and firewalls cannot keep a staff member from succumbing to a phishing email.

    According to data collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, phishing attacks accounted for over half of all reported cybercrimes in 2021, and losses from phishing attacks topped $2.4 billion. In fact, phishing attacks increased by 280% in 2020 alone, and human-caused data breaches topped 82%.

    Email attacks almost always involve some sort of phishing. Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails posing as a legitimate source to compel victims to reveal sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. You may have seen phishing emails before, offering you a free TV or asking you to change your password. While an email spam filter will catch many of these, some will still occasionally make it through to your inbox.

    Defending against phishing and social engineering attacks ultimately comes down to knowing what you’re up against. These can come in several forms, but the most common cyber-attacks are phishing emails that ask you for usernames, passwords, and personally identifiable information (PII). A good rule of thumb is to have healthy skepticism whenever an email asks for personal information—especially emails from an unexpected sender.

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    This can sound like quite the daunting task for any company, let alone a small business. The reality is that the opportunity cost of not training your employees is too high to ignore. According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach last year was $4.24 million. Thirty-eight percent of companies lost business because of a breach, which accounted for over half of the total financial losses.

    While cybersecurity awareness is the first step, employees must willingly embrace and proactively use cyber-secure practices both professionally and personally for it to truly be effective. This is known as a culture of security or security culture. Security culture is defined as an organization’s collective awareness, attitudes, and behaviors toward security.

    For security culture to be most effective, it’s important to make security training not only engaging but also relevant to employees so they understand how cybersecurity impacts them in and outside of work. The best part about cybersecurity training is that it can be customized to your organization’s needs. From a formal security awareness training program to a monthly email with cybersecurity tips and tricks, any cybersecurity awareness and training can significantly impact employee behavior.

    Our training platform consists of built-in phishing training and comes with the option of letting your organization create its own training courses and upload/deploy them internally. This can include, but is not limited to, employee safety, conduct (anti-harassment) and more. It could even be used for human resources (HR) training such as employee onboarding, policy training, etc.

    Contact us today to learn more or to register for our a free demonstration.

  • What Is Email Security, and Why Should You Care?

    Email is one of the most often used communication channels in business. It’s a fundamental part of modern communications. Email is also a medium that’s “always-on,” and people have access to it from anywhere. While it’s a necessity, it’s also a channel ripe with risk. That’s why email security is so critical.

    In this post, we’ll define what email security is, discuss the risks it presents, and provide you with best practices.

    What Is Email Security?

    Email security describes a variety of tactics, including:

    • Applying technology tools to inspect incoming emails for potential malicious threats
    • Encrypting or securing outbound email traffic to protect inboxes, data, users, and organizations from cybersecurity threats.

    Both inbound and outbound email are subject to security measures. Security measures can also relate to compliance checks for regulated data exchanges.

    Since the massive adoption of cloud-based email, the ecosystem has become more complex. As such, security tools and protocols have become more advanced to ensure the integrity of every message.

    So, what are the biggest threats to email security?

    Email Security Threats

    Email represents a means for cybercriminals to infiltrate a network. The most common way they do that is with phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are the practice of sending communications that are fraudulent but look like they’re coming from a reputable, known source. Phishing can lead to several adverse events.

    Recipients may click on a link and reveal sensitive information like credentials, allowing unauthorized persons to breach a network and gain access to confidential data.

    Phishing emails can also be carriers of malware or ransomware, which can also cause breaches or other failures.

    While phishing has been part of the hacker’s playbook for some time, it’s still a leading cause of cyber incidents, with 36 percent of all breaches tied to phishing. And email is the favorite option, with 96 percent of them arriving via email.

    In addition to phishing, access to a business email account by anyone outside of the owner could result in the compromise of proprietary information or intellectual property.

    Protecting email accounts is paramount to any company’s data security policies. The risk of breaches or other losses can be significant, financially and reputationally.

    To prevent as much of this as possible, you’ll want to follow best practices regarding email security.

    Email Security Best Practices

    Creating a robust email security posture is critical for your business. You’ll want your provider to offer multiple layers of protection, including monitoring and encryption. Training and educating staff is important as well.

    Here are the best practices that provide the most protection.

    Use multi-factor authentication

    Should a password be stolen, you can still keep unauthorized persons out with multi-factor authentication. Legitimate users will need more than just their password to “authenticate.”

    Add link protection tools

    Unfortunately, some phishing emails will still get through filters. If they do, the last thing you want is for a user to click that link. Link protection prevents users from accessing sites blacklisted as known phishing sites or having malicious code. Should someone click on it, the technology gauges the page’s reputation. If it’s unknown, a scan of it occurs in real time. If it’s not above board, a warning message appears.

    Deploy targeted attack protection

    The ecosystem of targeted attacks is growing, especially those that involve social engineering. In such cases, the email seems legitimate because the recipient was expecting it. It could be a receipt or a confirmation of a meeting. These can even include employee impersonation. With AI tools, email security rises to a new level. Such functionality flags suspicious emails, delivers insights into threat signals, and automatically remediates based on actions you’ve preconfigured.

    Protect outbound emails

    It’s not just emails your employees receive that need security; outbound emails also do. In many cases, you may be sending confidential attachments intended only for the actual recipient. That’s especially true for communication that’s subject to regulations like HIPAA. To adhere to these rules, you’ll need compliance templates with preconfigured code sets, keywords, and policies when sending PHI.

    Further, you also need safety nets in place should an employee inadvertently or negligently release sensitive data. With email encryption, you have a safe, secure, and reliable way to share this type of data and prevent data leakage.

    Keep software up to date

    Make sure that your administrator or provider auto-updates your email exchange. Failure to do this could leave you open to attacks. With auto-updates, every account or device gets the upgrades needed.

    Run phishing attack simulations

    Employees and their ability to respond correctly to phishing are critical in your defense posture. In addition to regular training and education on email and data security, you should also deploy phishing exercises. This helps them build awareness and be more cognizant of possible threats.

    Give administrators full visibility

    The final piece of the email security puzzle is providing administrators control and visibility across the entire enterprise. Security controls should be easy to understand and change as required. Administrators will have the necessary access to settings that ensure the safest email environment.

    How Secure Is Your Email Exchange?

    Does your current email exchange offer you all these protections? Are you concerned about what could happen without more rigorous features? Then you’ll want to know all about NTELogic Email Protection. Explore all it can do and why so many businesses trust it and us today!

  • 3 Lessons Learned About Remote Work In 2020

    One of the most impactful shifts of the pandemic was the widespread adoption of remote work. More people than ever started working from home, which taught us all a lot about what’s possible for the future. Business leaders, managers, and employees learned several important lessons from remote work, and as a result, new, more flexible work models are emerging.

    Looking at the lessons learned, we can gain perspective on where work models are headed and what to expect for the future.

    Lesson #1: Remote Work Does Work

    Before the pandemic, only about six percent of Americans were primarily work-from-home workers. Naturally, a lot of companies weren’t sure if it could even work.

    So, does working remotely work?

    When you look at the number of people still working remotely today along with projections for the future, it’s clear that remote work is effective.

    By the last quarter of 2021, about 45 percent were still working from home at least part-time (down from nearly 70 percent in 2020), and surveys are showing that a sizable chunk of the workforce will be remote permanently. A Gartner survey found that 74 percent of CFOs expect to transition at least five percent of their employees to remote work on a permanent basis. And, according to research conducted by Global Workplace Analytics, anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of the U.S. workforce will be remote even after the pandemic is history.

    During the COVID crisis, we learned that remote models do indeed work for many businesses – 83 percent of employers say the shift to remote work was a success for their business.

    And most workers prefer it. Of the 2,050 full-time workers surveyed by Owl Labs for the State of Remote Work 2021 study, 84 percent said working remotely post-pandemic would make them happy, and many would take a pay cut if it meant being able to work from home.

    Lesson #2: Going Remote Offers Benefits Across the Board

    Employees, managers, and business owners have uncovered some incredible benefits to remote work.

    The cost-savings potential is huge

    • One report found that, if the roughly 48 million employees who have a remote-compatible job worked from home at least once per week, employers in the U.S. could save as much as $500 billion per year.
    • When you factor in not having to pay for commuting costs, eating out, and maintaining a work wardrobe, remote workers themselves can save about $4,000 a year.

    Productivity actually increases

    • According to a survey conducted by Upwork on the future of work, hiring managers say that fewer non-essential meetings, less time commuting, and increased schedule flexibility have helped to boost time spent working.
    • Also, once organizations implement cloud technology and processes to facilitate remote work, the infrastructure is in place, and working remotely can feel seamless – 68 percent of hiring managers believed that remote work was much smoother several months after making the shift.
    • Workers themselves say they are, for the most part, getting more done. Ninety percent of respondents in the Owl Labs survey said they are more productive working from home.

    Remote work can boost your workforce

    • Employers can hire from a wider pool of applicants, making top talent more accessible.
    • They also become more attractive to skilled employees – the reality is, few employees prefer an office-only workplace. According to a PwC survey, only eight percent don’t want to work remotely at all. Over half want to work from home at least three days a week.
    • And finally, remote employees tend to be happier than their in-office counterparts. They stay in their jobs for longer and, for customer-facing teams, they’re more likely to provide top-notch customer service.

    Lesson #3: There’s Still a Place for the Traditional Office

    Companies can operate effectively with remote teams, and there are plenty of benefits to having remote flexibility. However, we’ve also learned another lesson – 100% remote work isn’t the best option for every company.

    • There’s still value in expecting employees to come into the office. That’s something that both employers and employees agree upon. Employees appreciate the ability to collaborate with team members in person and to build relationships. Employers and managers see the office as a space to meet with clients, enable collaboration, and ensure productivity stays high.
    • Also, there are problems with the remote work lifestyle – some employees say they have trouble maintaining a work-life balance, and others feel burned out by excessive video meetings.

    The bottom line is that a fully remote model isn’t a good fit for every company, job role, or individual. But the option to work from wherever is something that almost every worker wants.

    Because of the Benefits and Lessons Learned, the Future of Work Will Be Hybrid

    There’s no question that remote work is here to stay. Companies of all sizes and from all industries have learned how practical it can be. But, it’s not all positive. There are advantages to having some employees in the office, at least some of the time.

    That’s why so many companies are shifting to a work-from-wherever model. If your company is considering a hybrid model, or if you are looking for ways to improve your hybrid workplace, NTELogic can help your company make hybrid work work better.

  • Mandatory 11-Digit Dialing Starts October 24, 2021

    Key Information

    Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial 11 digits (1 + area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7 digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed.

     

    Why Is This Change Happening?

    In preparation for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) adoption of 988 as the new three-digit number to be used nationwide to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, starting July 16, 2022, 11-digit dialing is being implemented. However, customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK to reach the Mental Health Crisis Lifeline until July 16, 2022.

    In order for 988 to work in the 209 area code, mandatory 11-digit local dialing will begin on October 24, 2021. At that time, everyone in the 209 area code will need to change the way they dial local calls.

     

    What will be the new dialing procedure?

    To complete all local calls, you will need to dial 1 + area code + telephone number. This applies to all calls within your area code that are currently dialed with seven digits, including to your neighbors. For example, you will dial 1-209-790-4560 to reach NTELogic.

     

    Who can I contact with questions?

    If you receive your voice telephone services from NTELogic and have questions about this change, please call our office at 1-209-790-4560 or via email to info@ntelogic.com. Otherwise, please contact your voice telephone services provider. You can also visit the FCC website at https://www.fcc.gov/suicide-prevention-hotline.

     

  • How Does Email Archiving Work?

    Email is likely a critical communication channel for your business, both internally and externally. However, you may have concerns about security, accessibility, and storage. The best solution to address all of these is email archiving. In this post, we’ll explain what it is, how it works, and why it should be part of your email system.

    What Is Email Archiving?

    Email archiving is the practice of preserving these communications through cloud-based storage. It enables users to index, search, and retrieve old emails.

    Why Would an Organization Archive Emails?

    There are several business reasons to deploy an archiving solution, including:

    • Business continuity and disaster recovery
    • Internal audits, investigations, and eDiscovery for litigation (especially true for highly regulated industries)
    • Regulatory compliance mandates
    • Following security best practices
    • Record management
    • Protection of intellectual property (IP)
    • Minimizing the need to increase bandwidth while retaining the data

    Your need to archive may fall into multiple categories. It delivers benefits that can help you in various ways, from compliance requirements to cost savings.

    How Does the Archiving Process Work?

    The email archiving process captures 100% of inbound and outbound emails. The system then places these in a secured, cloud environment that’s accessible.

    It’s not the same as email backup. The difference is that a backup only backs up data for a limited time period to restore if necessary. Simply backing up your email doesn’t consider compliance requirements, nor does it help prevent data loss.

    If you’re currently only using a backup approach, you should be aware of its limitations. It’s also important to understand if it can or cannot deliver on all the business reasons you have for preserving email.

    What Are the Benefits of Email Archiving?

    The benefits of email archiving translate into business value. They include:

    Meeting Regulatory Compliance

    Certain industries have mandates regarding email communication if it contains confidential information. One of the most common is HIPAA, which regulates healthcare information. Those in this sector can achieve compliance by archiving.

    The archive keeps the data secure and provides a virtual paper trail should an audit occur. Compliance isn’t an option; it’s mandatory. By leveraging an archiving solution, you can also meet the regulations for FRCP, SOX, FINRA, GLB, NYSE, NASD, SEC, and others.

    Retaining Data

    Even the smallest companies generate thousands of emails. They often contain vital information, so retaining them is appropriate and may even be required. However, keeping them on your email server isn’t sustainable. You’ll quickly see your bandwidth diminish, which could include more costs.

    An archive moves those emails to the cloud and provides you with the ability to search them. The data is secure due to encryption, and you can find what you need in minutes, not hours.

    Achieving a True Backup for Business Continuity

    As noted, an email backup falls short of restoration. In this model, the Office 365 cloud houses the email files; however, this storage alone doesn’t preserve data for the long term. The archiving integration builds on top of what you have to create a permanent place for the emails to reside. You don’t have to do anything extra; it’s automatic.

    Protecting IP

    Emails can often contain IP. In fact, Microsoft reported that as much as 75 percent of company emails include IP. While you may not notice this because the IP is inherent to you, it could become an area of risk. Even the most minor trade secrets need protection. You’ll have more control over the content of these emails with archiving. It provides a repository where data loss isn’t a threat.

    Managing Legal Discovery

    If your company is in the middle of litigation, there will likely be eDiscovery requests regarding email. Without an archive, this will be an arduous task. An archive enables you to search, filter, and find what you need, so you don’t waste time and resources.

    Recovering Deleted Emails

    Deleting emails is a normal function. Most of the time, there’s no cause for concern. However, sometimes a user can inadvertently or purposely delete something that’s important or includes confidential information. Unfortunately, some of your employees may be engaging in risky behavior. A backup is a smart move to mitigate any fallout from such actions.

    What Archiving Features Do You Need?

    Before you choose an archiving solution, here are the features you should prioritize:

    • Security: This is at the top of the list. Find out how the system safeguards data with encryption (both while in transit and at rest) and how it meets compliance requirements regarding data security.
    • Scalability: You don’t want to have limits on storage capacity. Be sure it can meet your needs today and tomorrow.
    • Indexing of all file types: Not all archiving products include all file types or attachments. Ask about what it can index to ensure you’re covered.
    • Constant email capture: Be sure the solution captures and stores all sent and received emails.
    • Search functionality: In most cases, if you need to access your email archive, it’s because you’re looking for specific information tied to litigation, a breach, or an audit. Select a product that makes searching easy with tagging, filtering, advanced search, and categorization.
    • Exporting: Once you find the emails you need, you’ll want to be able to export them for the archive. Make sure this is possible, and that you have multiple format choices.
    • Integration: The standard Office 365 archiving doesn’t offer you complete protection. You’ll need a specific tool that meets all your needs. This will typically require an integration, so be sure that there are no compatibility issues while comparing options.
    • Easy set-up: You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to add this to your email. It should be simple to implement and not require additional licenses.

    Learn More About Email Archiving

    Email archiving is a smart decision for any business. It elevates your security, helps you meet compliance, protects your IP, and ensures access when you need it. Learn more about why you should add it to your email today by taking a tour of the NTELogic Email Archiving solution.

  • Building, Onboarding, and Managing Remote Teams

    Is your business implementing a hybrid or fully remote work model for the first time? Wondering how to successfully onboard and manage work-from-home employees without impacting workplace productivity, collaboration, or culture? With the right tools and processes, managing remote teams effectively is possible. Here’s an overview of what companies who are shifting to a hybrid or fully remote work model are doing to build, onboard, and manage remote teams.

    Tips for Building and Onboarding Remote Teams

    When building a remote team, you can focus on hiring based on skills, expertise, and culture fit rather than location. This gives your company a wider pool of applicants to draw from and makes it easier to create a dream team for your company.

    To build and onboard a remote team, you’ll need the right people, processes, and tools to make it work.

    • Designate HR staff to focus on hiring and training remote employees. The work experience is different when you’re working from wherever, so it’s important to have someone who understands how to engage, teach, guide, and provide support for remote workers.
    • Set expectations from the beginning. Establish the rules for work hours, specific times remote employees should make themselves available online, and time tracking from the beginning.
    • Create clear processes around communication – what channels should they use for collaboration, one-on-one meetings, and work questions? Who should they connect with for different types of communication and group work?
    • Empower your remote teams with easy-to-use and full-featured communications solutions that integrate with your business applications. As a lot of work happens through technology, it’s important to use platforms that enable productivity and minimize frustration. The essentials for keeping remote teams connected include unified communications, video conferencing software, and cloud phones.

    Tips for Managing Remote Teams Successfully

    Because your remote employees aren’t in the office, it can feel like you have less insight into how they spend their time, making management difficult. The reality is, working from wherever doesn’t have to impact productivity. With a smart, practical approach, you can still bring the best out of your employees. Here are a few tips to help you manage your remote employees:

    • Set up regular meetings. With remote teams, it’s more important to be proactive about meeting with your staff. Whether you do quick, one-on-one check-ins every morning or a weekly meeting with small groups, making face-to-face interactions part of the routine helps to keep everyone engaged.
    • Be upfront about work goals. Set benchmarks for individuals and groups – what should they be able to get done each day and each week? Also, be open to feedback from your employees. Check in with them to ensure they don’t feel overwhelmed with their workload and make adjustments as necessary.
    • Consider time tracking to gain clarity over time spent on tasks. Time tracking reveals how much time different employees take to do certain types of work and where they are devoting most of their work hours.
    • Provide tips and tools to help your remote employees create an optimal work environment. Talk to them about privacy and quiet when working from home, ways to set up an ideal home office, and what expectations they should set for themselves. Your company may need to provide hardware such as VoIP phones, work supplies, or ergonomically correct home office furniture.
    • Encourage a healthy work-life balance. Working remotely can be a positive experience that increases engagement and job satisfaction. However, employees do need support from management to make this happen. Regular feedback, supportive conversations, and help with the challenges of working from home, such as loneliness or a lack of physical movement, can help your remote teams thrive.

    How Many Businesses Are Relying on Remote Teams in 2021?

    A few short years ago, remote work was the exception, not the norm. In 2012, only 24 percent of employees worked from home 80 percent of the time or more.

    Throughout the pandemic, millions of employees traded their daily commute and nine to five at the office for a work-from-wherever lifestyle. Working remotely provided the adaptability and resilience necessary to ensure business continuity during the global health crisis. And now in 2021, 41 percent of the US workforce is fully remote. More than half work from home at least part-time.

    As a result, more employees and employers have experienced the benefits of remote work – the cost-savings, flexibility, and the potential for increased focus and satisfaction with work. So, it’s no surprise that the American workforce is moving ahead with some level of remote work.

    No matter what stage your business is at right now – whether you have a few remote employees, are developing a hybrid work model, or you’re considering going fully remote, build your foundation for success with cloud communications for remote teams. At NTELogic, we provide essentials such as Elevate, Online Meeting, and Contact Center. We also offer impeccable customer service, a 99.999% uptime service level agreement, and leading-edge cloud security.

    To learn more about how using NTELogic can help your business transform, get in touch with our team – we’d be happy to talk to you about how our tools can help you better manage remote teams.

  • Is Your Email Exchange Secure and Compliant?

    Email is a critical channel for communication for any business. In highly regulated industries, the security requirements for email differ depending on the information it contains. That means you need a secure email exchange to meet compliance. But how do you know if your email solution is really secure and compliant?

    The answer depends on the configuration of the email exchange and its features. Let’s take a look at what your system needs to ensure security and compliance.

    What Compliance Regulations Require Email Exchange Security?

    Several regulations impact email communication. The most prominent of those is HIPAA, which applies to PHI (protected healthcare information). It affects any healthcare organization or vendor to the space and requires them to protect PHI via encryption.

    Additionally, other regulations include:

    • GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which impacts any organization that collects data from citizens in the European Union.
    • FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), which impacts organizations relating to investment banking.
    • SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act), which applies to publicly traded companies.

    What Constitutes a Secure Email Exchange?

    There are multiple components necessary for secure email. When evaluating your current email or looking to upgrade, these are the areas to focus on regarding security and compliance.

    Email Encryption

    Email encryption describes the process of protecting content when exchanged in the channel. It ensures that only the intended recipient can access the content. Encryption has two subsets: in transit and at rest. Both require protection and should use technology like Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), S/MIME, and X.509 certificates to verify confidentiality, authenticate users, and ensure message integrity.

    Email encryption doesn’t require your users to make any changes. Instead, admins can determine which regulations are relevant to their business and then build rules. Your email provider hosts the hardware and software, but you have control privileges, allowing you to determine the exact security profile, including monitoring for certain words or going more in-depth to develop complex rule chains.

    Scanning Capabilities Prevent Email Leaks and Data Breaches

    The worst possible outcome of an email with secure information is a leak or breach. With these rules in place, if a user doesn’t follow them for information that should be encrypted, the system returns it to the sender or deletes it. Not only is the body of the email scanned, but attachments are, as well.

    It also doesn’t matter from what device the email originates. It could be from a smartphone, Windows app, or desktop.

    Email Encryption and HIPAA Compliance Templates

    Another key thing to consider with encryption is HIPAA compliance templates. These templates include preconfigured compliance code sets, keywords, and policies that adhere to all measures regarding PHI in email communication.

    More Ways to Build a Secure Email Exchange for Your Business

    Encryption of emails is the foundation for a secure email solution. There are more layers of protection to add, as well.

    Minimize Threats with Advanced Technology

    Phishing emails are a significant concern for any organization. They are a leading cause of data breaches. While you should educate employees on the topic, you also need to be aware that they are often the weak link. Build in more protection with technology that scans for and filters out these messages and spam.

    But what if those emails still make it to an inbox? It could happen, so installing one more safeguard for point-of-click protection is a good idea. Basically, it blocks a user from accessing known phishing sites or a web page with malicious code. The technology can live scan a page. If it detects something, it alerts the user.

    Anti-virus engines are crucial to detecting email threats, and advanced technology like AI is now poised to support targeted attack protection. AI can flag emails that look suspicious into an attack category. It can automate remediation if necessary and protects in real-time.

    Keep Software Up to Date

    One major cause of noncompliance or security incidents is the failure to patch software. Exchange should auto-update with any new fixes. You can’t easily do this unless the cloud hosts the email exchange. With this model, every device connected to your network gets the update.

    Protect Data that Leaves Your Organization

    Email communication and sharing of confidential information happen both internally and externally. Sending data outside your organization can include the same encryption rules, which protect from intentional or accidental data leakage. With this in place, outbound users get alerts about security measures.

    Choose a Credentialed Provider

    The best way to ensure you have the proper encryption configurations and the most sophisticated protection technology is to work with a credentialed provider. That means using the cloud, which is safer and more flexible than an on-premises solution. In addition, you don’t have to worry about developing a top-tier infrastructure; a credentialed partner has this. The best way to gauge this is to:

    • Understand their encryption methods.
    • Review all their tools to prevent and remediate threats.
    • Receive confirmation that they meet compliance mandates through certifications or auditing standards.

    How Secure Is Your Email Exchange?

    In reviewing all these security and compliance elements, you may realize there are serious gaps in your current solution. So be proactive in fortifying it to ensure your email doesn’t cause a breach, which could result in regulatory fines and reputational harm. Get more information on email security by reading our whitepaper, A Guide to Security and Privacy in an Exchange Email Environment.