Are you losing hours each week setting up video calls?

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You could be losing a full-time working week for every member of your team, thanks to the hassle of setting up video calls.

Video conferencing has revolutionized team meetings, and saves a huge amount of travel time. But we’re still not getting the full benefit from the new technology, according to new research.

Employees aged between 18 and 24 take up to 10 minutes to get set up for each remote meeting.

Times that by a typical five meetings a week, and it’s suddenly lost you 40 hours every year. That’s a whole working week of wasted time – a figure that gets even higher when you look at older age brackets.

It isn’t necessarily a result of differing technological know-how. The research shows that employees blame the tech itself for the loss of productivity.

Almost a third of people said they didn’t have the right tools for the job, and 23% even said they felt excluded from remote meetings thanks to inadequate tech.

Employees often feel that the audio-visual (AV) technology they’re provided for remote and hybrid working simply isn’t up to the job. That means poor microphones that don’t play ball, jittery webcams that interfere with communication, or the wrong choice of video calling software. All that makes meetings harder to set up and causes them to take longer than they should.

Despite this, businesses that offer remote and hybrid working are reaping the rewards in many other areas, including staff engagement and performance.

But there is a solution.

Assess your employees’ AV technology to make sure their tools are not slowing them down – new webcams and microphones could be a cheap and simple fix.

It’s also a good idea to ask your employees to find out where they see that problems are occurring. If they are finding your existing system difficult to use, or slow to log in to, you should consider alternative options or better training.

If this is something that’s slowing you down, we can help – just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Don’t walk the plank with pirated software

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A huge number of small and medium-sized businesses would consider using pirated software to try and save money. A new study has revealed a surprising number of businesses willing to break the law to save costs. Our advice? Think twice before you walk the plank.

Right now, the most popular types of pirated software are project management tools, and marketing and sales software. But a huge 56% of business owners said they’d even think about using illegal cyber security software in an effort to cut costs.

Don’t do it.

Not only is pirated software unsupported – so if you have a problem with it (which you probably will) there’s no help available to rectify the issue – but it can open your business up to bigger problems too.

It’s common for cyber criminals to use pirated software to distribute malware. Some of this is designed to evade firewalls, which means once installed, it can spread malicious files beyond your device to your entire network. That can lead to your sensitive data being compromised or stolen.

The cost of putting things right after this kind of cyber attack can end up costing a fortune, and the pirated software can damage your devices by causing them to slow down or overheat.

We advise our clients to always use genuine software from a reputable source. If the cost of the software seems too good to be true… it probably is.

But there’s more you can do. You should prevent unauthorized employees from downloading software that could be harmful by managing admin rights properly. And you should ensure your whole team has regular cyber security awareness training to make everyone aware of the risks to your business data.

If you’d like help finding genuine software for your business, or creating a cyber security plan, just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Windows 12 is coming… here’s what we know so far

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While Windows 11 is only just celebrating its first birthday, we’re already hearing our first rumors about what Windows 12 will have in store.

There’s no rush for the time being – we won’t see this new operating system until the back end of 2024 – but we love to be ready for what’s coming next, so here’s what we know so far…

Details are sketchy and as usual; Microsoft is being coy about what it’s planning. But we’ve been digging into how it could look. And it’s… different!

If our research is correct, we’ll see a floating taskbar dock and a search bar taking top-center position. The widgets panel and Action Centre will move to the top of the screen instead of the bottom.

We don’t expect a big change when it comes to hardware requirements, but they’re unlikely to cause the same headaches that arose with the launch of Windows 11. That’s because more PCs will be compatible out of the box.

That said, some of the security hardware required by Windows 11 will likely become more important as Microsoft keeps its focus firmly on security.

Above all, we’re expecting to see more of the stream of minor improvements that make such a big difference to useability. Making Windows 12 stable and bug free will be the number one priority – good news for all business users.

There will undoubtedly be more updates in the coming months. We’ll share the most important ones with you as we hear more from Microsoft.

If you haven’t yet made the move to Windows 11, now could be a great time. We can help with that. So, if you’re thinking about the upgrade, just get in touch.

Are you using Teams to share sensitive data?

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Microsoft Teams has fast become one of THE most useful business tools for the way we work today.

No matter where your people work from, they can communicate and collaborate quickly and reliably.

But this remote way of working can also open the door to some MAJOR security issues.

New research shows that nearly HALF of employees frequently share confidential and sensitive files via Teams.

That can be a big problem if employees are using personal equipment rather than company issued kit… it’s simply not as secure as work devices.

More than half of people surveyed say they’ve shared ‘business critical’ information using personal devices. Worse still, 48% admitted they’ve accidentally sent files they shouldn’t have – possibly to the wrong person!

So how can you be sure that your people are using Teams in the safest, most secure way?

The solution lies with regular training and cyber security awareness for employees at all levels of your business – from trainee to CEO.

And you need to make sure you have all the right safeguards in place to protect your sensitive business data. Because if it fell into the wrong hands, the results could be an expensive nightmare, potentially with legal consequences. Just imagine if sensitive employee information got shared outside of the business…

Remember, even a trusted app like Teams is only as safe as the people who use it and the devices it’s installed on.

If you need help with cyber security training, or putting the right protections in place, get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Bosses think people do less when working from home

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Microsoft has become the leader of productivity over many decades. Can you imagine doing your day to day work without their software?

So, it’s no surprise the tech giant recently conducted a major new survey into productivity in the workplace – and some of the results might surprise you.

Researchers surveyed 20,000 people working for businesses in 11 different countries.

They discovered the majority of bosses don’t believe their employees are as productive when working from home.

In fact, four out of five employers said they thought their people got less done when working remotely.

On the other hand, a massive 87% of staff felt they were MORE productive when working from home.

How is there such a big disconnect?

Microsoft boss, Satya Nadella blames what he calls “productivity paranoia”. What that means is a gap between what employers expect from their people, and what employees feel.

Maybe some bosses want to go back to the way we worked before 2020… but their people prefer the flexibility of today’s hybrid working.

There’s a lot to gain from less commuting and a better work/life balance.

We believe bosses need to communicate better with their people.

Yes, that’s about setting clear expectations and giving feedback if they feel people aren’t performing properly.

But it’s also important to make sure your team have the right tools and technology to allow them to get things done, no matter where they’re working.

Are their devices suitable for the job they’re doing? Do they have the right applications to communicate effectively and collaborate on projects?

Take the time to discuss the tools and technology you’re using with the people who use it every day.

You should also demonstrate how much you trust and value your people. In the long-term you’ll be rewarded with a loyal and productive team.

Need a hand finding the right tools and tech for your specific kind of business? We can help – just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Android 13 is safer for your business

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We all use our phones for a lot more than sending messages and making the occasional call.

And that means most of your staff are probably using their personal mobile for work now and then. Everyone does it.

The downside of this is it puts your business data at risk. If it can be accessed on a personal mobile and that device gets breached, that’s a risk.

That’s why the upcoming Android 13 is big news for businesses.

Google’s released more information about the new features on its latest operating system for mobile devices.

There are many features aimed at keeping business data safe and secure, while also helping your people maintain a good work/life balance.

We’re already able to create separate work and personal profiles on our Android devices. This new update makes managing these profiles even easier.

For example, your team can choose which profile they open their apps in.

Let’s say they had to watch a training video for work. They can set their phone to open it in the browser rather than the YouTube app, so it doesn’t affect their personal viewing history (and therefore suggested videos).

IT admins will benefit from more control over how business devices are used. They’ll also be able to monitor security logs for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and passwords. And install security patches faster.

But it’s not all about the control that admins have over work-issued devices. Your employees will benefit from having their data encrypted while using their personal profile.

There will also be separate photo galleries for business and personal photos; an improved Lost Mode to lock and locate lost devices; and end-to-end encryption when using the new ChromeOS integration feature.

If you have a Google device, you should already have access to Android 13. Other Android devices can expect to receive the update in the coming weeks.

If you want to talk through the best way to manage mobile devices for your business, get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Make sure your cloud server is protected from this

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Using a cloud server to drive your business’s technology is a smart idea.

The benefits are huge.

You can use as little or as much storage as you need, without having to worry about limitations or huge bills. Perfect for growing businesses.

Your team can access any data anywhere. Cloud servers were made for the hybrid work world we have today.

And you don’t need to use lots of your office space to house big servers and other equipment.

But when you’re using a cloud server, you must make sure it’s properly secured.

A recent report has revealed cloud servers are increasingly being used as an entry point for cyber criminals to launch attacks.

A huge 41% of businesses that have been hacked revealed their cloud server was how cyber criminals got in.

Scarily, this figure is rising 10% year on year.

Why? Often, it’s because companies don’t invest as much into the security of their cloud servers as they should.

In technology as in life, you really do get what you pay for. Many of the free cloud servers available don’t provide the same level of security and encryption that paid-for services do. Often, they are less reliable as well.

It’s vital that your business does full research when choosing a cloud server to make sure it meets all your requirements and is as safe as possible.

Better still, ask an expert to do this research for you (we can help).

We also recommend a few standard security measures are always followed.

Give all of your team a password manager to encourage them to generate separate long random passwords for every login they have.

The beauty of password managers is they’ll remember these passwords and even autofill the login boxes. That means better security and greater convenience in one package.

You should also provide regular cyber security training for everyone in your business. Business emails are the second most likely place an attack will start.

The first line of defense should always be a human asking themselves “wait, does this look right?”

It’s never possible to prevent 100% of attacks. But if you take all the right steps to keep your business safe your chances of suffering a successful attack, go down dramatically.

If you’d like help choosing the right cloud server for your business, we can advise you – get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Your USB cable is about to get a speed boost

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We’re all familiar with USB. After all we’ve been using it with our computers since 1996, and now with mobile devices too.

Yes… it’s really been that long.

Without USB it would be harder to connect different types of devices, charge them, and transfer data.

Of course, USB has changed and improved over the years. And there’s another new improvement due in the next few months.

What makes this one fun is that you won’t need to buy any new USB accessories or cables.

The USB Promoter Group, which is the industry body that drives USB improvements, recently announced the planned release of USB 4 2.0.

What’s exciting about that, you ask?

This will actually allow you to double the speeds of data transfer on cables you already own – so long as they’re no more than a couple of years old.

This new standard will see a maximum data transfer performance of up to 80GBps. That’s gigabits per second.

It means displays will perform better and data will transfer faster. Great news to improve productivity in your business.

The USB Promoter Group is made up of tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, HP, and Intel.

Its primary job is to develop USB capabilities to meet the demand of the current market and to extend support for more platform types.

We expect to have an update on USB 4 2.0 in around November.

If you want improved productivity and performance in your business before the end of the year, please get in touch. There are always ways to make things faster in every business.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

None of your team would fall for this trick… would they?

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Cyber criminals have a reputation for constantly coming up with new ways to scam us into handing over login details or sensitive data.

And while you might think your team would spot an attempted attack, you could be surprised. We’ve seen a lot of intelligent people – including many business leaders – caught out over the years.

One of the latest scams is very retro… and that seems to be why people are falling for it.

Cyber criminals have gone back to basics. They’re sending USB drives in the post.

The packaging and branding on the drives suggests they’re from Microsoft (they are not).

The story is there’s an updated version of Microsoft Office Professional Plus on the drive and it needs to be installed straightaway.

Of course, this is a complete lie. Microsoft has confirmed that these packages aren’t genuine. It’s warning people it would never send out unsolicited packages.

If you plug the drive into your computer, it will detect a “virus” and ask you to call a support line.

The scammers at the other end will pretend to remove the virus, gaining your trust. And then they’ll ask for payment details to help complete your subscription setup.

It’s old fashioned, but we can see how the mixture of the physical USB, the belief it’s from Microsoft and the fake support line would be compelling for someone who’s busy and just wants to get back to work.

We’re expecting elaborate, clever attacks through our email. Our guard is down with this mix of events.

Play it safe and warn everyone in your business about this scam.

This is also a good time to review the software and staff training you use to protect your business.

You need the right combination of the two… we can help with that. Get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

Are you using a malicious browser extension?

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There are hundreds of thousands of browser extensions designed to help us to save time, be more productive, and personalize our online experience.

And while the majority of them do what they’re supposed to, some are not designed to help you at all…

If you’re unfortunate enough to download a malicious browser extension without realizing, it could harm your productivity and even flood your work with unwanted advertising.

This is known as adware. It’s a form of malware (malicious software) that’s designed to bombard you with unwanted adverts.

It can also change your search engine and send you to affiliate pages when you’re making purchases. These activities generate revenue for the extension’s creators.

In a recent report from a cyber security company, it revealed more than 4 million of its customers have been attacked by adware hiding in browser extensions over the last couple of years.

And often people didn’t realize they were under attack.

There’s a darker scenario where these malicious extensions are hiding actual malware which can infect your computer.

This can lead to sensitive data such as your logins or even payment details being stolen. And of course malware can spread across an entire network.

To keep your business and its data safe from the risk of malicious browser extensions, it’s important you only ever download them from reliable and trusted sources.

Read reviews and look at ratings. If a browser seems too good to be true it probably is.

As the business owner, you might also look into controlling which extensions can be installed by your team. We can help with this, as well as looking at up-to-date software protection and (fun) security training for your team.