With the fresh start of 2022, post-pandemic challenges behind us, it’s the best time to start planning your business technology. So, when you hit the ground running you can turn it into a successful year with plenty of great opportunities. For this reason, we’re going to provide you with the most useful technology tips for your business in 2022, that will help to keep it secure, efficient, and cost-effective in a long run.
Cyber Security Protection
Our main technology tip for your business in 2022 is improving your cyber security protection. To keep your business afloat you have to keep it protected. Cybersecurity protection should be your key element to double up on. Your most sensitive data, files and credentials are what hackers are looking out for the most. In fact, in the last 12 months, 92% of all UK businesses have suffered at least some form of cyber-attack, with a staggering 40% of them losing at least £50,000.
What can be done to increase cybersecurity protections?
- Make sure you have a disaster recovery plan in place;
- Use upgraded anti-virus software that includes ransomware protection;
- Audit all of your business software, applications and implement two-factor authentication on each if possible;
- Raise cybersecurity awareness across all your teams, educate and train your staff on cyber security. They should be able to recognise malicious attempts and be able to alert them;
- Make sure that you are working with an IT provider that has a proven track of an independent security assessment, like the Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials framework. Alternatively, you can take your business through a security assessment, if you don’t have outsourced IT support.
Understanding the cyber security threats in 2022 can help you tailor the most important security tools and applications in place.
New Mobile And Computer Devices
Deploying your business in new mobile and computer devices can quickly benefit your teams in the efficiency of work. If your organization has dated PC’s or laptops, it’s a good time to consider buying new computer devices. Commonly, small businesses make single purchases of PC’s or laptops, resulting in having a mix of different models, ages and makes. Consistency can play a big impact on your business coordination and smooth collaboration between your teams. Moreover, with a new Windows 11 operating system launched in October 2021, you can purchase new laptops and computers with Windows 11 installed on them. The benefits of using faster, more powerful and tech–advanced devices are incomparable to what we have used even a few years ago.
However, if you are worried about the costs, you can find options for a hardware lease. This way, you can pay for your devices monthly, cutting on purchase costs, especially if you don’t want to take a risk in spending a significant amount of money at one time. If this sounds confusing, we can give you free advice on which option will be more effective for your business. Let us know!
Moving To Microsoft 365
Using Microsoft 365 is until now, a highly recommended subscription service that ensures you always have the most up-to-date Office productivity apps from Microsoft.
Additionally, it also provides a cloud-based storage system for your files and document folders, meaning that wherever you are, you can access them, update and share with anyone you are willing to provide the login credentials. This is a great tool if you are shifting your business to a more flexible model, where your teams can collaborate effectively from various locations, as well as give them the options to work from the office and home environment.
Setting up Microsoft 365 for new devices it’s easy to set up and time-efficient. It only takes you to enter your work emails, passwords and click to install all the business applications that you want to use the most.
Set Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a great collaborative tool that will help to accelerate all sorts of collaborations within your organisation and keep your teams on track with their projects.
Despite that Microsoft Teams comes as part of the Microsoft 365 licence, many businesses still don’t use it, either because they lack in time to train on the application (it’s very simple to use, see more here), or they have other collaborative apps in place and are happy with what they use. But why not make the most of the Office 365 subscription and try something new? Microsoft Teams has many useful features that will help your teams communicate with ease. One of the best tools are:
- Video conference – as much as Zoom was one of the most popular digital conference call solutions during the pandemic, now you can use Teams to call, set a conference call, share your screen and set up a meeting. Perfect solution if your teams aren’t all based in one office or working from home or different work locations.
- You can use Teams on your mobile, computer or laptop – it’s perfect for multitasking and it gives extra flexibility for remote working arrangements.
- Instant message service – sending a quick message from a Chatbox is a much faster and more efficient way than email – purely because is instant and less formal than crafting a mail. You can create different group chats, segregate your teams, meaning that you can stay updated with everyone in teams or individually.
The Cloud Solutions
Moving your applications to the cloud is the next technology tip that can have a more flexible and cost-effective impact on your business in 2022. Running servers in your office can be costly, as you need backups, additional power and support for those servers. It can also cost you more to run when they need replacing after around three to five years.
Moving your documents to the cloud has been increasing among all size businesses across the globe. It’s a modern, accessible, collaborative, secure system for keeping all your valuable data. You can find more about the Cloud-based system in our News post, or simply give us a call and we can explain more about the steps of moving your business assets to the cloud.
Mental Health
Mental health it’s certainly not a technology tip, but teamwork makes the dream work! And the healthy mind of your team is integral to your success. It helps to listen to your employees, as teams and individually, and support them where possible. Invest in learning platforms and encourage your staff in taking online courses that they can work through before or after working hours. This way you can help to keep them boosted, it will open more business opportunities and shift the skillset of your workforce.
Not all of the above technology tips and suggestions may be part of your business goals or capability, which is why we recommend reaching for advice from a managed IT service provider like ADT Systems.
ADT Systems gives you access to an experienced IT team who can help you manage your hardware and software, secure your network, and provide advice about the latest technology solutions to keep your business safe, tailoring your budget to the most needed services. Our mission is to enhance your business productivity, with technology solutions that will help accelerate your business in 2022!
Get in touch with one of our IT specialists today, call us on 0330 333 7439 or drop us an email at clientservices@adtsystems.co.uk.
As a team of IT experts, we pride ourselves on providing the best technology solutions to businesses across the UK since 1993. We have plenty of great advice that we can share with you! So, if you have any questions about your business' IT, call us on 0330 333 7439 or simply drop us an email at sales@adtsystems.co.uk