You often hear the words “digital transformation” and “collaboration.” But what do they actually mean? What do they mean for the day-to-day of running your business?Collaboration can’t happen without shared goals. When departments are siloed and unconnected, priorities can conflict. People are doing their best but may not be moving in the same direction.Digital transformation is simply the use of technology to better reach business goals. This encompasses moving from analog ways of doing things. Transitioning to tools that are more automated and connected.Microsoft has been at the forefront of digital transformation and collaboration. Its Viva platform drives an improved employee experience. It does this by use of AI, automation, cloud connectivity, and more.In this article, you’ll get an overview of Microsoft Viva. Then, we’ll dive into one of the newest Viva offerings, Viva Goals. We’ll explore what it does and how it can help your company meet its targets.What Is Microsoft Viva?Microsoft Viva is a line of employee experience applications. These connect to the…
Nicholas SalemJanuary 15, 2023
One constant struggle in offices is the balance between productivity and security. If you give users too much freedom in your network, risk increases. But add too many security gates, and productivity can dwindle.It’s a fine balance between the two, but one you can achieve. Organizations need to recognize the importance of both. And not sacrifice one for another.A recent report from Microsoft notes a dangerous lack of authentication security. Just 22% of Azure Active Directory users had multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled. This means that over three-quarters were at a much higher risk of an account breach.Why do organizations fail to adopt important security protocols, like MFA? We know that it's as much as 99.9% effective at stopping fraudulent sign-ins. Yet so many companies aren’t adopting it.User inconvenience is the biggest reason. MFA is not expensive. In fact, it’s free to enable in nearly all cloud applications. But if users say that it’s hurting productivity and is a pain to use, companies may not bother…
Nicholas SalemJanuary 5, 2023
When the year is coming to a close, it’s the perfect time to plan for the future. Most businesses begin the year with the hope of growing and improving operations. Much of how a business operates depends on technology. So, it makes sense to look to your IT for areas of optimization.A year-end technology review provides an opportunity to look at several areas of your IT. The goal is to take time to focus on improvements you can make to boost your bottom line. As well as what tactics to take to reduce the risk of a costly cyberattack.A recent study by Deloitte looked at digitally advanced small businesses. Small businesses that make smart use of technology are well ahead of their peers. Here are some of the ways they excel:Earn 2x more revenue per employeeExperience year-over-year revenue growth nearly 4x as highHad an average employee growth rate over 6x as highThe bottom line is that companies that use technology well, do better. They are…
Nicholas SalemDecember 31, 2022
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com As a small business owner, it's important to stay up-to-date on the latest IT trends and technologies to ensure that your business is running efficiently and effectively. Here are some key IT needs that small business should consider in 2023: Cloud Computing: More and more businesses are turning to cloud-based solutions to store, process, and access data. This allows small businesses to reduce their IT infrastructure costs and improve collaboration among team members. Cybersecurity: Cyberattacks and data breaches are becoming increasingly common, making it essential for small businesses to invest in robust cybersecurity measures. This includes implementing strong passwords, using antivirus software, and training employees on best practices for online security. Mobile Technology: With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets for business purposes, it's important for small businesses to have a mobile-friendly website and to consider implementing mobile apps or software to improve productivity and communication. Internet of Things (IoT): The IoT refers to the interconnectedness of physical…
Nicholas SalemDecember 28, 2022
It seems that nearly as long as passwords have been around, they’ve been a major source of security concern. Eighty-one percent of security incidents happen due to stolen or weak passwords. Additionally, employees continue to neglect the basics of good cyber hygiene. For example, 61% of workers use the same password for multiple platforms. And 43% have shared their passwords with others. These factors are why compromised credentials are the main cause of data breaches. Access and identity management have become a priority for many organizations. This is largely due to the rise of the cloud. As well as the practice of people needing to only enter a username and password to access systems. Once a cybercriminal gets a hold of an employee’s login, they can access the account and any data that it contains. This is especially problematic when it’s an account like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. These accounts can access things like cloud storage and user email. Below, we’ll explain what conditional…
Nicholas SalemDecember 25, 2022
Microsoft Teams is a lot of things. It’s a video conferencing tool, a team messaging channel, and a tool for in-app co-authoring, just to name a few. During the pandemic, the popularity of Teams skyrocketed.User numbers for MS Teams jumped from 20 million in November 2019 to 75 million in April 2020. As of this year, Microsoft reports a user count of 270 million for the platform. This makes it the most popular business tool for team communications.But one of the things that makes the app popular is also one that can make the setup complex. Microsoft Teams has many moving parts, but to use them effectively they need to be well organized. Additionally, users need to have a chance to learn the system and train on best practices.What Can Microsoft Teams Do?First, let’s look at the different areas of Microsoft Teams and what it can do. Then, we’ll give you a simple setup checklist to help your team get up and running productively.You can…
Nicholas SalemDecember 15, 2022