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Articles written by our own employees; hot topics, market insights and industry analysis.
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How COVID-19 is Shaping the Demand for Cyber Security Skills
Over the last 12 months, the pressure on organisations to digitally transform has been greater than ever. Whilst many knew they needed to adapt and adopt new technologies, during 2020 they had to react quickly to rapidly changing ways of working in order to survive and thrive. This coupled with the increase in personal and corporate cyber risks driven by an increase in the number of cyber attacks along with the switch to remote working has meant that skills for robust cyber security defences have taken priority. With many organisations investing in data security tools and capabilities to strengthen their security posture. Many CIOs and CTOs consider maintaining the IT security of systems as the top strategic priority for 2021. This shift has already led to an increase in the hunt for top security talent and will continue to rise. As organisations become more reliant on mobile devices and offsite and cloud-based technologies to run their teams and operations, they will need to focus on ensuring these are secure and protected from cyber security risks. A global survey from cloud security company VMWare found that 91% of all enterprises have seen increased cyber attacks since the start of the pandemic. This increase in security breaches is driving the search for a range of cyber security talent, the skills expected to see the highest demand include: Information security (InfoSec) - Including authentication/authorisation, malware analysis, incident response, risk management and data recovery. Network security - Including wireless network security, firewalls and IDS/IPS, VPNs and remote access, as well as endpoint security. Cloud security services - Including implementation of policies, controls, procedures, and technologies that protect cloud-based systems, devices, and infrastructure. Web security - Remote working means organisations need to secure their websites and web applications from threats including viruses, ransomware, and distributed denial of service (DDoS). In-demand skills span network, application, and OS security. Security architecture - Including knowledge of security hardware and software, analysis of organisational needs and the ability to manage cyber-security risks in relation to organisational policies and industry standards. To fill these skill gaps, organisations are looking to hire new talent as well as investing in their existing talent to develop their skills. Organisations must develop a recruitment program that attracts the right talent in order to meet their cyber security needs and ensure they are protected against security threats in 2021 and beyond.
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Why Employer Branding Will Take Centre Stage in 2021
In today’s candidate led market, candidates want transparency and if they don’t feel they are getting it from your company they will move on to the next. During 2020 there was an increase in job uncertainty and redundancies, which may mean more talent is available to hire but it will also mean that they will be more careful about their next steps. Candidates have more access to online information about companies, such as employee reviews and hiring processes and they want to gain an understanding of what their working life could look like at the company they are applying to work for. This desire for transparency and information is why employer branding will take centre stage in 2021. Employer branding isn’t a new concept, but it is one that must take priority in 2021 and beyond not only to attract those that are actively searching for new opportunities but also those who are not currently looking. Improving your employer branding To stay ahead and ensure you are attracting the best talent, consider what your current employer branding looks like and how you keep talent engaged. Are there any areas that could be improved? Do you need more content that is focused on your employer brand or could you enhance how you engage talent? One of the most powerful elements of your employer branding strategy is your existing employees, these are the people that candidates want to hear about. Your employees have a story to tell and senior management should be encouraging them to do so. A day in the life style videos and career stories are a great way to showcase what your employees think about working at your company. Ask your employee’s real questions that will invoke an emotional response, ask them about their achievements, their career goals or how your company has helped them rather than what they like about the office. These stories should then be used in the career section of your website and on your company social media pages so they can be easily found and seen by candidates. It’s important to remember that employer branding is as much about retaining your existing employees as it is about attracting new talent. Creating these stories helps you engage with your current workforce and highlights the ways your company could help them with their career progression or skills development. Company accolades and social responsibility are other big factors in attracting candidates. They want to know that the company they are applying to work for are successful, but also care about social issues such as reducing their carbon footprint, helping their local community or supporting charities. Make sure your career pages and social media channels are kept up to date with your latest achievement such as awards and accreditations as well as your involvement in the local community, charity partnerships and efforts to be greener.
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Ways to Reinforce Inclusion in Remote Workforces
Whether working from home or as part of a mobile workforce, remote workers are becoming more commonplace and the changes to our working patterns during the pandemic have contributed to the growth in remote workforces. Remote working offers many benefits from reduced costs for both employees not having travel expenses and employers reducing office costs as well as productivity efficiencies. But one area many employers may not have considered is how remote working can help drive their diversity and inclusion initiatives. A wider more diverse talent pool Removing the necessity of travelling to and working from a fixed physical location helps overcome the barriers of attracting diverse talent. Not being confined by geographical location or physical ability means employers can widen their net when searching for candidates. Those who have a remote workforce can advertise their jobs across the UK or even around the world to help them attract the best talent and also a more diverse talent. Another consideration is workplace accessibility for those living with a physical disability, many office buildings, in particular older ones, may not be designed to cater for varying physical abilities. But if employees are able to work from home, in an environment that already caters for their physical needs the talent available to companies increases. Reinforcing inclusion An inclusive workforce doesn’t happen overnight, it requires a sustained drive and effort to ensure employees feel supported and a valued part of the company and are encouraged to make meaningful contributions. Add a remote workforce into the mix and this can become a more daunting challenge, but it needn’t be. The shift in working from home in some ways has made us all more connected, but that does not guarantee greater inclusion at work and employers must lead by example to help drive inclusion across the workplace. This can be achieved by: Demonstrating vulnerability and empathy - team members should feel comfortable being open and vulnerable. They should feel they can share their feeling and should also support others to do the same. Asking about employees needs and respond with tailored actions - employees should be asked what they need to help overcome any challenges they are facing and employers should acknowledge and respond with tailored actions. Making space for diverse perspectives - diverse perspectives should be embraced and celebrated to enhance performance. Contributions at team meetings should be encouraged and facilitated. Allowing time for remote team building - if in-person interactions aren’t possible then employers should plan for remote ones. Employers should consider virtual interactions such as games, challenges or quizzes that require team working and ensure unfamiliar team members work together to help them feel a greater part of the organisation.
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What is the new Future of Work?
2020 has been an unprecedented year, both our personal and professional lives have been disrupted and altered in ways we couldn’t have predicted at the start of the year. As 2020 draws to a close, we are turning our attention to 2021 and beyond to consider what the new future of work looks like. Increase in working from home The shift to working from home in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic was intended to be temporary, and for many, it will be but for some even after the vaccine has rolled out homeworking will be a part of their everyday lives. It is anticipated that post-COVID-19 many organisations will continue to offer some form of home working to their employees, whether they work completely from home or for a few days a week. Removing the daily commute saw an increase in productivity and the number of hours worked for many businesses across the UK. According to ONS in their April report, around 30.3% of those working remotely worked more hours than usual. Remote working can work to improve a good balance between work and life, not to mention reduced travel costs for employees and for companies that go fully remote lower operational costs. More flexible working patterns Going beyond working from home it is expected that more flexible working hours for everyone will become normal in the new future of work. Offering flexibility with the times that someone is expected to work, rather than sticking to the business norm of Monday to Friday 9-5, can further help improve work/life balance and improve the satisfaction and wellbeing of employees. As flexible working becomes more commonplace, the expectations for all employers to offer this will grow and while this change won’t happen overnight it is anticipated that it will happen in the coming years. Flexible working can also help close the gender equality gap and open up more opportunities for working parents as childcare becomes easier to manage when flexible working is an option. More mobile workers The traditional office environment as we currently know it may become a thing of the past in the coming years, as more companies and employees begin to operate and work remotely. But remote working in a post-COVID world will not just mean working from home. It could include hot desking or employees working from their favourite hotspots such as coffee shops and cafes. Technological advancements and improved collaboration from remote teams mean that working together in a physical office is no longer the only way to do things and an increasingly mobile workforce will be part of the new future of work.
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Why Cyber Security is More Important than Ever
The shift in the way we work has led many businesses to make cyber security a priority. When COVID-19 hit and millions began working from home it increased the vulnerability of businesses, as the robust systems they had in place in the office where no longer applicable and businesses now had to rely on the security measures employees had taken on their home computers and devices. Cyber security is a big threat to businesses, not only can being compromised impact them financially, but it can also put a big dent in their reputation and negatively affect customer trust. Rising cost of breaches The cost of cybercrime that is incurred by UK businesses runs into the billions, which is why investing in robust cybersecurity has never been more important. Recent statistics show that the average cost of a data breach for a large company is £20,000, but the actual financial impact can be much greater when you take into consideration the reputational damage, loss of trust and how having a reputation for poor security can lead to a failure to win new contracts. Increase in sophisticated attacks Nearly every business has a website and externally exposed systems that can provide hackers with entry points into internal networks. From phishing attacks to compromising privileged accounts, the cyber attack threat is becoming increasingly more sophisticated and hackers have a lot to gain for successful data breaches. Businesses need to assume they will be attacked at some point and have robust systems in place that not only detect if they have been compromised but help them respond and remediate quickly. More IoT devices Today there are more smart devices than ever before connected to the internet in both the home and the office. From mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PC’s, printers and wearables, each device that is connected to the internet could potentially provide cybercriminals with an access point. With more and more IoT devices comes a wide range of security weaknesses and businesses should consider regularly conducting vulnerability assessments to help identify and address risks presented by these devices. Stricter regulations The introduction of regulations in the UK such as GDPR means that businesses must take cyber security more seriously or face heavy penalties if they do not comply with regulations. GDPR was put in place to ensure that organisations take better care of the personal data they hold about customers. As part of GDPR, businesses must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, regularly review controls and detect, investigate and report breaches. DP Connect has an established and growing Cyber Security Sales division, which specialises in providing expert recruitment services to clients across the UK and internationally. We have a strong track record of partnering with clients of all sizes including professional consultancies and cyber vendors from start-ups and SMEs through to enterprise level businesses.
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Can Remote Working Enhance Workplace Diversity?
In recent years many businesses have been reluctant to adopt remote working as they couldn’t see how it would work for their company or how it could be better than having your employees in the same physical location, but 2020 has taught many businesses that remote working may be the future. Since the beginning of the pandemic, remote working has become the new normal for many businesses and employees. And while it has been proven that remote working can improve productivity, job satisfaction, flexibility and reduce operational costs, could it also enhance workplace diversity? Companies that are serious about their diversity efforts could use remote working to their benefit to help them improve inclusion and diversity at their company and dramatically expand their talent pools. As geographic location becomes less important in the hiring process, companies now have access to a much wider pool of talent and this access can help them increase the diversity in their workplace. Whether they want to balance the gender or disability gap or improve ethnic diversity, companies and remote working can make that easier than ever before. Removing location bias helps create opportunities for more inclusive hiring practices. For example, companies looking to improve their ethnic diversity are no longer restricted by location and can cast their net far and wide to attract the best talent. The talent has always been out there, but the candidate’s location may not have made it feasible to travel for work. Equally, employers looking to close the disability gap at their company can do so without the need to make accessibility changes to their premises as disabled employees would be able to work from home in an environment that they were comfortable in and without the need to commute. This means that employers can begin employing those with disabilities quicker than they could before as accessibility or commuting are no longer challenges to overcome. Remote working can also help reduce conscious and unconscious biases in the workplace, employees are judged based on their performance and the value of their work. Remote working offers flexible working that a regular 9 to 5 office-based job is unable to provide, meaning that companies that offer flexible working patterns to help with work-life balance may attract more female talent, helping to rebalance the gender gap. At DP Connect, we specialise in recruitment for the Technology sector and are committed to ensuring diversity in the workplace, with a particular focus on promoting women in the tech industry. Female empowerment is at the core of everything we do and are proud that our senior management team is made up of 50% women.
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Will COVID-19 Accelerate the UK's Transition to Digital Healthcare?
Back in March 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic hit the UK with full force, healthcare technology stepped up and armed clinicians and healthcare professionals with the tools they needed for the fight they had ahead of them. From communication apps to telehealth solutions, healthcare technology went from nice to have to crucial almost overnight. It’s the transition to digital healthcare that has helped healthcare professionals maintain vital health services and communicate with patients during the COVID-19 outbreak. Without these emerging technologies, GPs and other healthcare professionals would not have been able to hold video consultations with patients or maintain services and the impact would have been catastrophic. There is no denying that in the last 6 months we have witnessed a significant transition to digital healthcare in the UK, but many will question whether this will last or will healthcare’s digital transformation slow down post-COVID. According to the UK government, Britain is home to thousands of health tech start-ups, with more than 100 with the potential to become unicorns, a start-up company valued at more than £1 billion. It’s the second fastest growing sector in the UK tech space and is hot on the heels of fintech. During the pandemic, primary care was hurled into making appointments fully remote to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus and to avoid unnecessary travel and contact with others. Innovative telehealth solutions like Nye Health and Heydoc rapidly created secure phone and video consultation technology that could be rolled out in minutes to overcome the challenge of remote appointments. Adoption of these healthcare technologies and the switch to ‘remote by default’ GP appointments in the future, as proposed by health secretary Matt Hancock could not only improve the patient experience but could also enable GP’s to facilitate more appointments. Hancock has recently said that remote GP appointments or tele-consultations should be the first port of call unless there’s a compelling clinical reason not to. According to NHS figures, 99% of GP practices are now activating remote consultation platforms. It is thought that remote GP appointments will become the new normal where possible, but consideration must be given to those who do not have access to the necessary technology or those with complex health needs or learning disabilities. DP Connect is a specialist, technology-focused recruitment business with practices covering several disruptive technologies and a particular focus on the healthcare and fintech sectors. We offer our clients the complete suite of recruitment services: contingency recruitment, retained search, outsourcing, and fully managed solutions.
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How the Pandemic Proved that Cloud Technology is the Future
Digital transformation and adoption of cloud technology have been hot topics and a key priority for many businesses, but the COVID-19 pandemic not only sped up the need for digital transformation it also proved that cloud technology is the future. A recent study showed that 91% of IT leaders are changing their cloud strategy as a direct result of the impact of Coronavirus. While this number is high, it’s fairly unsurprising. Back in March when lockdown was enforced across the UK, businesses had to adapt almost overnight to continue to operate remotely and those that had already adopted the cloud found this transition more seamless than those that hadn’t. Remote working and the flexibility of the cloud go hand in hand and as new future of work emerges with more employees than ever before working from home, businesses will likely depend on cloud technology throughout 2020 and beyond. The impact of cloud technology during the pandemic includes: Enabled remote working and access to platforms from home Reduced costs and provided flexibility during uncertain times Saved the time of internal teams with automatic updates and easy access Ability to scale up and down to meet the needs of the business No business was prepared for the pandemic or the way in which it would disrupt their business, their revenue streams or their ways of working, but the great thing about cloud technology is that it helped businesses be prepared by default. While they are no means new concepts, cloud services like video conferencing apps such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have seen an increase in adoption since the beginning of 2020. As a result of the pandemic, more and more businesses have come to rely on these services to hold meetings with clients, suppliers and colleagues. Businesses that had already undertaken cloud transformation were able to continue operating without any restrictions from their technology, they were already prepared for remote working but may not have realised it. During the COVID-19 outbreak, businesses have been focused on cutting costs and ensuring employee safety and cloud technology has played a vital role in achieving these objectives by offering flexible monthly subscriptions and platforms that can be accessed by employees from any location. Around 66% of IT leaders have said they will continue to use cloud services once workers return to the office, when this return will take place is currently an unknown for many businesses in the UK and a shift in attitude towards remote working could see permanent infrastructure changes.
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Pioneering Healthcare Technology Deployed in Care Homes
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare technology company Tunstall Healthcare developed robust remote health monitoring technologies to respond to the crisis and assist care providers in the care of the elderly and vulnerable. Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group have enlisted the support of Tunstall to deploy pioneering healthcare technology into 34 care homes across Bolton. This new tech enables better care for service users and reduces the need for face-to-face contact. Tunstall’s triagemanager and myKiosk systems were deployed into Bolton’s care homes to enable the closer monitoring of vulnerable service users while reducing the need for visits from clinical staff and reducing the risk of cross-infection. Both systems help reduce pressure on primary and secondary care. myKiosk enables care home staff to record service users’ vital signs via the my myKiosk tablet and answer a series of questions about their health and symptoms. This information is then shared with the triagemanager software and an alert will be raised depending on the patient’s level of risk, this will then inform decisions about the next step to take in the care of the patient. Using these two technologies will provide clinicians with the ability to prioritise patient care as those who require medical intervention will be highlighted by the systems. At a time when many care homes across the country were locked down to external visitors, this pioneering healthcare technology can help them reduce the number of visits from doctors and district nurses and therefore reduce the risk of transmission to their vulnerable service users. It will also help ease the strain on clinical staff as patient cases can be reviewed remotely, without the need for a face-to-face visit. This will not only help reduce the number of direct visits but will also help them ensure that high-risk cases are given priority. In addition to the two technology systems, the 34 care homes have been equipped with thermometers, pulse oximeters and blood pressure monitors. Tunstall worked with staff in the care homes to train them on how to use the system and where needed trained staff on how to take vital sign observations. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a number of unique challenges to our health and social care systems, from strain on the NHS and care homes to an increase in older isolated individuals and a reduced workforce. Healthcare technology solutions such as Tunstall’s can help overcome these challenges, improve the way health and social care providers operate and significantly impact patient outcomes.
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Rethinking the Remote Working Infrastructure: Cloud Computing vs. Edge Computing
Cloud computing is by no means a new concept, and businesses have been using and relying on it for many years. So what about edge computing? Is edge computing a new type of cloud computing or is it an entirely new approach? During the COVID-19 pandemic, cloud computing has proved to be invaluable for businesses across the world. It has enabled millions of companies to continue operating from home and kept the cogs of the business world turning. Edge computing is often discussed alongside cloud computing with many believing that edge computing has the ability to replace the cloud. In reality, both technologies have crucial and distinguishable roles within IT infrastructure. But, there may be areas where edge computing could be more advantageous over centralised cloud infrastructure, particularly when we are talking about remote working. Let’s take a look at what edge computing is, where it can be advantageous and how it can complement the cloud. What is Edge Computing? Edge computing is a distributed computing paradigm the enables data storage and computation to be closer to the location that it is needed rather than being stored thousands of miles away. This approach improves response times and saves bandwidth, both of which can be advantageous for remote working. Advantages of Edge Computing Edge computing can deliver significant advantages for remote working, as millions of workers and devices access company networks from home and away from central locations such as offices it can slow down the network. With cloud computing data is stored a processed in a central location, often a data centre, which may be on-premise but is more likely to off-premise and could be in another country. The cloud has the capability to store and compute vast amounts of data, but strain on the network bandwidth can make it slow. This is where edge computing comes in, companies can overcome operational strain challenges by using edge computing to process data and reduce the strain on the cloud and also overcome issues with latency. Working alongside the cloud, edge computing can take care of localised data processing, so the cloud can focus on other functions and perform faster. Using the two technologies together can help companies place themselves in the best position for remote working and can help reduce network lag, increase efficiencies and mitigate the risk of network failure. The increase in remote working has led to an increase in remote access to data, which can give cyber criminals more opportunities to access company data. This poses an increased security risk, but edge computing reduces the transfer of sensitive data between devices and the cloud as it is stored, filtered and processed locally. Adopting edge computing can improve security and privacy for companies, especially at a time when there are more people working remotely. As remote working will likely become the new norm for companies, it is expected that future infrastructure will combine both the cloud and edge computing.
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