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Articles written by our own employees; hot topics, market insights and industry analysis.
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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from home it increased the vulnerability of businesses, as the robust systems they had in place in the office where no longer applicable and businesses now had to rely on the security measures employees had taken on their home computers and devices.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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Women in Tech: Why did you pursue a career in tech?
DP Connect's Women in Tech series features three articles from our Recruitment Consultant Ashely Thomas. After conducting interviews with some of the leading female experts in the technology sector Ashely explores the roles of women in IT and technology, the challenges they have faced and the advice they would give to other females looking to break into the tech world. If you take a close look around the technology industry, you may find yourself questioning why there aren’t more women. It’s clear to see that there is a big gender imbalance across the tech industry, and it remains a male-dominated sector. Having studied Software Engineering at university, I now recruit into the Technology market. I am personally passionate about this subject and am committed to doing my part to help drive this. I had the opportunity to speak to three very talented and successful female CTOs about their experiences and what made them want to pursue a career in technology. Women in the field of technology are in the minority, Greenie Cheng, CTO at GrantTree was exposed to programming at a young age through her mother who was an accountant and wanted her to learn programming to help with her work. Greenie said, “it never really occurred to me that women were in the minority in the field of technology until I went to engineering school.” Greenie chose a career in tech due to her love of building software and automation. Greenie continues, “It makes me feel like a sorcerer when my machines run smoothly without my intervention and they keep running and keep producing even when I’m not physically there. It’s a very satisfying feeling knowing that I’m productive even in my sleep. It feels limitless in a way, like I’m able to multiply my powers.” Ex-CTO at MarketInvoice, Rija Javed, who currently works at Facebook, knew a career in tech was the right path for her. She wanted to make an impact working on challenging problems with people she enjoys working with, respects and can learn from. Rija comments, “Tech was the big industry when I was in university and it seemed like the right fit in terms of impact, challenges and smart people. The fact that women are a minority never played into my decision making and to be honest, I never thought about it.” When CTO at Incuto, Jennifer Anderson was applying to universities, she decided she would enjoy a course in Computer Science. Her mum was a strong role model for Jennifer and worked as an IT manager for a tech start-up in Dublin. Jennifer says of her experience, “I graduated from university during the first dot com bubble and went to live in San Fran for 6 months working for a tech start-up. I have had some amazing opportunities and experience working in tech.” 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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Staying Cyber Secure When Working from Home
In April 2020, the Office for National Statistics reported that 49.2% of adults employed in the UK were working from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst working from home may increase employee satisfaction and improve productivity, it also brings an increased risk of cyber attacks through unsecured networks. Companies will have robust systems in place in the office to help combat the threat of cyber attacks to ensure they are not compromised, but when COVID-19 hit and millions began working from home companies suddenly became very vulnerable as they relied on the security measures employees had taken on their home computers and devices. Cyber security is one of the biggest threats to businesses, being compromised can not only result in financial loss but can also impact on the reputation of a company and the trust customers place in that company. If sensitive data gets into the wrong hands the damage can be catastrophic and with more people than ever working from home it’s not only personal information that is at stake but also company data. Let’s take a look at the steps remote employees can take to improve their cyber security and stay safe when working from home. WiFi and Network Security Sharing a WiFi network allows you to access any device that is connected to it, such as your laptop, mobile phone and tablet. If an attacker accesses your router they will then have access to any device on your WiFi network and the information that is stored on it. Ensuring that your WiFi network password is strong can help make it harder for attackers to compromise it. Human generated passwords are typically weak, with many opting for easy to remember (and guess) passwords such as ‘123456’, ‘qwerty’ or ‘password’. Instead choose a password that includes lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and other characters. Antivirus Software Use antivirus software to help keep your computer protected from a wide range of cyber threats, such as malware and spyware. Antivirus software will not completely protect you but it’s definitely a step in the right direction to preventing your computer from being compromised. Virtual Private Network If possible use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a VPN allows remote employees to connect through a public network that behaves like a private network. This allows you to connect and communicate securely. Awareness of Threat Raising the awareness of cyber threats amongst your team is a good step to ensuring cyber security. If remote employees are educated on the risks, such as email phishing, it enables them to be more vigilant and can help them spot the signs of fraudulent communications that could lead to a cyber security incident.
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Women in Tech: How can more women get into the tech industry?
DP Connect's Women in Tech series features three articles from our Recruitment Consultant Ashely Thomas. After conducting interviews with some of the leading female experts in the technology sector Ashely explores the roles of women in IT and technology, the challenges they have faced and the advice they would give to other females looking to break into the tech world. The technology sector outperforms the wider economy in terms of the representation of BAME employees and the number of foreign nationals working in the sector. But, in terms of gender diversity, the tech sector does not accurately reflect wider society and there is a significant gap which does not appear to be closing. Within the UK technology sector, only 19% of employees are female, with just 23% of directors at Board level identifying as female. If we wish to see future female managers and leaders representing here then we need to focus on the female talent pool coming in at entry level and also the retention of female talent throughout their careers. I had the opportunity to speak with three very successful female CTOs about their experience and what advice they would give to other women who wanted to pursue a career in Technology or are just starting their tech career. Following the completion of a course in Computer Science at university, Jennifer Anderson spent 6 months working for a tech start-up in San Francisco, she is now CTO at Incuto, a financial technology company based in the north of the UK. Jennifer tells us the importance of strong female role models and mentors to help with your career choices and challenges. She also stresses the importance of building a network of tech females in your area. Jennifer continues, “There are so many great networking events/groups for women today in tech that you can learn new tech skills and build friendships.” Jennifer believes that a lot more can and should be done to encourage more women into the tech sector. She continues, “the fact that less than 1/5 of the workforce in Tech is female conveys just how far we have to go. It is clear from speaking to females in the tech space that there are not enough opportunities for females to show their talent. How many tech companies engage with their local communities? How many go into schools and run talks, showing students especially girls that this is an amazing career path for them. Mentoring is key to addressing this issue.” The best piece of advice Jennifer can offer to any young females wanting to pursue a career in tech is “If you have an interest in IT, then you should go for it no matter what anyone else thinks. Who knows you could be inspiring the next generation of girls to pursue a career in IT. Take the opportunity that you are given and believe in your own abilities.” A passion for solving challenging problems led Rija Javed into a career in tech when she left university. She went on become CTO at MarketInvoice, a business finance company with offices in London and Manchester, and is currently working at Facebook. Speaking on advice she would give young females looking to break into the tech industry, Rija said, “The same advice I would give to anyone, particularly from an underrepresented group, and still believe I need to work on: network and learn to negotiate.” A passion for building software led Greenie Cheng into a career in tech and she is now CTO at GrantTree, one of the UK’s leading innovation funding consultancies. She is a firm believer in learning from mistakes, she continues “You don’t want to be afraid of making mistakes. When you make mistakes, own them, and learn from them. Take ownership by examining how your own decision-making process led you to make those mistakes.” Founded in 1990 by Toni Cocozza, female empowerment remains a priority for DP Connect. From the very beginning, we have believed that the IT recruitment industry could do better, and we have pushed for higher standards in the industry and are passionate about promoting women in technology. Which is why we have awards such as Recruiter Magazines ‘Most Effective Flexible Working Strategy' award.
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How the Pandemic Pushed Forward Digital Payments
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 not only in the UK but around the world, an increasing number of people have turned their back on cash in fear of transmitting the virus and are instead favouring cashless payments. The push for cashless payments is not only coming from businesses who want to ensure they are as COVID secure as possible for their staff and customers but from consumers too. Many consumers are opting to pay for everything from groceries to petrol and other household essentials with their debit card using contactless payments or a digital wallet such as Apple Pay and cryptocurrencies. This demand for cashless payments has accelerated the worldwide transition to digital payments and is modernising the financial industry. In their infancy, digital payments such as contactless were not always favoured by consumers with many questioning how safe they were, and early adoption was slow. But in a world where digital has become king, it’s no surprise that we are seeing digital payments being pushed forward. Businesses up and down the country responded quickly and ramped up their availability to accept digital payments and Visa eased restrictions on contactless transactions by increasing the payment limit from £30 to £45 in the UK. Although no formal links have been made with handling cash and the transmission of COVID-19, the advice to wash your hands after handling coins and notes and asking people to pay using contactless where possible was enough to drive the adoption of digital payments. According to research from data firm Dynata, the UK is leading the race in going cashless with just 12% saying they prefer cash payments. Before the pandemic, 50% of UK citizens said they preferred cashless payments, since the outbreak this has increased 9% to 59%. While it is not believed that cash will be totally eradicated, or certainly not in the near future, its use is definitely in decline even if only temporary. Cashless payments rely on individuals having access to a bank account, digital wallet or a mobile device that is able to support mobile money services. According to the Financial Inclusion Commission, approximately 1.5 million adults in the UK do not have a bank account. Another challenge to overcome is older generations who rely on cash on a daily basis. Many older people will not have access to or the know-how to use digital payments and in many cases, they will be suspicious of modern payment methods such as contactless. Closures of high street banks and building societies in many towns across the country have already made it harder for the older generation to manage their finances, removing cash would only further compound the issue and leave many vulnerable.
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