The unforeseen 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shook the entire world to the core. And if not for the blessing of technology – the Internet – we would witness the combustion of economies all around the world. The reason we have managed to stay afloat in this challenging time is our ability to be connected online from the comfort of our very homes. Even then, there are millions who are unemployed due to technical barriers, where they simply lack the technology required to work from home.
Arun Vishwanath believes the biggest technological barrier is the absence of universal high-speed internet connectivity. Fiber-based internet with gigabyte-speeds is a pre-requisite for video calling, classwork, work meetings, and even entertainment. But many have older, telephone-based internet connectivity that builds an outdated infrastructure and hinders work. One more barrier is companies’ outdated software and operating systems which are incompatible with what people use at home. Thus, people cannot work on older programs from their updated operating devices at home. Yet another barrier arises from data protection laws that protect user data from cybercriminals by restricting access outside of secure work computers and servers. But these were fruitful in the pre-pandemic era where employees had the luxury of working from offices. A barrier related to this is the cyber risk from the user himself. Not all users can be trusted with remote data access, due to reasons like lower technical skills and levels of digital hygiene. This is perhaps the most important, as opening a single phishing email could launch ransomware capable of crippling the entire organization’s systems.
To make work from home easier, we need to start by improving remote data access. Organizations must also work towards building an agile workforce, investing in virtual legacy software, allowing more employees to bring their own devices (BYOD), and moving towards a cloud-based infrastructure. The final issue would be to actively reduce cyber risk from users, allowing them to keep a ‘personal cyber risk score’ that is accessible by employers. Thus, with everyone trained, the overall risk to organizations from users will reduce, as will their concerns about remote access. Work from home will become a lifestyle.
For further information, please click on https://www.arunvishwanath.us/2020/05/12/improving-everyones-ability-to-work-from-home-after-the-pandemic/