The Role Of Data Keeping In Remote Work

Remote work has been on the rise and is continuously gaining popularity in businesses throughout the years. The promising innovations in computers and technology have made work set-ups flexible and efficient when it comes to both workplaces and processes. Therefore, this is becoming more evident in the digital age today.

While more and more businesses are opening up to dynamic work set-ups such as remote work, many are still not knowledgeable of the necessary preparations to transition— specifically working on data loss prevention.

70% of small businesses shut down within a year after a data loss accident. And so, it is only important to consider improving and securing an effective business operation by making efforts to protect different kinds of data.

Keeping data safe from viruses, malware, thieves, and even hackers does not only protect the most confidential information in a company but also protects the privacy of employees, especially if they use their own devices to work.

For eager employers, they can easily say that remote employees make it possible for them to give opportunities to professionals fit for the job but are based in a different location. It also allows employees to work in an environment they’re comfortable with. 

The significance of remote work has also become more apparent when work-from-home set-ups became necessary because of the pandemic. However, now that work is being done from different locations, different networks, and different devices, extra efforts should be made on the employers’ end.

Here are some of the reasons why investing and making efforts to avoid data loss is important for businesses hiring (or planning to hire) remote employees:

Payroll System Will Be Disorganized

One of the most important pieces of information businesses keep is of their employees— their personal data, attendance, and progress. This set of information is what composes a payroll system. And so, a breach in data and losing them could mean two things: there’s a threat to the employees’ personal information and your payroll system will be disturbed.

Losing data from payroll systems can link to financial implications if bank information is also leaked. This problem leads to an overall issue in a company, especially if they are not able to trace and retrieve files immediately.

Communication Will Be Disrupted

Communication platforms and channels are some of the earlier technological advantages companies are able to enjoy. Different software, programs, and even online websites serve as spaces for employees to communicate with each other.

In remote work, these tools are more important as they make instant messaging and simultaneous work possible. Employees can work on the same project and be aware of each other’s progress without having to be in the same place. This also helps supervisors monitor productivity.

With data loss, communication for employees will be difficult and might take longer. This will affect the quality of work that they will produce, especially if they are working on a deadline.

Productivity Levels Will Decrease

As communication issues can be affected by data loss, it will have a domino effect on different operations of a business, especially the legwork employees do.

Because of having a communication gap, employees will work slower than normal trying to wait for approvals, confirmations, and reports from each other. This also makes decision-making and problem-solving happen slower.

Additionally, losing work data will greatly affect the work progress of each employee. Losing the stored data they can use to crosscheck or in referencing can stagnant work and expose client information to possible threats.

All these issues can affect the overall productivity of a company as these are the types of files that serve as the “backbone” of the operations.

Customer Relationship Will Be Impaired

Losing customer information does not only lead to security issues for them but can also tarnish their trust in a company. If a company can’t protect its data, it might just move to one that will do the job right. 

Losing clients can be considered equal to losing revenue, losing revenue means losing money, and losing money means a business is failing, especially if this persists.

For communication issues, data loss can lead to a slower response to customer concerns and inquiries, this can then be looked at as bad customer service.

These situations can worsen if a business is working with an established client as their reputation can easily dwindle once word about a data breach comes out.

Data Loss Will Cost A Lot

In a 2021 study by IBM, it was revealed that data breach costs USD 4.24 million for the year; t is also the highest average cost recorded in 17 years. In their elaboration, it was discovered that the main factor causing breaches for 2021 is remote work brought by the pandemic.

This shows that even if remote work seems to be the most convenient set-up to deal with the quarantine and social distancing protocols from the pandemic, it also carries more risks that can cost a company more than they think.

No matter how small a business is, protecting each information stored— be it their employees, their clients, or their management— is vital in keeping operations afloat in the long run. 

Key Takeaway

In an industry where economic and health issues are heavily impactful, it is common to find the most effective and efficient ways to remain competitive. Remote work has been a go-to for many businesses because of its many advantages not only for a company but for the workforce.

And while remote work has served countless companies well, it should be noted that hiring employees is not necessarily the same as the traditional way of hiring. New processes require efforts to guarantee that they will work, especially when it involves data— an important aspect of any business.

Efforts to enhance a company’s data loss prevention processes are warranted to avoid issues in the payroll system, communication, productivity, relationship with customers, and financial losses. 

After all, investing in improvements and bettering a company as time goes by should be the standard for success.