As more employees choose to work remotely, effective communication is more important than ever to keep everyone on the same page. Not to mention that ensuring cybersecurity is just as crucial when team members need secure access to business networks while avoiding cyberattack traps.
In this article, we briefly look at the digital tools that companies successfully leverage to boost team collaboration while keeping employees, data, and assets safe from cyber threats.
Project Management Tools
Adopting project management tools has helped organization and productivity grow exponentially. They’re centralized platforms where colleagues can assign, view, and track responsibilities to one another. With these tools, it’s easy to set deadlines and visualize processes, giving everyone involved a clearer overview of their responsibilities and role in the bigger picture.
Audit trails are one of many project management tools’ security features. Through them, project managers can monitor logins, changes, and access to shared documents. This bolsters accountability while improving early tamper detection, making it harder for malicious actors to jeopardize projects and access resources without permission.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage has been instrumental in letting employees work independently without suffering a productivity hit. Such storage allows employees to have proper access to view and edit shared documents, facilitating collaboration and growth of the knowledge base. Additionally, the latest file versions are always available to everyone, while revision histories and comments help track changes and maintain accountability.
But as every coin has two sides, cloud storage is no different. While its adoption streamlined remote work, it also brought new security concerns.
Employees can now access files from anywhere, which might lead to eavesdropping, credential and data theft, or malware attacks if they use unsafe networks like public Wi-Fi. Avoiding such networks and using VPNs to create secure communication tunnels help create flexible yet safe remote working environments.
There are numerous curated Reddit threads on the best VPNs out there, which makes it easy to find one that suit individual needs and comply with the company’s security practices.
Communications & Video Conferencing tools
Remote and hybrid work have shifted from necessity to preference, as studies show they boost productivity and employee satisfaction. However, the need for idea exchange and task briefings remains, making communication tools essential.
Business communication platforms like Slack streamline written communication and file sharing, while Zoom is popular for face-to-face team meetings. The best tool for your company depends on its size and communication style, but regardless of the tool, it’s crucial to evaluate its security practices.
When selecting communication tools, consider key security features such as end-to-end encryption, strong access controls, compliance with industry standards, and secure data retention policies. This ensures that even if conversations or files are leaked, encryption will prevent hackers from extracting any useful information.
Access Control Systems
Ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need to do their job effectively is crucial. At the same time, minimizing unnecessary access helps improve data and account security, making it harder for malicious insiders to obtain sensitive information without authorization.
Access control systems hinge on several concepts. Role-based access divides users into categories, allowing basic users to work only with data and assets essential to their role. Another concept is the principle of zero trust, which assumes no account is inherently trustworthy. It requires continuous verification and grants access through various authentication methods, with passwords serving as the baseline.
A fundamental component of access control systems is password managers. They simplify access by automatically filling login fields with correct passwords, so there’s no need to enter passwords manually or write them down and risk exposure. More importantly, a team password manager will generate as many unique and complex passwords as needed, mitigating the risks hackable and reused credentials pose to both your team and company security.
Conclusion
Modern collaboration tools embody safety and convenience. Harnessing their full potential will unlock that of your team members. Don’t hesitate to incorporate them into your workflows, and soon you’ll marvel at the results.
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