Cyber security is something that has become increasingly more prevalent and commonplace as the digital world becomes more advanced. It’s not just important at home, in a domestic setting, but it’s also imperative in the workplace, no matter the industry you work in.
Regardless of what you do, most businesses will be reliant on technology, such as a computer, and so it’s paramount that you’re doing everything in your power to protect your computer systems. Let’s discuss why you need to start making cyber security a priority in the workplace.
1. It makes your business operations more productive
With cyber security at the forefront of your operations, you’ll soon notice an increase in employee productivity. This is because your workers will no longer experience slow computer systems, for example. It also means that they’ll be able to access programmes and software in quick time, without worrying about whether they’ve been hacked, for instance.
People who are looking to breach your cyber security measures will be looking for information that they can use, but it can also mean that your computer becomes infected with viruses, which can be detrimental to the user experience. There are several reasons as to why you should make cyber security in your business a priority, but productivity in the workplace is one of the most favoured and effective outcomes.
2. Cyber security breaches are almost commonplace
It’s inevitable that your business will experience cyber security breaches at some point or another, and so you’ll need to make sure that you’re prepared and protected for when it eventually does happen. It’s never been more important for you to get ahead of the game as this will help to mitigate any issues with your computer systems.
Not only could it prevent a slow user experience, but it also has the potential to save you money, as you’ll be far less likely to fall victim to scammers. Something else that will help is making sure that your staff are trained in cyber security measures and mitigation.
3. It would be far more cost-effective
The cost of implementing a secure and safe cyber security measure should be considered more of an investment rather than just another expense for your business. As already touched upon, cyber security breaches could make you incredibly vulnerable to scammers. It’s widely reported that scams, and the people who are behind them, are on the rise, both domestically and commercially.
According to UK Finance, over £1.2 billion was stolen in 2022 as a result of fraud cases, but it’s a crime that’s not showing any signs of slowing down. In May 2023, a man was charged over cyber-crime theft after stealing more than £200,000 from a woman who resided in Aberdeen. If a cyber-scammer can manage to steal that amount of cash from one person, think about how much they would be able to trick a business into handing over. Save yourself a considerable amount of money in the long run by implementing cyber security measures now.
4. It protects your employees from cyber crime
By having cyber security measures in place, you’ll not only be protecting your business as a whole, but you’ll also be protecting your employees. With the right training, they’ll be able to identify instances of phishing and other suspicious cyber activity that they haven’t authorised, for example. Armed with this knowledge, your workers will be able to keep their own, personal information private, together with also keeping company information private.
Not only this, but they’ll be able to apply the same knowledge to their own at-home computers and devices. Despite the fact that your employees will be operating under your new cyber security system, which they won’t have access to at home, they’ll still be far more aware of the risks of cyber crime.
5. It could put your business’ reputation at risk
If your business is hacked, it could end up putting your business’ reputation at risk. You’re probably wondering how. The first thing that could happen is that your entire system is hacked, which is then reported. Through word-of-mouth, an increasing amount of people will start to find out about the breach you’ve suffered, which could then cause them to gossip.
People might start to think how a company of that calibre could be so vulnerable and open to attack. This will then have a knock-on effect on your customers, both existing and prospective. Your existing customers will worry about whether or not their personal information and data has been taken by criminals, whereas potential customers will now no longer consider giving you their custom for fear of you being hacked again.
Not only could this put your business’ reputation at risk, but it could even damage it beyond repair, leading to a down in success. Something else that could hinder your reputation is if cyber hackers manage to breach your website or social media pages and either delete everything you have on there, or start to post things that are damaging to you, like spam or inappropriate content. The best way to avoid risking your reputation is to implement cyber security measures with us here at ICU IT today.
ICU IT has over two decades of experience in the transformation of IT systems for businesses across the UK. With a free consultation period and a dedicated point of contact for you to take advantage of, you’ll always be able to look to us for commercial IT services. Working with small and large companies alike, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of specialist IT services, including hosting cloud services, business continuity, managed IT services and IT maintenance services, to name a few. For further information, get in touch with a member of our professional team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.
