Navegando na TI durante uma pandemia

Navigating IT During a Pandemic

Technology is critical to resisting this pandemic. While there are many challenges, IT professionals can use them as an opportunity to innovate and create an entirely new way of working.

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The remote transition

Let's start with the most obvious: IT has been fundamental in the transition to remote work. Businesses need technology and solutions that enable people to keep up with their essential work functions outside of the office. In some cases, the demand for IT has been so great that internal specialists have been unable to keep up.

One way to reduce the burden is to outsource some of the tasks to an external supplier. This will free up your in-house team (if you have one) and give you time to perform core business functions while your outsourcing team handles the overhead during exceptionally chaotic times.

Finance

The economic crisis has left many companies with no choice but to cut certain resources and functions. IT may be at risk as organizations reevaluate their business structures and determine which services are essential. But it's a mistake to cut out IT entirely when it is, to some extent, more important than ever.

One way to cut costs while retaining talent is to provide training to existing staff so you can hire fewer employees to perform necessary tasks. Another solution is, again, to outsource projects to external teams or freelancers. This tends to be cheaper than having full-time IT specialists, and it's even more cost-effective if you send your projects abroad to nearby or offshore locations with a developing economy.

Efficiency

With so many moving parts and everyone struggling to keep everything in order during this strange and difficult time, it can be difficult to maintain efficiency and productivity. This is largely due to the fact that companies had to make a sudden shift to remote work during the turmoil. IT may also have suffered from a lack of efficiency — but it doesn't need to stay that way.

There is no easy solution to this problem. But clear communication and a plan in place will allow you to streamline your efforts and help ensure you have a system in place to coordinate processes. Be sure to inform everyone about how to report problems and request assistance.

The need for specialized talent

The IT landscape is constantly changing, and COVID has only increased the demand for niche and specialized skills to accommodate new work styles and business goals. Companies will need to look for individuals with deep knowledge of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, blockchain, data science and other technical skills.

As discussed above, business leaders can provide opportunities for workers to improve their skills. Meanwhile, IT professionals should dedicate this time to learning new skills to increase their hiring potential.

Communication

Lack of personal contact can make communication difficult. But now, IT professionals have a real opportunity to facilitate stronger communication within and outside their organization. Many organizations have come to rely on platforms like Zoom and there are also many other alternatives available. An IT provider can also create a custom platform suited to your specific needs.

IT providers can also create tools to disseminate information, such as intranets, to share updates about your company's efforts.

Company membership

Understandably, many people feel uneasy about the chaos and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. But for any initiative to work – COVID-related or not – you need to have buy-in from the company.

To attract as many employees as possible, you'll need to communicate your efforts clearly, explaining, for example, why you're investing in certain technologies, IT people, and more. You should also describe the rationale behind these decisions and how you expect them to affect broader business objectives.

Cyber ​​security

With so many people accessing their programs and servers from remote locations, they are more susceptible to cyberattacks. You've probably heard of Zoombombing, but cybercrime can go far beyond seemingly harmless pranks. The fear that hackers will exploit weaknesses in your systems is not unfounded.

Work with an IT team who specializes in cybersecurity to identify and repair any vulnerabilities in your systems. But that's not the only role IT professionals need to play in cybersecurity. Business leaders should also discuss how IT experts can educate their employees – remotely, of course – about how to stay safe during COVID-19 and beyond.

Planning

Given the unpredictability of the pandemic and its effects, it may seem difficult to look to the future in terms of IT. Should there be full-time positions for specialists? Should you outsource? What technologies will no longer be useful in a post-pandemic world? Which ones should continue? These are just some of the questions business leaders and IT experts themselves are asking.

Planning, even despite uncertainty, is essential. You'll need to take several scenarios into account, of course. This is something that IT experts and business leaders must work on together, considering the implications of different possibilities.

Technology is critical for businesses facing this pandemic. Experts who can create and implement solutions are also essential for companies surviving truly unprecedented circumstances. While there are many challenges, IT professionals can use them as an opportunity to innovate and create an entirely new way of working.

Source: BairesDev

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