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5 Easy Ways to Improve Employee Cybersecurity Around the Holidays

5 Easy Ways to Improve Employee Cybersecurity Around the Holidays

by | Nov 20, 2024 | For Employees

The holiday season is fast approaching. With it comes an increase in online shopping — which could mean an increase in cybercrime. Online sales are expected to grow by 4.8% this holiday season, according to Salesforce. Cybercriminals will look to exploit the surge in digital transactions. Employee cybersecurity should be a high priority for business owners. A data breach could result in the theft of customer information, financial losses and reputational damage.

All businesses are susceptible to cybercrime. But for companies with remote workforces, the holidays present an additional challenge to ensure employee cybersecurity remains strong.

As of August 2023, over 10% of all workers in the U.S. were entirely remote. An even larger percentage adopted hybrid schedules. This shift in work environments has created new vulnerabilities as remote workers are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. According to a study by Barracuda Networks, 46% of businesses experienced a cybersecurity incident within the first two months of shifting to remote work.

With increased online shopping and the rise in remote work, business owners must help their employees avoid cybercrime. To protect your business during this high-risk time, here are five easy ways to improve your employees’ cybersecurity around the holidays.

1: Improve employee cybersecurity by educating employees on how to protect card data

When it comes to employee cybersecurity, knowing how scams work is half the battle. Online criminals often use a tactic known as phishing. Phishing scams use fraudulent websites, emails or text messages to steal credit card details or login credentials. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most effective way to avoid falling victim to these scams is to recognize potential phishing attempts. You want to avoid suspicious links or attachments.

Encourage employees to only use trusted websites when making purchases. They should ensure that the site URLs begin with “https” for secure transactions. Never provide personal or financial information through text or email. Training seminars on recognizing phishing scams or even simple written guides on protecting payment information can help minimize the risk to both the employee and the company and support your employees’ cybersecurity.

2: Use spam filters and security software to avoid phishing scams

Phishing attempts increase during the holidays. This mirrors the uptick in online shopping. It’s critical to put proper tools in place to defend against cybercrime. Bolster employee cybersecurity by using spam filters and advanced security software. These help block malicious emails before they even reach your employees’ inboxes.

Phishing emails are designed to look legitimate, appearing as if they are from trusted sources like retailers or financial institutions. This can make them hard to spot. Spam filters and security software help remove and flag these before they enter your inbox. Train employees to recognize common phishing techniques, such as emails from generic domains like Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo, that include urgent requests for sensitive information.

3: Advise your employees to use strong passwords and update them regularly.

The simplest way to protect your business from cyber threats is to enforce strong password policies for any important accounts. This strategy is also one of the most effective. Employee cybersecurity improves when employees are required to create complex passwords with at least twelve characters that include a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters.

Additionally, employees should avoid using the same passwords across multiple accounts, as one breach could leave them vulnerable to data leaks from multiple platforms. Updating these passwords regularly can help ensure the privacy of your accounts if they are ever compromised. Password managers can create, store and regularly update strong passwords for you.

4: Establish emergency response procedures in the event of an employee cybersecurity lapse

While it’s important to focus on prevention, these measures may not cover everything and businesses should be prepared to act quickly if a cybersecurity breach does occur to protect employee cybersecurity.

Establishing clear emergency response procedures can help ensure that employees know exactly what to do in the event of a data breach, malware infection or other cyberattack. This should include steps such as immediately disconnecting compromised devices from the company network, contacting your IT team and standardizing protocols for recovering data. According to IBM, creating formal incident responses helped reduce breach costs by half a million US dollars on average.

Employees should check if their device seems sluggish, if their battery is draining too quickly or if their device is making strange noises. All of these factors can indicate their device’s communications are being interfered with. Taking a proactive response by having employees report any suspicious activity, even if they think it’s minor, can help prevent some cybersecurity catastrophes before they spread.

5: Upgrade your employee cybersecurity by investing in cybersecurity tools

Investing in advanced cybersecurity tools such as cyber insurance or educational tools can give your business an extra layer of protection during the holidays. To help your employees’ cybersecurity, look for tools to prioritize security and help diagnose potential email threats. Another option to consider is cyber insurance, which can cover financial losses resulting from data breaches such as legal fees, notification expenses for affected customers, system repairs and even public relations efforts to manage reputational damage.

Cybercriminals are relentlessly innovative in their pursuit of company data as cybercrime costs the world over $10 trillion. The most practical way to avoid adding to that toll is by keeping your employees educated and responsible with their computer usage.

3 Reasons Financial Wellness is Important to Employees in a Post-COVID Workforce

3 Reasons Financial Wellness is Important to Employees in a Post-COVID Workforce

by | May 4, 2021 | For Employers

3 reasons financial wellness is important to employees in a post-COVID workforce. After COVID-19 highlighted the financial vulnerabilities of millions of employees, financial wellness is expected to be a big component of Post-COVID HR Strategies.

With vaccine rollouts progressing across the country,  Americans are increasingly optimistic about a return to normal life. But even as the physical effects of the virus diminish, financial recovery is complicated.

The pandemic illuminated significant vulnerabilities for Americans working across all industries. In fact, 63% of workers claim their financial stress has increased since the start of the pandemic, according to PwC’s 2021 Employee Financial Wellness Survey. So, when it comes to rethinking benefits in a post-COVID world, Employees need more than a 401(k) and desk back at the office. They need comprehensive and long-term financial wellness solutions to help regain their footing after multiple years of financial uncertainty.  

These are the three major reasons that financial wellness is important to employees in a post-COVID workforce:

1. Your employees need help rebuilding their savings post-COVID. 

For many, digging into savings has been the only way to make it through the pandemic. In September 2020, CNBC reported that 14% of Americans had wiped out their emergency savings. Prudential Financial’s November 2020 report claimed the number of workers who have reduced or exhausted their emergency savings was up to 1 in 4 employees. It’s hard to know how to manage savings especially when we’re living through one very long and nightmarish emergency. According to the Prudential Financial report, 65% and 72% of respondents stated that lack of emergency and retirement savings respectively were the largest barriers to financial security. It’s absolutely critical for employees to feel supported by their companies on the quest towards financial security. 

2. There’s an undeniable connection between mental health and money. 

COVID-19 took a toll on the collective mental health of most (if not all) employees. As workers continue to perform remotely and the lines between work and life blurr, employers are increasingly aware of their responsibility to support the mental health of their employees. That’s part of what employee benefits are all about. Improving the financial wellbeing of your employees helps significantly reduce stress.

3. Your employees need resources that address their individual needs.

Understanding the never-ending array of financial terms and fiscal expectations can be daunting and stressful. The government has provided various support since COVID-19 began but it isn’t always easy to sort through it. Employees could benefit greatly from a one-stop shop to help them work through their individual financial needs. 

That’s where Best Money Moves can help. 

Best Money Moves is a human-centered and individualized approach to financial wellbeing. The comprehensive and user friendly platform provides a plethora of financial resources and educational tools. The library of resources contains over 700 articles, videos, and calculators. Each Best Money Moves user has their personal feed tailored to the several distinct factors that monitor their personal stress. This means your employee can use Best Money Moves to educate themselves on anything from investing in the stock market to co-signing loans to buying their first home. 

Employee information is always private but employers do have access to key analytics that show overall employee financial stress and stress levels over time. The Employer Dashboard also features information on program usage, debt and savings levels and more so employers can see just how valuable Best Money Moves is to their employees.

If you want to learn more about how Best Money Moves can bring financial wellness to your company, download our whitepapers.

Workplace Vaccine Strategy for COVID-19

Workplace Vaccine Strategy for COVID-19

by | Apr 27, 2021 | Blog

Workplace Vaccine Strategy for COVID-19. As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available to Americans, workforces must decide how to handle vaccine strategies among their employees.

As COVID-19 vaccines become more available, more and more employers are evaluating their role in the immunization program. Some organizations are incentivizing vaccinations, others are wrestling with vaccination mandates and still others are taking a more laissez faire approach.

This is how workforces are tackling vaccine strategy among their employees.

Current State of Vaccination Strategy

At the time of this publication, more than half of US adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC. Eligibility restrictions continue to lessen as accessibility increases. There is a general sense that perhaps the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. That said, there is still a lot of work left to be done. Employers can be an important cog in the machine as we endeavor to reach herd immunity.

Mandate Debate

While the health benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine are undeniable by any respectable medical professional, some employees are still against the vaccine. According to a survey of 1000 employees by Perceptyx Research and Insight from Jan. 2021, 43% of employees claimed they would consider leaving their place of employment if they required the vaccine.

While some companies are leaving the choice entirely up to their employees, a sizable section are requiring the vaccine if employees want to return to the office. The same Perceptyx survey reported that 38% of employees said their employers were requiring them to get vaccinated in order to return to the physical workspace.

But perhaps encouragement without force is the best approach. The Perceptyx report also suggested that employees are more likely to get the vaccine if they are encouraged but not required as opposed to required. So what does encouragement look like?

Common Incentives for Vaccine Strategy

While we don’t often look towards McDonald’s as a model of health, the company is strongly encouraging vaccination efforts by providing four hours of paid time to any employee with proof of vaccination. They are also connecting employees with informational resources about the vaccine. Many companies are doing the same. Chobani yogurt is offering six hours of paid time off, three for each dose. Paid time off isn’t the only form of motivation. American Airlines is offering an extra day off and a flight voucher. Bolthouse Farms is offering an impressive $500 bonus for every full-time worker that gets vaccinated, the Wall Street Journal first reported.

Whatever your preferred vaccine strategy, one thing is clear. Employers have a certain responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their employees. After a year and a half cooped up at home, the time is now to make an impact and take those first steps towards normalcy, both in the workplace and elsewhere.

If you want to learn more about how Best Money Moves can bring financial wellness to your company, download our whitepapers.[/fusion_text]

What You Need to Know About Employee Burnout

What You Need to Know About Employee Burnout

by | Jul 25, 2018 | Blog

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest HR news on retention, mobility and pollution.

Employee engagement drives productivity and retention, but it’s not all good news.. Research from Yale University revealed 50 percent of moderately to highly engaged employees are burnt out. They’re passionate about their work and show high skills acquisition, but they’re also the employees most at risk for turnover.

Dr. Jochen Menges, a co-author of the study, claims his research can help employers. “By shedding some light on some of the factors in both engagement and burnout, the study can help organisations identify workers who are motivated but also at risk of burning out and leaving.” A shortfall of Menges and his colleagues’ research is its inability to pinpoint when engagement stops being productive and starts exhausting valuable employees.

The challenge is to find the fine line between engagement and burnout. It’s different for everyone. One way to tell is to watch for signs like frustration and anxiety.

How to Find the Right Balance

What We’re Reading

Women appointed to boards at a record high. Close to 40 percent of vacant board seats at Fortune 500 companies went to women in 2017. Learn more about this rising trend and its implications.

New LinkedIn research. It’s no surprise that attracting and retaining top talent is imperative with unemployment at a low, but how do you do it? Use these strategies to stay competitive.

Focus on mobility and stability. If you’re in an industry with high turnover consider offering opportunities to move into different positions and benefits that support employees and their families. See what ROI on employee investments looks like.  

WeWork bans meat. In a bold move WeWork announced it won’t serve or reimburse meals that include red meat, poultry or pork. Why they’re doing it and more importantly, can it work?

What are stay interviews? Instead of waiting for an exit interview to get some feedback start conducting stay interviews to find out why employees stick around. How this can help you retain more employees.

Are you using the 20/60/20 rule? Instead of trying to win over 100 percent of your team, use this rule to strategically focus your attention on your most valuable team members. What the 20/60/20 rule is and how to use it.

Digital distractions. Employees can’t get a full 30 minutes of work in without being distracted by work instant messages and emails or personal text messages and notifications. How to deal with communication overload.

Job insecurity and sexual harassment. Three separate studies found that sexual harassment is driven by the harasser’s fear of being called out for inadequate job performance. Now that we know, what can we do about it?

Know the Warning Signs of Employee Burnout

Know the Warning Signs of Employee Burnout

by | Jul 25, 2018 | Blog

There’s a fine line between employee engagement and burnout. Know the warning signs of employee burnout for higher retention and productivity.

Employee engagement drives productivity and retention, but it’s not all good news. Research from Yale University revealed 50 percent of moderately to highly engaged employees are burnt out. They’re passionate about their work and show high skills acquisition, but they’re also the employees most at risk for turnover.

Dr. Jochen Menges, a co-author of the study, claims his research can help employers. “By shedding some light on some of the factors in both engagement and burnout, the study can help organisations identify workers who are motivated but also at risk of burning out and leaving.” A shortfall of Menges and his colleagues’ research is its inability to pinpoint when engagement stops being productive and starts exhausting valuable employees.

The challenge is to find the fine line between engagement and burnout. It’s different for everyone. One way to tell is to watch for signs like frustration and anxiety.

The study measured engagement, burnout, demands, resources and how they interact and influence each other in over 1,000 U.S. employees. Employees that were ‘optimally’ engaged reported high resources and low to moderate demands. They had support from their supervisors through rewards and received recognition without having to struggle with cumbersome bureaucracy, demands for concentration, or heavy workloads. On the other hand, 64 percent of employees experiencing burnout reported high demands and high resources. Finding the right balance between resources and demands might be the key to productive engagement.  

Look for common symptoms like exhaustion, frustration, anxiety, and inability to keep up with daily tasks. Monitor workloads to find out when it’s time to dial demands back and expand resources. Wellness programs can ease stress and help employees manage work-life balance, but if demands are too high employees will still burnout.

Research from Business Point Innovation Network and Pollfish found that 60 percent of working mothers and fathers experience burnout. Employees with children might be more likely than others to experience burnout, but there isn’t enough research on demographics to confirm which employees are most at risk.

Until there’s more research, it’s best for employers to assume any employee could be at risk for burnout.