IT-Toolkits.com

Hiring and keeping younger workers

webmaster — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:15:59 -0700

Today's young workers are extremely tech-savvy, and the technology they'll have access to is a major consideration for many as they join the workforce. Many are used to having 24/7 access to email and the Internet on their smartphones or tablets. And with extensive knowledge of the Internet and its many services, more are using Web-based applications for many of the solutions they use on a daily basis. As an employer, making sure you have the right technology on hand to both appeal to and keep your younger workers happy is an important consideration when plotting out your technology roadmap.

Keeping workers helps reduce training costs over time, and it could also help you sell your CEO on some product purchases. You know that cloud solution you're dying to implement? Well, tell the CEO about your young workforce being able to take advantage of it to work extra hours, and it might just happen. Want to bring iPads to the office? Tell the top executive that it might just improve productivity. As your company tries to find an edge in a job market filled with educated Millennials, technology could very well be the differentiating factor that helps you attract and retain a young workforce.

Cloud as an alternative to outsourcing

webmaster — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:33:25 -0700

CEOs at three of India's top ten outsourcing providers recently told the Times of India that they plan to "reduce on-site work by up to five percent over the next year and handle traditional onsite projects such as managing takeover of an existing outsourcing contract& through videoconferencing. (The Times did not name the CEOs or their companies.)

As the whistleblower case against Infosys, alleging that the Indian IT services provider misused B-1 visas to bring offshore staff to the U.S., heads to court later this year, it's unlikely that scrutiny of the temporary worker visa system will subside. And, as of Monday, talks between the U.S. and India intended to address these visa complaints among other issues, were called off indefinitely.

Prepare now for the inevitable effects of reductions in onshore and on-site headcount:

Conduct a Process Design Review - Make sure that essential on-site roles required for seamless operation of global delivery will be filled. Consider contract resources to handle short-term gaps, advises Amneet Singh, vice president of global sourcing for outsourcing consultancy Everest Group. Longer term, developing such skills in-house maybe a better bet. "Buyers are picking and choosing certain roles to bring back in-house," says Esteban Herrera, chief operating officer of outsourcing analyst firm HfS Research.
Invest in Change Management Efforts - Prepare users for potential tweaks in the delivery model and changes in their day-to-day working experience, says Singh, and execute an effective communication strategy to address any uncertainty in the business
Consider Nearshore Alternatives - Providers with alternate delivery locations, like Mexico, do not have the same temporary visa restrictions as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Herrera points out. They can more easily transfer workers across borders to manage projects and knowledge transfer.
Beef Up Your Technology Backbone - Your offshore provider is likely to require more high-end videoconferencing or digitization capabilities to manage future projects. Ensure you have the right infrastructure and software to handle the proposed technology enablers of diminished on-site staff, says Singh. Also, make sure to design and execute effective internal training programs for the new tools.
Revisit Contract Pricing - If your IT service provider is planning to move on-site roles overseas, it's probably a good time to renegotiate price, but don't play hardball. Sharing the upside of sending more work to less costly locales will result in a happier and healthier relationship long-term.

Half of European companys have no Disaster Plam

webmaster — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:46:02 -0700

Over half of small organisations across the UK, France and Germany are operating without a formal disaster recovery plan in place, according to research.

The survey of 160 IT decision-makers found that 58% of small organisations (50-250 employees) do not have a formal disaster recovery plan, and nearly one fifth of mid-sized enterprises (250- 1,000 employees) are in the same position.

Industry differences became apparent when comparing how prepared organisations are for a potential disaster. companies within the Financial Services sector (90%), as well as those in Communications and Media (81%), have formal disaster recovery plans in place. However, a much smaller percentage of businesses in Retail & Distribution, and Manufacturing, have done the same, with less than 40% having drawn up formal disaster recovery plans.

Security Template now has electronic forms

webmaster — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:24:18 -0700

Security Manual for the Internet and Information Technology is over 230 pages in length. All versions of the Security Manual template include both the Business & IT Impact Questionnaire and the Threat & Vulnerability Assessment Tool (both were redesigned to address Sarbanes Oxley compliance). In addition, the Security Manual Template PREMIUM Edition contains 16 detail job descriptions that apply specifically to security and Sarbanes Oxley, ISO 27000, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.

The policies and procedures template now has electonic forms including:

Blog Policy Compliance
Company Asset Employee Control Log
Email - Employee Acknowledgment
Employee Termination Checklist
Internet Access Request
Internet Use Approval
Internet & Electronic Communication - Employee Acknowledgment
Mobile Device Access and Use Agreement
Employee Security Acknowledgement Release
Preliminary Security Audit Checklist
Security Access Application
Security Audit Report
Security Violation Reporting
Sensitive Information Policy Compliance Agreement

Federal agencies are not spending as much as private businesses on security

webmaster — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:59:24 -0700

Federal agencies have budgeted $6.5 billion for security in 2012, much less on a percentage basis than other businesses and industries.

The federal government lags behind most industries when it comes to how much of its IT budgets are spent on security, pointing to a need for agencies to rethink their investments as they adopt new technologies.

Many agencies report they don't feel they have enough money to spend on security and, in general, security investments by the federal government are less than that spent by other business sectors.

In total, federal agencies have budgeted $6.5 billion for all security investments in fiscal 2012. However, the entire IT budget for the feds for that year is expected to top $81.3 billion.

Not surprisingly, the Department of Defense spends more than any other agency on security, according to the report. Its budget in 2012 for security for both legacy systems and development, modernization, and enhancement, in 2012 is $4.1 billion, according to the report, which does not provide data on total IT budgets for agencies. The Department of Homeland Security also is one of the leading security investors among agencies, having budgeted $525.7 million for security in 2012.