Unlike major corporations, small and medium businesses face a myriad of challenges and missed opportunities every other day as a result of rapid digitalization. Without any type of technology inclusion in the business dynamics, it would be difficult for small businesses to produce effective and efficient management strategies and streamlined operations. That is why, reliance on appropriate technology tools in certain aspects of business workflow is necessary.
While technology inclusion does come with inherent risks, it is an indispensable tool for business growth and workforce management offering a proactive strategic approach to things.
Now, small business computer monitoring encircles adequate utilization of software tools to analyze employee activities and meticulously track patterns on business-owned systems like PCs, smartphones, and computers. With that, let’s uncover the means on how computer monitoring benefits small businesses.
Amplifying productivity
One of the basic reasons small businesses require computer or system monitoring is to amplify the productivity level of the system and employees as a whole. Several research and surveys have also indicated that workers may spend a notable amount of time on non-work activities and websites during working hours. This, ultimately, results in productivity decline.
Small business computer monitoring helps recognize non-productive activities. Managers can then take measures to tackle such issues allowing the workforce to stay consistent and focused on their work. Also, did you know that about 64% of the workforce admits to engaging in non-work related activities during business hours?
Small businesses can obtain such information of employee time utilization by tracking internet and application usage. Such valuable data can be used to execute guidelines and policies to foster more efficient work habits.
Raising employee accountability
Look at any organization, be it big or small, accountability is necessary to create a work environment that runs on mutual trust and responsibility. Small business computer monitoring offers a structure for holding employees accountable for their actions and ensuring compliance to company policies and procedures. Moreover, by monitoring employee activities such as email communications, internet usage, and application usage, businesses can pinpoint instances of policy violations or misconduct. This insight can be used to mitigate issues proactively and furnish feedback to employees as needed.
Sustaining compliance
Many industries, depending on areas of work operations and legalities, are often subjected to regulatory adherence based on security and data privacy. When organizations fail to adhere to these ordinances, it may result in penalties and hefty fines, as well as negative impacts on business reputation.
Thankfully, small business computer monitoring is here that serves to maintain regulatory compliance with respect to relevant regulations which may include HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Small businesses can demonstrate compliance to all the necessary legalities and address the non-compliance risks through adequate tracking and documenting worker activities.
Improving cybersecurity strategies
Inefficient cybersecurity measures pose a significant threat to small businesses, with high likelihood of hazardous consequences like reputational damage and major financial losses. In 2021, IBM did a survey and found that the average total costs of data breaches was around $4,24 million globally, as cited in their paper Cost of a Data Breach Report. So, if you are an entrepreneur owning a small business, computer monitoring software can fortify your system against cyber threats by discerning and preventing malware infections, unauthorized access, and other malicious activities. By monitoring user behavior and network traffic in real-time, you can identify anomalies and security threats before they escalate into larger issues.
Guaranteeing data security
As stated above, security risks have damaging consequences for small businesses leading to legal repercussions, financial losses, and damage to reputation. That is why, for every type of business, robust data security protocols and strategies are of vital importance. Small business computer monitoring serves its purpose in the context of data security by preventing suspicious activities and access attempts to company systems and sensitive data. Businesses will be able to identify suspicious activities that may indicate a potential security threat by monitoring system usage and patterns. Moreover, an astonishing number of 22% data thefts involve phishing attacks and about 45% of data breaches are due to hacking only.
Reforming resource allocation
In small businesses, resource optimization is of utmost significance to maximize efficiency and profitability. Computer monitoring offers real-time insights into how resources, such as time and software licenses, are utilized within the organization. By analyzing usage behaviours and recognizing underutilized resources, businesses can reallocate them more effectively to areas where they are needed most. This can result in enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings, ultimately contributing to the overall organizational goals.
Encouraging remote work
It is true that major corporations are employing remote work in their workflow. But for small businesses, the scenario is somewhat varying. On the contrary, the rise of remote work brought in new challenges to small businesses in several aspects such as employee accountability, security measures, and performance. However, system monitoring offers tailored solutions for remote work dynamics that enables small businesses to overcome these challenges.
Several remote monitoring features and tools enable the business to ensure compliance with company policies, track employee productivity, and mitigate security risks associated with remote access to corporate networks. This advantage enforces small businesses to adopt remote work so that they don’t miss out on possible strategies to improve business growth.
Nonetheless, when you decide to embrace system monitoring solutions for your small business, you must not forget to consider several key factors that may affect the implementation of the tool into the business workflow. These considerations may include ease of use, functionalities, and adherence to relevant regulations. Go for the one solution that provides and promises to serve comprehensive and customizable options to suit your small businesses specific requirements like reporting capabilities, activity logging, real-time monitoring, and so on.
Afterall, small businesses, too, can benefit significantly through implementation of system monitoring solutions in several aspects. Rather than an option, think of such software as a necessity in today’s digital world.
