Boost Hybrid Work and Employee Engagement


Brand Story – Build professional skills, plus healthy and productive work habits during the 2021 Get There Challenge Oct. 4-17

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A revolutionary redesign of work norms and standards is taking shape, presenting an array of benefits and opportunities for employers and employees alike. This new workplace landscape is being built around flexibility and better employee experience as emerging practices are integrated and fine-tuned.

Businesses and organizations can leverage this year’s annual Get There Challenge, running Oct. 4 through Oct. 17, to build workforce skills, boost employee engagement, and seize this new normal. Participants can unlock knowledge and skill-building achievements related to remote work and transportation options that improve commutes at GetThereOregon.org to earn badges and points toward prize drawings. Among the prizes are WiFi extenders, Oregon merchant gift cards, and $500 cash cards.

“Rethinking work has revealed new possibilities for doing things differently with better circumstances and outcomes for operational performance, employees, and society,” says Stephanie Millar, Get There Program Manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation. “Remote work is among the standouts with mutual gains in productivity, employee work-life balance, and reduced traffic congestion. Many organizations are moving to standardize hybrid remote work, but proficiency gaps exist among workers and operational systems. This year’s Get There Challenge and our experts can help.”   
 
During this year’s challenge, Get There is partnering with Comcast Business, its top presenting sponsor, to improve remote work practices and enhance performance. As part of the Get There Challenge Comcast Business is sponsoring a Be Cyber Smart achievement to help improve home office cybersecurity and data protection.

“The shift to distributed workforces in our increasingly digital and perimeter-less world makes it even more critical to tighten up cybersecurity vulnerabilities that pose serious financial threats and disruption,” says Tom Hoesing, Director of Sales Engineering at Comcast Business. “It’s not only large companies that are at risk, but small businesses, schools, governments, and their employees, too. Anyone can be a target.”

Hoesing adds, “Fortunately, a strong defensive mix of education, technology, and best practices can protect against cyberattacks anywhere whether employees are working from home, at the office or elsewhere.”  

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Top Cybersecurity Risks

Human Error
Human error—in the form of unintentional actions or the lack of action—is the root cause of many cyberattacks and breaches. When hackers succeed, it’s often because they targeted unsuspecting end users. Well over half of the breaches that happen in the US, in fact, involve insiders. Accidentally downloading a malware-infected attachment or failing to use a strong password are examples of human error that open systems up to cybercriminals.

Phishing is an increasingly common form of cyberattack that preys upon human error. Scammers send official-looking emails that impersonate companies or individuals to trick people into sharing sensitive information, such as passwords or account information. Ransomware attacks that threaten to publish sensitive data or perpetually block access to digital systems unless a ransom is paid are often deployed through phishing.

Exposed Systems
Think about all of the connected devices on your network, from computers and tablets to mobile phones and flash drives. Each one represents a potentially vulnerable endpoint, and each contains a myriad pathways into your network.

Software and system updates can close previous security loopholes, but only if they are kept updated. Skipping regular updates makes it easier for hackers to exploit loopholes. External devices like flash drives can introduce malware into systems, and the use of unsecured public WiFi can open up systems to hackers.

Be Cyber Smart Tips

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Password Protection
Setting up and maintaining strong passwords is a critical line of defense in preventing cyberattacks, data breaches and fraud.

• Use complex passwords with letters, numbers and symbols that can’t be easily guessed
• Avoid using the same passwords or similar types of passwords for different accounts
• Password management software can generate strong random passwords and store them for easy access
• Passwords are like toothbrushes—don’t share passwords with anyone
• Set up multi-factor authentication for extra security in case passwords are breached
 
phishingFight the Phish
Phishing scammers imitate companies or individuals in email messages to entice people to share user names, passwords, account information or credit card numbers.

• Be aware of suspicious emails that ask for personal account information
• Don’t click on suspicious links or attachments
• Care what you share—be careful with information shared via email or online

secureendpointsSecure Endpoints
Keep devices up-to-date and use anti-virus software to close potential security loopholes.

• Use anti-virus software that can detect and block malicious files
• Update devices, software and apps regularly to ensure the latest security patches are installed
• Keep home routers updated—outdated firmware can leave home networks susceptible to hacking

HINT: Answer a quick quiz about the above cybersecurity tips in the Get There Challenge to unlock the Comcast Business Be Cyber Smart Achievement and earn points toward prizes, including WiFi extenders and $500 cash cards.

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Brand stories are paid content articles that allow Oregon Business advertisers to share news about their organizations and engage with readers on business and public policy issues.  The stories are produced in house by the Oregon Business marketing department. For more information, contact associate publisher Courtney Kutzman.