In any modern business, it’s essential that you protect your data. Without the proper precautions, your data can be lost, stolen, or corrupted through cyber attacks. 

Fortunately, there are easy ways you can keep both your data and the data of your clients safe. 

Use Secure Networks 

Whenever you’re working online or in the cloud, you need to be using a secure network connection. When working on an unsecured network, it’s easier for hackers to track your activities or gain access to your information. If you have a physical working space, make sure your network is password protected and only you and your employees have access to it. 

If you have employees working remotely, make it a requirement for them to always work on a secure network connection. Something as simple as using a secure network can make a world of difference. 

Train Your Employees 

To protect your business, you need to make sure you and your employees are following the best cybersecurity practices. Nearly 70% of insider cyber threats are caused by employees. If you don’t provide any training, your data and other information could be put at risk due to the actions of your own employees. 

Make sure your employees use strong passwords and change them regularly. Have them install antivirus software. Teach them safe practices when they are online. For example, you should make sure everyone knows how to spot and avoid scams so they don’t accidentally corrupt any information. 

Regularly Update Software 

Having antivirus software installed on your devices is an important first step when it comes to preventing cyber attacks. However, this software only works if you update it regularly. Updates in the software can ensure your current software is performing properly and help you protect against new attacks. Hackers are constantly using new techniques to access and corrupt data and antivirus software must constantly be evolving in order to stop these new attacks. Most antivirus software will come with regular reminders for when you should update. Don’t ignore these reminders. Make sure you and all your employees are keeping up with the new software and updating often. 

Cyber attacks can have drastic consequences and threaten the security of your business. It’s your responsibility to put best practices in place so you can protect your business and all of your information. Begin taking measures today to shield your business from cyber-attacks. 

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While going through the hiring process, it’s natural to want to choose from older and more experienced candidates. 

However, hiring students can be a positive choice for your business. Students can offer surprising benefits that can actually help your business grow. 

Bring a New Perspective 

Change is an important part of business. If you keep doing the same thing forever, then your business will eventually become outdated or obsolete. Bringing in new perspectives can help you keep up with the times and make beneficial changes. 

Students are young and have a different take on things than older employees might. They can help you see how your business can be improved, how to connect with customers more, or what ideas should be driving your business. Their opinions can make a world of difference. 

Give Them Experience 

Once students graduate and enter the workforce, one of the biggest challenges is finding a job they are qualified for. Many jobs require new employees to have a certain level of experience, but students often have little opportunity to actually gain this experience. 

This leads to them entering the workforce without the skills, knowledge, and experience they need. When you hire students, you are setting them up for a better future. Teens need adult mentors to help guide them to success. You can provide them with the skills they need and help them get ready to enter their chosen career path. 

Improve Culture 

Hiring students allows you to change up the culture at your business. Students bring new energy and eagerness which can inspire your current employees. Additionally, students aren’t deeply involved in the current culture. If there are rifts between employees or any kind of drama, the students aren’t involved. They can help bring everyone together and encourage more collaboration. Students also aren’t involved in any past issues that other employees may have been focused on. Their fresh perspective can allow you to focus on the issues that actually matter. Students can be part of refocusing your business so things can run smoothly. 

You may be hesitant to hire students since they are young and less experienced, but they have a lot to offer to your business and you in turn have a lot to offer them. As you hire more employees, consider looking outside your usual pool of candidates. Take a chance on some younger talent.

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Making accounting mistakes can be a costly mistake for any business. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been running your business for years, mistakes can lead to financial loss and legal headaches. But how do you avoid accounting mistakes? 

In this blog post, we look at three effective methods that can help businesses stay on top of their finances and prevent costly accounting errors. 

Use Software

One of the most effective ways to avoid making major accounting mistakes is to use software specifically designed for managing finances. There are a variety of software options available on the market today, from basic spreadsheet programs to comprehensive accounting packages with features such as invoicing, payroll processing, inventory tracking, and more. 

By using software, businesses can ensure that their financial data is accurate and up-to-date at all times. Not only will using software for your accounting help you avoid mistakes, but it will also help to save you time.

Check With Professionals

Taxes are incredibly complex and require an expert eye to get them right. Payroll requires that you get critical details correct relating to various taxes and benefits. 

Missing something important here could result in hefty fines or other penalties from the IRS or other governmental bodies. Whenever possible, it’s best to check with a professional accountant or tax preparer before filing taxes or making other important financial decisions that could affect your bottom line. 

Double Check Your Work

Even if you use software and seek professional help when needed, it’s still important to double-check your work for accuracy before submitting it for review or filing taxes. Thoroughly review reports and spreadsheets generated by your financial software before passing them along; if something looks off or doesn’t make sense, take the time to investigate further rather than assuming everything is right on the first pass. While it may take a whole lot of extra work, there is no better way to make sure you aren’t making mistakes in your accounting work than by double-checking your work.

Accounting mistakes can be costly—both financially and legally—for businesses of all sizes, so it’s important that they take steps to minimize errors whenever possible. By using software designed specifically for managing finances, seeking professional guidance when needed, and double-checking work before submitting it for review or filing taxes, businesses can reduce the risk of potentially costly errors in their accounts. Taking these steps now will save valuable time in the long run!

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Has your remote workforce been growing increasingly over the past few years? To keep your remote employees happy, healthy, and productive, you should make sure that they have the benefits they need. 

In addition to the benefits that you regularly offer, here are a few benefits that you should consider giving to remote employees.

Childcare

First, consider giving your remote employees the benefit of childcare. You can offer them a certain budget for their childcare that will be covered by your company each month or pay period. This can help your employees to be more productive and undistracted as they’re working at home. 

If they don’t have assistance with childcare, they might not be able to afford it and might end up taking more time to tend to their kids during the day, which won’t allow them to be as productive in their work responsibilities. Helping your employees out with childcare can help them be more successful and less stressed as they aren’t worried about balancing parenting responsibilities during work hours.

A Home Office Stipend

Another benefit that you should give to your remote employees is a home office stipend. A home office stipend can cover some of the expenses that they have as they’re working from home. You might already give your remote employees a computer to work from, but that doesn’t cover all of the costs that come with working from home. 

A home office stipend can help them to have a comfortable work office, but it can also provide them with the funds to have secure wifi and cybersecurity software. Remote employees need the proper equipment to keep their networks secure.

Health and Wellness

In addition to health insurance coverage that you should provide for your remote employees, you should also consider incentivizing them with other health and wellness programs. For example, you can offer to reimburse them for a gym membership or give them a membership to a whole foods store. One of the difficulties of working long hours, whether you’re in-person or remote, is that you often don’t have as much time to take care of your personal health. You might think that remote employees will find more time to exercise or eat healthily, but working from home can actually cause your work and life responsibilities to become blurred. Incentivizing your remote employees with health and wellness programs can keep them happy and healthy in both their work and home life. 

So, if you’re wondering how you can keep your remote employees happy, remember these benefits that you should give them. You can offer them childcare, a home office stipend, and health and wellness incentives. These benefits can help your remote employees to be more healthy, satisfied, and productive as they work for your company.

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Reading e-mail. Busy remote worker feeling overloaded while reading e-mail sitting near little dog

As workplaces continue to evolve, more and more businesses are looking to hire remote employees. This allows for more flexibility and autonomy while also saving money for your business. If you are new to the process, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

Know How to Market the Position 

Your first step will be actually marketing your remote position. Depending on which sites you market your job listings on, there are options for listing the position as remote. For example, when using Indeed, you can list the job as “remote” or “virtual.” This is similar to many other job websites. 

In the actual listing, you should also include keywords that indicate it is a remote position. Consider what keywords people will be searching for. Many people might look for “work from home,” “telework,” “virtual,” and more. Using the right words in your listing will draw in more people. 

Do Your Due Diligence 

When looking for remote employees, it’s easy to just trust people and go forward with the hiring process. However, you want to actually take the time to get to know people and understand important information about them. Background checks can help you get to know an employee better from a distance. You can make sure you’re hiring someone reliable. 

A background check can look through work history, medical records, criminal records, etc. Even if you never meet someone in person, you want to know who you’re hiring. As part of the background check, you should request references from the potential employee and contact all those references. 

Schedule a Video Interview 

There’s only so much you can tell about someone based on their application and online communication. Before hiring someone, you should hold a video interview. This allows you to get to know them more, see their personality, and discover if they’re really right for the job. This video interview also gives the candidate a chance to ask any questions and learn more about your business. If you decide to hire them, this interview will help you form more of a connection with them so both you and the potential new employee are comfortable communicating in the future. 

Hiring a remote employee will vary slightly from hiring a traditional employee. However, the process is not difficult to understand. Take your time and make sure you have clear expectations in place as you look for the right candidates. 

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