Recent Blog Posts

Defining Remote First Positions First, we should probably clear up what we mean by ?remote-first.? By this, we mean that remote-first companies make it a priority to hire remote workers for most, if not all of their open or available positions. As such, they have a limited in-house workforce, choosing the flexibility that remote work allows for rather than limiting operations to a centralized office location. Some companies that consider themselves remote-first include Intuit, Facebook, and Amazon. But how does this policy of remote-first employment translate to knowledge workers? Not in the way that you might expect. Defining Knowledge Workers Knowledge workers are those that provide value in the workplace through their knowledge, i.e. knowledge they have obtained or developed over time. Some examples of knowledge workers include programmers, pharmacists, lawyers, engineers, and scientists. In a sense, you can consider knowledge workers to be ?problem solving? workers. Why Does This Resistance Exist? As reported by TechRepublic, the resistance to remote-first work policies seems to be in areas that have traditionally not had strong policies surrounding remote work. This compounds in regions that have historically not had strong turnout for knowledge-based workers. These companies are stuck in a difficult position. They cannot find local talent, but they have also lagged behind in the shift to hybrid and remote work. Additionally, there appears to be a disconnect between offices that are trying to stick to the old way of doing things and their employees. Consider the past few years and the number of offices that were forced to transition to remote work due to circumstances surrounding the pandemic. Employees got a taste of what it felt like to work remotely, and they do not want to give it up. They are ready to embrace a more flexible way of doing things, but can workplaces keep up with this? While there might be some resistance to remote-first work for knowledge workers, we don?t think that your business should be one of them. Thanks to remote technology solutions that allow employees to work from anywhere with relative ease, you too can jump on the remote work bandwagon and reap the incredible benefits that come from employing remote workers? assuming that you have a solid strategy in place for adding them to your workforce. That?s where we come in. One of the key challenges facing companies employing remote workers is the technology involved in maintaining access to important resources and establishing communication between the office and the workforce. White Mountain IT Services can help your organization make this transition seamlessly. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Redundant Business Travel Can Be Eliminated Business travel hit effectively unprecedented lows throughout the pandemic, as many people remained secluded in their homes as much as they could. However, it quickly became apparent that the activity that business travel revolved around didn?t actually require a physical presence to be fulfilled. With the solutions that enable remote work in tow, employees can do more than just virtually commute to the office? they can effectively ?travel? anywhere they are needed in a matter of moments. This can save you and your team members a hefty chunk of change in fuel costs alone. Remote Tools Actually Aid Communication and Collaboration We?ve found that so many of our preconceptions about the best way to do things are, in fact, not the best way to do things. Meetings that involved people present as well as people calling in often found those calling in overlooked more often than not. However, when everyone is relying on remote communication, the playing field is leveled out. Security is Better with Zero Trust As companies hurriedly adopted remote work processes, it had the unfortunate side effect of greatly expanding the threat surface of their infrastructures. After all, it isn?t as though your home network is exclusively dealing with work processes. There are other users doing their own thing on the same network, making a zero-trust security approach a necessity. By demanding verification and authentication for every device, user, or application that tries to access resources, the zero-trust model helps to prevent unauthorized usage. Remote Work Benefits the Environment With the environment becoming a greater priority for many people as time passes, green technologies and business practices have been emphasized. Remote work, by virtue of the eliminated commute, is a very effective way for each employee to cut down on their carbon footprint. Hybrid Work is the Best of Both Worlds As remote solutions continue to improve, a rift has grown. Some employees are perfectly content to continue working from home, while others want the ability to work alongside their teammates once again. This will likely result in the adoption of a hybridized work environment, where employees combine remote operations with in-person processes. White Mountain IT Services can ensure that your business is in the position to operate wherever your employees may be. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to find out how we can help.

Windows 8.1 is Only Kind of Windows 8 The difference between Windows 8 and 8.1 might seem slight at first glance, but it?s actually a pretty major one. Windows 8, released in 2012, was supposed to be Microsoft?s attempt at making an operating system for all devices, including mobile, laptops, and desktops. Unfortunately, this approach did not pay off, as the layout messed with peoples? expectations of what a Windows operating system really was. They much preferred to stick with their beloved Windows 7. Microsoft took the hint and released Windows 8.1, a huge update that restored features that Microsoft users expected of a new OS, including the Start menu. The 8.1 update was Microsoft?s big chance to effectively replace the failure that was Windows 8 with a better product that meet consumer expectations, and as such, they cut off support for Windows 8 well ahead of the schedule they normally adhere to when it comes to these end-of-life scenarios. There has not been a huge campaign to upgrade away from 8.1, and that is because it is only used by about 3.5 percent of the install base, unlike other major operating systems like Windows XP and Windows 7. What You Need to Know The important thing for you to know is that you must start considering your exit strategy for Windows 8.1 as soon as possible and at least start the upgrade process to Windows 10. While you could wait until Windows 11 launches later this year or into next, you will want to make sure that you have the hardware required to run it on. If you do not take action to upgrade away from 8.1, well, you?re risking your operating system going unsupported by Microsoft, and that end-of-life date stops for no one. Why Is It Important to Only Use Supported Software? Like other types of software, each new Windows operating system comes with modern conveniences and features that fit right into the business environment, as well as security features that take the fight to modern security threats. If you are not regularly updating your operating systems, then not only are you missing out on these features, but you are also leaving security on the table. Therefore, we recommend that you start thinking about your upgrade strategy now while Windows 8.1 is still supported by Microsoft. Failing to do so is putting your company at risk. For assistance with this process, White Mountain IT Services can help. Our trusted technicians can support you throughout the implementation process of any new operating system or the hardware it runs on, from procurement to deployment to continued maintenance and management. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

What is Outsourcing? Outsourcing happens when you hire an external company to handle certain operations or procedures for your business. IT is one of the most common ways that outsourcing is leveraged due to the technical knowledge necessary to perform the responsibilities of said role. Depending on the amount of internal talent you have, outsourced IT can be utilized on a spectrum where the external party might handle certain operations while the internal party handles others. Some people think that outsourcing is essentially admitting that your organization cannot handle things on its own, and while this might be a true statement, is that really such a bad thing? In the workplace, it is expected that you ask for help when you don?t fully understand something, so there should not be a stigma associated with outsourcing. It sure beats the alternative: expecting your employees to do jobs that they are not trained or proficient in. In fact, it can actually hinder progress and growth if left unchecked. How Can Outsourced IT Be Helpful? As we previously stated, outsourcing IT services is just one example of how outsourcing can be used by businesses, and it?s because of how encompassing and vital IT services are for businesses that this is the case. Here are some great benefits to outsourcing your IT management to a third party: Consistency with talent: Some areas struggle geographically with access to talent, but with outsourced IT, you have more options at your disposal. Efficiency with access: Most outsourced IT services can be performed remotely, allowing for greater accessibility. Affordability with budgeting: Most outsourced IT services will provide you with a monthly bill based on the services rendered, which is easier and more flexible with your budget than hiring in-house staff members. Flexibility with delegation: If you do have in-house IT resources, you can assign tasks to your outsourced provider that you would rather not have gum up your in-house staff, like routine maintenance. This frees them up to focus on innovation. Get Started with Outsourced IT Today If you are unsure of whether or not outsourcing is right for your business, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have about how it works, specifically for how it pertains to your IT management. Remember, you might not be sure if outsourced IT is right for you, but you should know that it?s better than inaction in regards to your technology management and maintenance. Let us help you make an informed decision about the future of your business? technology management policies and procedures. Contact us today at (603) 889-0800!

Identify What Your Needs Are It is important that you scale your Wi-Fi in the way that best addresses whatever shortcoming you are trying to remedy, which means it is also important that you go into it with a full appreciation of your goals and what accomplishing it will require. How many users will need network access at any given time, and how will they be dispersed throughout the office space? How much bandwidth will their typical processes take up? Once you?ve determined this, you are in a better position to acquire the appropriate number of access points that you?ll need to provide sufficient connectivity. Establish Your Current Capabilities Before you add any other access points, it helps to have an appreciation of what you?re able to accomplish with your setup as it stands. A site survey is a smart strategy to start with, as it would help provide you with a baseline for your existing technology?s performance. How many devices would you expect to be hosting at maximum capacity? Are there any dead zones that could perhaps be resolved with an additional access point? On the topic, it is actually considered best practice to minimize the number of access points you have installed around the office, as it helps to cut back on the interference they could potentially generate amongst themselves. Using a Wi-Fi analyzer can help you to optimize the placement of these access points to achieve maximum coverage with minimal signal intermingling. It also doesn?t hurt to establish which of your connections can be wired ones, further minimizing the bandwidth that these connections take up. Adjust Your Existing Connections Did you know that you can adjust the range that your access points can reach? This allows you to keep your signal within reasonable limits, filling your business but not the surrounding area. This can help prevent unauthorized access and use of your Wi-Fi by outsiders. Alternatively, your Wi-Fi can be extended to slightly beyond your location?s walls, depending on your needs. We can assist you in optimizing your network so your Wi-Fi is configured to best suit your business? requirements. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to schedule an appointment today.