Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

Some of the most iconic brands started during crises. As documented in an Entrepreneur article, the Hyatt hotel franchise launched during the 1957-1958 economic recession. Microsoft was founded during the oil embargo in the mid-1970s, and several prominent tech brands, including Uber and Airbnb, were created during the Great Recession. For today’s entrepreneurs, the lesson is simple: Don’t let these uniquely disruptive times deter innovation. Many are already embracing this mindset.

The recent implementation of privacy labels in Apple’s App Store have ignited a new wave of discussions over privacy concerns with technology applications. Users now have greater visibility into the type of data that is collected, who that data is shared with and how it is used.

In October 2020, we launched our brand new conferencing capabilities, expanding our video limits to 12 and audio limits to 25 participants. We received resoundingly positive feedback on how vital this increased capacity was for collaboration and communication in the COVID era. Since that initial launch, we have received tons of valuable feedback from our customers about the conferencing experience.

As digital security and data privacy become increasingly caustic issues, regulatory compliance is exceedingly challenging. Not only are various regions implementing unique standards, but industries, municipalities, and platforms are issuing new guidelines as well. While CTOs have many solutions for ensuring system compliance, the human element remains more difficult to oversee, mandate, and manage.

I was recently asked about the status of Information Security as a salient feature of the product roadmap. I paused. The question by itself seemed to hold up a mirror. It showed how security is viewed in today’s digital-first, app-centric, customer-focussed world. It may seem innocuous but under it lies the silent struggle many corporations face today. It also carries an unarticulated question: how should one align security with business imperatives?

For many small businesses, a hybrid workforce is the new normal, creating novel opportunities and unique challenges that organizations will need to navigate in the year ahead. Change is never easy, and the past year has been a constant exercise in disruption. From shifting consumer demands to a radical reorientation of workplace structures, most organizations are becoming even more proficient at navigating uncertainty than ever before.

The first step in enhancing cybersecurity is acknowledging that cyber attackers do not rest, especially now that most transactions are online. Africa has recently experienced frequent attacks on cybersecurity, increasing the global risk for information leakage. Cyber threats usually target those in the financial sector, and today, the probability is higher due to lockdowns and sudden high reliance on digital processes.

Last year, Gartner estimated that 80% of companies would implement some form of employee-monitoring software, a noteworthy 50% increase in five years. I’m a vice president at an employee-monitoring provider, and the surge in software sales reflects a growing desire for companies of all sizes to achieve oversight in an increasingly digital environment.

With the rise of remote work we are communicating online in more ways than ever, which is why ease of use and security have taken a front seat as many organizations grapple with maintaining productivity while protecting their data. The recognition comes as another accolade following the launch of our next-generation conferencing capability to scale and give customers better control of their data while supporting their workers' communication needs.