Tech Employees Working From Home Amid The Corona Virus

Some of Washington state’s largest employers have told their workers to telecommute to minimize the spread of coronavirus, and the policy could soon extend to Silicon Valley.

 Apple Inc. encouraged employees to work from home if possible.

Microsoft Corp. has told employees in the Puget Sound region in Washington state and the San Francisco Bay Area to work from home until March 25. Two employees in Washington state have tested positive for the virus.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google has recommended that some 4,500 employees at offices in Washington work from home, if possible.

Google made the decision after consulting with public health officials, according to a person familiar with the situation who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The work-from-home edict does not apply to the company’s headquarters and satellite offices in Silicon Valley for now.

Amazon.com Inc. which employs 50,000 people in the Seattle/Bellevue area, is “recommending that employees.. who are able to work from home do so through the end of the month,” a company spokesperson told MarketWatch.

Some of Washington state’s largest employers are telling their workers to telecommute to minimize the spread of coronavirus, and the policy could soon extend to Silicon Valley.

On Friday it did, when Apple Inc. encouraged employees to work from home if possible.

Microsoft Corp.has told employees in the Puget Sound region in Washington state and the San Francisco Bay Area to work from home until March 25. Two employees in Washington state have tested positive for the virus.

Alphabet Inc.’s  Google has recommended that some 4,500 employees at offices in Washington work from home, if possible.

Google made the decision after consulting with public health officials, according to a person familiar with the situation who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The work-from-home edict does not apply to the company’s headquarters and satellite offices in Silicon Valley for now.

Amazon.com Inc.  which employs 50,000 people in the Seattle/Bellevue area, is “recommending that employees.. who are able to work from home do so through the end of the month,” a company spokesperson told MarketWatch.

The decision by tech companies to shift thousands of workers to a telecommuting work schedule could led other industries to follow suit

Internet Of Things & Healthcare

Connected devices are working their way into the healthcare field. Doctors and nurses are starting to use wearable tech to help monitor their patients from afar — using technology to collect patient data that would usually be taken at the doctor’s office.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is working with cloud-based technology company Medidata to develop activity trackers that gather data on cancer patients, logging their day-to-day actions in hopes doctors will find it easier to treat and potentially one day diagnose cancer.

The band from AliveCor just earned FDA approval to read heart rates through the Apple Watch

Apple reportedly is also working on embedding its smartwatch with an EKG reader of its own. And researchers have also turned to the Apple Watch to use the device to monitor and collect information on those with Major Depressive Disorder.

 

Google’s Pop Up Stores In New York & Los Angeles

The New York City store is located in the Flatiron district at 110 Fifth Avenue,  from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The L.A. store has the same hours, and it’s located at 8552 Melrose Avenue. The stores are expected to be open through the holidays until December 31.

Reporting or Avoiding Malware/Ransomware

What you should Do

• Contain the attack: Disconnect infected devices from your network to keep ransomware from spreading.
• Restore your computer: If you’ve backed up your files, and removed any malware, you may be able to restore your computer. Follow the instructions from your operating system to re-boot your computer, if possible.
• Contact law enforcement: Report ransomware attacks to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, FBI’s Cyber Division (CyWatch@ic.fbi.gov or 855-292-3937) or an FBI field office. Include any contact information (like the criminals’ email address) or payment information (like a Bitcoin wallet number). This may help with investigations.

Install Reputable Security Software: Your computer should have anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall. Viruses can be planted in emails or attachments to emails, in programs or files that you download, and even in Web sites that you visit. These viruses have the potential to wipe out your computer files.  Anti-virus software scans everything that enters your computer, looking for these viruses. Spyware is software that tracks your computer activity, gathering information without your knowledge. Anti-spyware software blocks or removes spyware. You may obtain the anti-virus and anti-spyware software separately or as a package. For lists of security tools from legitimate security vendors, visit staysafeonline.org.

Use a Firewall: A firewall is a virtual barrier between your computer and the Internet. Everything coming into or leaving your computer must go through the firewall, which blocks anything that doesn’t meet specific security criteria. Before purchasing separate firewall hardware or software, check your operating system to see if there is a built-in firewall and whether it is turned on.

Update Operating System and Software Frequently: Computer and software companies frequently update their programs to include protection against new security threats. Update your operating system and software whenever new versions become available gives you an added measure of security. If available, activate automatic security updates so you will be alerted when updates are issued.

Avoid “Free” Security Scans: Be suspicious of an offer of a “free security scan,” especially when faced with an unexpected pop-up, email, or an ad that claims “malicious software” has been found on your computer.

Create and Protect Strong Passwords: Create strong email passwords and protect them with the following tips:

• The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack.  Use at least 10 characters.
• Mix letters, numbers, and special characters.  Try to be random – don’t use your name, birthdate, or common words.
• Don’t use the same password for different accounts.  If it’s stolen from you, it can be used to take over all your accounts.
• Don’t share passwords on the phone, in texts or by email.  Legitimate companies will not send you messages asking for your password.
• Keep your passwords in a secure place, out of plain sight.

Use a Pop-up Blocker: Don’t click on links or open attachments in emails unless you know what they are, even if the emails seem to be from friends or family.

Use the Spam Filter: Utilize your email program’s automatic spam filter, which reduces the number of unwelcome email messages that make it to your inbox. Delete, without opening, any spam or “junk mail” that gets through the filter.

Backup Important Data: Copy important files onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place. If your computer is compromised, you’ll still have access to your files.

 

 

Trends For Digital Success

With the continued rapid advancement of technology in the workplace we can expect changes in the way we work. Successful organizations are those which enable their people to accomplish more with technology. They create corporate cultures with new business processes which give employees the opportunity to adapt to advanced technology.

Key trends are imperative for digital success, reinforcing the fact that along with new technologies, people will be crucial to an organization’s success in the new digital landscape.

INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION-

The next wave of automation solutions will gather large volumes of data across a range of different systems to create solutions weaving systems, data and people together. With new high-value roles related to programming, monitoring and machine maintenance.Intelligent automation will be a launch pad for new employee growth and innovation allowing them to complete more value driven tasks.

LIQUID WORKFORCE-

Leading organisations will use technology to enable an adaptable, change-ready and responsive liquid workforce. GE recently introduced a new approach called FastWorks, eliminating rigid approval processes which previously prevented employees from making changes to their projects or quickly switching direction.

DIGITAL TRUST-

Digital risks like data breaches and improper data handling are pervasive and organizations need to establish digital trust with their employees and their customers.

Focusing solely on delivering better cyber security won’t be enough to gain the trust of individuals, ecosystems and regulators – leading organizations will need to make digital ethics a core part of their organization. Platforms like Apple Pay and Health Kit have strong cyber security and ethics embedded to give customers confidence their digital footprints are secure and private.

PREDICTABLE DISRUPTION

By predicting disruption, organizations will be able to create new opportunities for people. Take Visa, for example, which has partnered with Accenture to envision the future of the connected car, one which embeds commerce into the Internet of Things. Consumers are able to place grocery orders with a single touch on the car dashboard and, thanks to Bluetooth sensors, by the time they arrive at the store the payment is completed and the goods are ready to go

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