The impact of working from home on collaboration – WeWork COVID-19 has forced a large portion of the global workforce, including 42 per cent of the US workforce, to work from home. Many studies have concluded that employees are making it through this period without losing productivity or collaboration. However, those studies are not assessing ‘collaboration’ in detail. A deeper look at the nuances of collaboration – everything from informal watercooler chats to structured board meetings – highlights that employees are in fact struggling in many ways while working from home. In a detailed study, WeWork, in partnership with brightspot strategy, a research and engagement company, conducted a blind survey representative of professional office employees across the US, Canada, Mexico and the UK. The survey defined 10 various employee working styles (or ‘workstyles’) and assessed the impact of working from home on each type. Read more about the different workstyles. The workstyles varied based on how much one collaborates; with whom one collaborates; and how one socialises at work. Survey methodology The survey was launched and completed in July 2020. It asked professional office employees questions about their experiences working from the office (before the COVID-19 lockdown) as well as from home (during COVID-19). More than 600 responses were collected across six regions: the Eastern, Central and Western U.S.; Toronto and Montreal, Canada; Mexico City, Mexico; and London, England. The survey identified collaboration in three ways: the ability to meet and brainstorm; the ability to maintain social relationships; and the ability to have unplanned interactions. Respondents were asked to rate their ability to have different collaborative interactions, and their outcomes, on a scale from 1 to 5, both while in the office and while working from home. The difference between the ratings of working in the office and working from home was calculated to understand the per cent drop in performance. Key findings The ability to meet and brainstorm has dropped an average of 11 per cent for all workstyles since they began working from home. For employees whose roles rely on collaboration, the drop is even larger, ranging from 13-15 per cent. The ability to maintain social relationships has declined an average of 17 per cent for all workstyles since working from home. For employees who have close ties to their colleagues as well as those who struggle to socialise in the office, the drop is even larger, ranging from 20–26 per cent. The ability to have unplanned interactions has dropped the most, at 25 per cent on average, for all workstyles since working from home. For employees who collaborate in close-knit team environments, the decline is even larger, as high as 40 per cent. The vast majority (90 per cent) of people want to return to the office at least one day a week. Twenty per cent of that group wants to return five days a week. Click here to read the full report with more details about the 10 workstyle profiles and results by workstyle, region and industry. In the workplace, innovation, creativity and organisational health hinges on successful collaboration. A loss of these outcomes will hinder sustained business performance, employee engagement and organisational health in the long run. ‘The global work-from-home movement… could actually generate a worldwide productivity slump and threaten economic growth for many years,’ says Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom. He highlights the correlation between in-person collaboration and innovation, and is concerned how “the new ideas we are losing today could show up as fewer new products in 2021 and beyond, lowering long-run growth’. Remote work also hinders long-term organisation culture. This is most clearly seen when looking at new employees. Remote tools can facilitate informational onboarding sessions but fail to support nuanced engagements in which new employees can apply their signature strengths or express their genuine selves. New employees may also feel removed from the company culture. Many employees – new and old – are experiencing social isolation. Without the ability to create or maintain social relationships, company culture and long-term organisational health suffer. In addition, one of the biggest impacts of working from home has been the lack of unplanned interactions. This negatively impacts creativity, innovation and the overall organisational social fabric. Spontaneous encounters spark ideation and strengthen organisations. These interactions are often held during break periods, before or after meetings, in the hallway or at communal amenity points throughout the office. This type of collaboration during unplanned interaction stimulates creativity, which leads to innovation. Daily interactions that move between work-focused and social-focused conversations contribute to overall group cohesion. Without such spontaneous encounters, many of these benefits are lost. Understanding the powerful long-term negative impacts of reduced innovation, organisational culture and creativity, our survey was structured to assess the ways in which collaboration impacted these outcomes. Which employees struggle the most working from home? Among all 10 workstyles we defined, the ones who have had a difficult time collaborating while working from home are: Collaboratives (people who spend more than 65 per cent of their time working with others), Internals (those who spend more than 62 per cent of their time working with other internal employees, as opposed to vendors or external clients), and Tribes (people who socialise with their team but are less likely to prioritise expanding those connections across an organisation). These three workstyles have struggled to maintain social relationships, build trust, collaborate and remain connected with colleagues while working from home. What’s more, these workstyles account for 14–46 per cent of the professional office employee population. Internals make up 46 per cent of the work-from-home workforce – approximately 25 million employees in the US, 5 million in Mexico City, 3.1 million in Canada, and 1.24 million employees in London – and are the group most impacted by working from home, among all workstyle types we surveyed. Collaboratives are struggling to do the work Collaboratives are able to maintain social relationships while working from home but are less able to effectively collaborate with colleagues on work projects. When interacting with

Trade without Travel It’s Trade Jim, but not as we know it! The escalation of COVID-19 over the past weeks has had a profound impact upon every element of society. The word which has been quoted most in conversations I’ve had with colleagues, clients, friends andfamily in recent days, is surreal – an overwhelming sense that those things that we once held as normal may never quite be the same again. The decade post the global financial crisis has been a buoyant one for global trade, with trade growth consistently surpassing overall GDP growth in the 2010-2018 period. Over this time, global trade benefitedfrom a number of accelerators – the growth of emerging markets driving not just their own export volumes, but providing new markets for others to serve their growing industrial and consumer bases; theon-set of the information age which made it easier for exporters to identify markets for their goods, as well as increasing global connectivity brought about by the growth in capacity and routes within the globaltravel transport sector. The last couple of years had presented a reality check; a slowing in global growth, a ramping-up of trade disputes, and a populist attach on the benefits of globalism. And then COVID-19 arrived. We are beginning to see changes in behaviour that we believe may be long-lasting, and political and policy changes taking shape that we predict will fundamentally re-shape international trade in the post COVID-19 world. Below are initial OCO’s predictions. We’ll doubtless evolve and refine these as we move through this period. We don’t expect things to be the same again. Love thy neighbourFor several centuries, international trade was influenced by two predominant factors: cultural association and proximity between trading partners. Globalisation of the last quarter century changed that, andsupply chains have increasingly lengthened in a relentless drive to reduce costs. Post COVID-19, we predict companies will actively seek to shorten supply chains to manage risk, and to enable them to reinstate elements of both flexibility and control (e.g. intellectual property) that havebeen sacrificed. Whilst globalisation will remain, we expect to see greater regionalisation of supply chains. Drown out the crowd Fuelled by lower costs of international travel, visitor experiences more akin to rock concerts, and relentless marketing targeting to our innate FOMO (fear of missing out), the global trade show circuit hasbecome must-attend events. Despite the hype, our client’s experiences are invariably mixed about trade shows. Too many times, clients have commented that desired meetings didn’t take place, the volume of deals weren’t as expected andthe total cost in time and expenses was not worth it. As the trade show industry is shuttered for the foreseeable future, we expect it to play a smaller role post COVID-19. Trade goes Tinder There is a significant opportunity to leverage and interpret data, connect buyers and sellers digitally to create a global marketplace that would be substantially more efficient and drive better outcomes fortrading partners. We estimate that such a system could improve margins for companies in the post COVID-19 world. You got a friend In the new world, we predict collaborations will increase. This will likely take multiple forms. The current emphasis on ventilator production demonstrates that companies can support each other and create valuethrough partnerships, IP and technology transfer as much as the physical export of product. We also predict that point-to-point collaborations between regions or sector clusters will increase as exportersembrace shortened supply chains and a more targeted. In fact, OCO are already seeing examples of these collaborations emerging between clients in all parts of the globe.Over the coming days and weeks, we will be sharing insights from across our global markets as developments progress, on our latest page and on social. The Future Of International Trade Is Far From Terminal It would be easy and almost justified to give up on international trade with the dark clouds of Brexit hovering above and the distant thunder of Trump’s tariffs reverberating ever louder day by day. With allthe uncertainty, it’s not without merit to ask if the return is worth the risk. Well, fortunately, I have been lucky to have some recent experiences that reinforce why global trade is good for the soul as well as forbusiness.The benefits of market diversification, currency hedging, economies of scale and others are well documented, but the human element of personal enrichment is mostly overlooked. I hope by sharingsome of my recent experiences, it will shine some rays of light through the grey skies and bring back some meaning to the madness. 36 hours in Tunis airport transit lounge. A kindly reminder to renew my seldom used Irish passport! Suited and booted but confined to a transit lounge with metal benches for a bed and some fairly limited food options, it wasn’t the evening I had planned for! Yet from adversity came light. On hearing my situation, one of my clients in Tunis who had just returned from Tokyo that day, promptly made up some sandwiches and made his way to the airport and got security to hand deliver them along with his coat, to serve as my blanket for the evening. A Lifesaver! I can’t imagine anyone doing the same at Heathrow. In the same week, we secured a listing for a wonderful entrepreneur based in Tunis; Cotswold Fayre, a leading UK food distributor for independent retail stores. Having never exported before and selling primarily through her delightful shop, The CEO was naturally nervous about making this leap. We supported her through the registration process and the logistical challenges and in the end, she created the most elegant packaging for her delightful pates de fruits, coming to a shop near you this Christmas. Our support meant a lot to her, but really, we were the beneficiaries of seeing an entrepreneur grow in confidence and realise her potential. In January, we started working with a small Irish business that is bringing digital transformation to how care is delivered to people with learning disabilities, helping them achieve independence and get

Keep Moving to Improve your Wellbeing at Work There is one basic yet attainable change that every employee can do to help promote better wellbeing: movement. It’s very unhealthy to sit down for extended periods as it can increase spine pressure and reduce enzymes responsible for burning fat. To build movement into your work day, consider using a height adjustable desk or setting reminders on your phone or computer to take regular breaks. As you read this, what is your posture like? Are you balanced on a kitchen bar stool at home or sitting crooked at your office desk? It’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits throughout the working day, such as slouching or not taking enough breaks. If you’re working from home, the temptation to work long hours only amplifies the problem, which can lead to fatigue, stress and potentially burnout. But sometimes the source of the problem is mechanical in nature. If your office chair doesn’t provide the right support, or if your desk is too high or low, it can cause additional health problems such as neck and back pain. A workplace that promotes wellbeing requires much more than just good chairs; there are 7 dimensions of workplace wellness that range from the physical to the emotional, and each dimension can be addressed in different ways in the workplace. In the meantime, there is one basic yet attainable change that every employee can do to help promote better wellbeing: movement. Movement and Mobility For some time, the threat of ‘sitting is the new smoking’ has been the call to action for workplaces, and with the line between work and home life virtually nonexistent, it’s essential for people to create as much movement in their working day as possible. “Moving is critical. Move around between calls, take breaks, or walk to work” ADRIAN MCCLENAGH, HUMANSCALE (SPEAKING AT FUTURE WORKTECH FORUM 2020) “Remember to adjust your position as often as you can,” said Adrian McClenagh, Managing Consultant for workplace design and furniture manufacturer Humanscale, who spoke at the recent Future WorkTech Forum 2020. “It’s very unhealthy to sit down for extended periods. It increases spine pressure and reduces enzymes responsible for burning fat. “Moving is critical. Move around between calls, take breaks, or walk to work if you can.” Suggested Reading: 4 Ways to Combat Back Pain as a Remote Worker Adjustable height desks can help create movement throughout the day as workers can mix up their sitting and standing time. If you have an adjustable height desk, McClenagh advises the following mix of sitting and standing: “In every half hour period, sit for 20 minutes, stand for 8 mins, and spend 2 minutes walking or stretching. Do at least 2 sit-stand transitions every hour.” For homes or workplaces that don’t have adjustable height desks, you can still build movement into your day. Set reminders on your smartphone or use a free app, such as Stretchly, Stand Up!, or Stretching Exercises at Home. Guide to a Healthier Home Workplace For those times when you do have to sit in front of a screen, make sure your workstation is adjusted to the correct height and angle. Humanscale’s 11-point guide to a healthy workstation offers the following advice: When Sitting: 1. Raise or lower the seat to ensure your thighs are parallel to the floor with your feet flat on the floor or a footrest.2. Adjust seat pan depth to maintain two inches of clearance between the back of your knees and the front edge of the seat.3. Adjust backrest height to comfortably fit the small of your back.4. Adjust the recline tension, if necessary, to support varying degrees of recline throughout the day. Avoid the use of recline locks.5. Lean back and relax in your chair to allow the backrest to support your upper body. When Typing: 6. Use an articulating keyboard support and position it 1 to 1.5 inches above your thighs. Angle the keyboard away from your body to keep wrists straight while typing. Rest your palms—not your wrists—on a palm support. Using a Mouse: 7. Position your mouse close to the keyboard or over the numeric keypad to minimize reaching. Avoid anchoring your wrist on the desk. Instead, glide the heel of your palm over the mousing surface and use your entire arm to mouse. Head Position: 8. Position the monitor at least an arm’s length away with the top line of text at or slightly below eye level. Tilt the monitor away from you so your line of sight is perpendicular to the monitor. Lighting: 9. Position a task light to the side opposite your writing hand. Shine it on paper documents but away from computer monitors to reduce glare. Alignment: 10. Align the monitor and spacebar with the midline of your body and arrange frequently used work tools within easy reach. Prop reference documents between your body and the monitor with an in-line document holder. Rest: 11. Take two or three 30- to 60-second breaks each hour to allow your body to recover from periods of repetitive stress. Like Tweet Share Share Share

Be Like Water: The Bruce Lee Approach to Building a Resilient Organization Organizations that do not adapt, simply do not survive. It’s a norm that applies to humans and businesses alike. Reality is that more than 52% of companies listed on Fortune 500 have disappeared since 2000 due to their inability to adapt to the digital age. Resilient organizations can pursue digital innovations with greater confidence and speed because of their proactive and adaptive approach to cybersecurity. Cybercrime to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021 According to State of Cybercrime 2017 report, Cybercrime damage costs to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021 which will be more profitable than the global trade of all illegal drugs combined. Cyber criminals, always look for the weak entry points which typically involve exploiting new technologies and/or people. Because technology is changing faster than ever before and users are barely able to keep up, attackers have plenty of possibilities. More than ever, it’s important for organizations and internet users to rethink the way they approach security to counter new type of attacks. The Bruce Lee adaptive approach to cybersecurity: Be like Water Besides being well-known for his one-inch punch, Bruce Lee was also known for his outstanding philosophy and wisdom. Organizations and users can adapt Bruce Lee’s lessons, when approaching security. “You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Be like water my friend” Bruce Lee Accordingly, I have developed the Bruce Lee approach of adaptive security and mapped it to the cybersecurity cycle: Predict, Protect, Detect and Respond. 1. Predict: “Be Self-aware, rather than a repetitious robot”, Bruce Lee Don’t make false assumptions. The first part of a security strategy relies on uncovering your risks and uncovering your weak spots. Being self-aware is key to properly predict your opponent. 2. Protect: “Obey the principles without being bound by them” , Bruce Lee The fundamentals of security must be implemented before success can be attained. One common mistake is to rely mainly on security appliances to cover all of your bases. Reality is that technology changes all the time. Therefore, risk management must be agile enough to overcome traditional boundaries and absorb new threats. 3. Detect: “ Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light” , Bruce Lee Ignorance has no place in cybersecurity. Visibility is critical to reduce the time to detect an incident. Therefore, 24×7 real time monitoring is needed to detect threats, isolate incidents and contain them. 4. Respond: “A quick temper will make a food of you soon enough” , Bruce Lee Investigate breaches, analyze them, mitigate the damage and LEARN. A good fighter learns about his enemy prior to reacting. Building a resilient digital organization. The Bruce Lee adaptive security approach will help organizations develop a fluid cybersecurity operation that will support their digital transformation. This approach needs to be supported by an organizational culture that will encourage people to work, make decisions with security in mind. After all, technologies and processes will change faster than ever to cope with our fast pace environment, the only remaining constant are the people. It’s time for organizations to adopt the way of the dragon and “Be like Water”. Thank you Bruce, Checkmate! Source : https://checkmate.blog/2018/08/30/be-like-water-the-bruce-lee-approach-to-building-a-resilient-organization/ Like Tweet Share Share Share

Future of Work: How the Iot, Ai, and Robotics Can Help Keep Workplaces Clean and Safe Cleaning and sanitization are now a top priority for organizations hoping to reopen their workplaces and help workers feel comfortable going back into the office. Emerging technologies like the IoT, artificial intelligence, and robotics can help improve cleaning processes and procedures by making them much more efficient. Using technology to clean and sanitize the workplace environment can help reduce and slower the spread of viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Source – https://allwork.space/2020/05/future-of-work-how-the-iot-ai-and-robotics-can-help-keep-workplaces-clean-and-safe/ As governments lift lockdowns and companies prepare the workplace to welcome back workers, technology could prove to be a key ally in keeping workplaces cleaner and safer. Cleaning and sanitization are now a top priority for organizations hoping to reopen their workplaces and help workers feel comfortable going back into the office. Naturally, improving cleaning and sanitization processes will require time, effort, and money. Luckily, emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics can help make the process much easier, efficient, and less time-consuming for workers. Over the past five years, humans have been increasingly working alongside new technology such as robots, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. The post-pandemic world will offer a new area of opportunity for such collaboration. Having an interconnected cleaning and sanitization system will enable more efficient protocols and procedures, while saving resources (mainly time and money). Below are some of the potential applications of technology to drive cleaning and sanitization, therefore creating a much safer workplace environment for workers. The IoT By enabling smart lighting, smart temperature changes, and smart access, among many other things, the IoT can help keep workplaces clean and safe by reducing the amount of touch points a person has during a regular working day. Furthermore, sensors and tracking capabilities of the IoT, combined with artificial intelligence, can help organizations determine high traffic areas or times during the day when certain areas (like bathrooms) are used the most. This data can be valuable so that organizations can make a more informed decision of how often certain areas should be cleaned and whether there’s a time of day cleaning should be increased. In the example of the bathroom, a cleaner (human or robot) could be sent to clean and sanitize the bathroom after 50 people have used it or during a specific time frame. Such data can also help organizations identify days of the week when traffic decreases and therefore when cleaning procedures do not need to take place as often as usual. Bear in mind that with the IoT, the more “things” that are connected, the better the information and data available. Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool for organizations as they seek to improve their cleaning and sanitization practices. One area that artificial intelligence can be beneficial is in layout and space planning. As organizations adapt their workplaces to maintain physical distancing, artificial intelligence, combined with sensors and tracking capabilities, can help identify high and low traffic areas and help create a more efficient floor plan and desk distribution. When combined with the IoT, artificial intelligence can be used to ensure that organizations keep a stock of cleaning supplies and it can inform management when a supply is about to run out, it can notify people when an area is ready to be used again (i.e. a meeting room that has been cleaned and disinfected), and it can notify people when an area has been contaminated, and it can notify a cleaner that an area needs to be cleaned. Another potential use case is AI-handwashing, which could help detect insufficient or incorrect hand-washing practices. Robotics Basically, robots could be doing the dirty work for organizations as robots tend to perform extremely well in repetitive tasks (such as cleaning). Robots could be used to scrub or sweep floors, clean surfaces, disinfect common areas, clean touchpoints, clean bathrooms, and more while providing real-time data on performance and analytics. One notable advantage of using robots to clean is that it reduces or eliminates human exposure to bacteria, viruses, and allergens. Like Tweet Share Share Share

How Technology Can Help Create Healthy Buildings According to the WHO, a healthy building is a space that supports our physical, psychological, and social health and wellbeing. Healthy buildings are good for people and they are good for business, as they can help organizations reduce costs and improve company performance. With the help of smart technology and design, healthy buildings can enable a safe return to the workplace. Source – https://allwork.space/2020/07/how-technology-can-help-create-healthy-buildings/ The big question many organizations face today is how can workers safely return to the office? While new guidelines and protocols are a key component of a safe return to the workplace, an element that is front and center in these strategies is a healthy building. A recent webinar from MIT and EY discussed what healthy buildings are, the role they can play in combating coronavirus and other diseases, and some of the key design and technology features that can power these types of buildings. The panel of speakers included Selina Short, EY Global Real Estate; Dr Andrea Chegut, Director MIT Real Estate Innovation Lab; Erik Umlauf, Managing Director JP Morgan Chase & Co; Michael Norton, Head of Real Estate Operations JP Morgan Chase & Co; and Elizabeth Brink, Principal at Gensler. From the get-go, panelists stated that the coronavirus pandemic will have a tremendous impact on our buildings and the future of work. To this end, panelists unpicked the features of healthy buildings and the role that automation can play in powering healthy buildings. What are healthy buildings? The World Health Organization defines healthy buildings as: “A healthy building is a space that supports the physical, psychological, and social health and well-being of people.” Research has found that healthy buildings offer a variety of benefits and can help alleviate several issues. Indoor health: the average American spends upwards of 87% of their time in enclosed buildings. Productivity: there is a correlation between lower ventilation rates and higher instances of short-term sick leave. Chronic disease: by 2030, a projected 52 million people will die due to chronic diseases caused by poor lifestyle. Air pollution gains: $25 to $150 billion estimate in annual savings and productivity gains from improved indoor environments. In other words, healthy buildings not only improve the overall health and well-being of the end user, but they can also help organizations reduce costs and improve company performance. Healthy buildings are good for people and they are good for business. 9 key design features of healthy buildings Ergonomic furnishing Natural daylight Operable shading Natural views Green purchasing policies No asbestos Fitness rooms Indoor air quality No smoking policy How design can impact healthy buildings Careful workplace design can help create healthy buildings in various ways. Organizations will need to redesign their spaces with density in mind. They can set aside floor areas as experimental rooms where individuals can learn new behaviors; these rooms allow them to simulate interactions and test how people will respond to these changes. Another important component of design moving forward will be how indoor environments can have access to outside air flow. According to panelists, fresh, clean air can help maintain healthier environments and it can help dilute the human-to-human passage of air-borne elements. Last but not least, design will play a key role in the creation of a touchless workplace; this can be achieved by using smart materials and implementing new technologies. 6 key technologies that can help create and maintain healthy buildings Robots. Experts expect demand rises for robotics applications that can detect, sanitize, clean, and conduct deliveries in public spaces such as office buildings. IoT sensors. Building managers can implement IoT strategies to enhance sanitation and health-related monitoring procedures in public spaces. Some use cases include the use of sensors to perform infrared scans, pinpoint crisis locations, and send alerts. Big data. Just as there will be an increased demand for robotics, there will be a rise in demand for enhanced analytics that enable organizations to track and monitor high risk public incidents. Big data also provides companies with perfect opportunities to perform modeling studies that can help guide policymakers and building construction. AI and algorithms. In addition to enhancing detection and diagnosis of COVID-19, AI and deep learning can be used to further understand how users move through environments and iterate on more efficient layouts. Wearable trackables. Office-sponsored wearable trackables coupled with algorithms will allow daily symptom tracking like overall body temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate, which can help organizations better understand early warning signs of infections and identify potential virus carriers. Digital twin. A Digital twin can show us in real-time how users can securely and meaningfully interact with each other and, in doing so, create secure, scalable, and adoptable digital ecosystems. Like Tweet Share Share Share

Future of Work: Covid-19 Reveals Cybersecurity Threats in Digital Transformation Efforts The coronavirus outbreak forced many organizations to implement work from home policies immediately. The move has revealed a serious gap in digital transformation preparedness, particularly as it relates to cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is as much an IT issue as it is an HR issue; organizations need to ensure that they have the right infrastructure in place, but also that they have and enforce the right policies and processes to protect their employees and important data. Source – https://allwork.space/2020/04/future-of-work-covid-19-reveals-cybersecurity-threats-in-digital-transformation-efforts/ As people increasingly work from home in the hopes of stopping the spread of COVID-19, organizations have been met with the challenge to embrace and implement digital tools in little to no time. The global experiment to work remotely has revealed that few organizations have been working on their digital transformation preparedness. And this has come at a high price. Cyber attacks have been on the rise as more people work from home. A worrying trend, as organizations have previously cited security’s role in digital transformation as a potential risk. In fact, a recent survey found that cybersecurity was the #2 technology priority in terms of investment for organizations in 2019. While the above is an IT challenge, the reality is that digital transformation efforts have failed, in large part, because leaders forget that digital transformation is also an HR issue. In an interview with Allwork.Space, Tony Saldanha stated that digital transformation requires the “rewiring of organizational management and individuals to accommodate emerging technologies that are changing the way we work and live.” In a recent article Aaron Mauro, Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Brock University, argues that: “Cybersecurity is a human problem: the person at the screen or keyboard is always the weakest point in any technical system. Attackers will use a set of techniques — broadly described as social engineering — to trick us into divulging sensitive information.” In other words, cybersecurity attacks can be prevented in two ways: By ensuring your organization has the right infrastructure, tools, and processes in place to protect employees and data. By training employees on how to use emerging technologies, how to follow processes, and teaching them basic cybersecurity housekeeping skills. While the coronavirus outbreak didn’t give companies much time to set up your IT infrastructure to best support work from home practices, organizations should take the time to walk employees through how to set up a secure home network, how to identify suspicious sites, and how to protect company/client data while working from home. The issue of cybersecurity becomes even much more of a challenge when organizations are not able to provide employees with their own work device and, instead, encourage workers to use their own personal devices. Cybersecurity Tips for Companies and Employees For Companies Provide workers with company owned devices. Provide workers with access to a VPN. Have strict processes in place on how to log in to the company network, how to share information with stakeholders, and what types of networks employees are allowed to use. Provide easy to digest cybersecurity information to all remote employees. Create and enforce password policies (using an uppercase letter, using numbers, using symbols, minimum length, etc.). Consider encouraging people to change their passwords regularly. Provide online security training, even if it has to be done virtually. Consider implementing two-factor authentication when possible. Ensure that company emails have a robust spam filter setup, this will decrease the possibility of an employee falling victim to a phishing attack. Remind employees to keep all software and remote collaboration tools updated. Create a quick response guideline should anyone fall prey to a cybersecurity attack. For Employees Ensure your home network is secure. Turn off your Bluetooth, particularly in public places and when there’s no need for it. Double-check the sender of emails, particularly if they’re asking you to download anything or click on a link. Use a VPN. Ensure you’ve installed and updated any antivirus software. Update any software, platform, and application you use for work. Encrypt and password protect company files that you need to send. If you need help, reach out to your company’s IT team. Inform your IT team immediately if your device has been compromised or if you suspect you’ve been a victim to a cyber attack. Install trustworthy anti-malware software on your device. Use multi-factor authentication. Like Tweet Share Share Share

Interview with Dr. Mattheus F. A. Goosen 1. How has COVID 19 changed the future for education sector? What has been the biggest challenge for this sector in these times of crisis? In the past it was basically all in-person teaching and on-line teaching was frowned upon by many academics. Now virtual teaching and hybrid teaching has become the new normal. Band width for good connectivity and learning how to lecture wearing masks have been challenges for many academics. Furthermore, new regulations are being developed on how to deal with students who may have been infected by being in contact with a COVID 19 positive individual. How do we know if a student is telling the truth or if the student is just trying to get out of writing a test or exam. At Alfaisal University we have hybrid teaching so students have to come to labs part of the time as well as to some of the in-person lectures. 2. How has technology changed operations for all aspects of the education industry? If COVID 19 had hit 20 years ago then the education sector would not have been able to handle it. However today due to developments in IT and increased bandwidth & speed such as 5G, the education industry was able to adjust relatively quickly. This includes, students, faculty, administrators & support staff. 3. According to you which area of education sector will witness maximum use of emerging technology in the next 5 years? Lecturing, student presentations including graduate thesis defences, report writing, and possible online exams will all see maximum use in the next 5 years 4. As the crisis imposes immense setback for teachers to impart knowledge, how do you think their concerns and wellbeing can be addressed? Hybrid teaching which is a combination of mainly virtual teaching and limited in-person teaching is the new normal. Social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands must be practised by all to help allay fears. There is also the concern of students who have senior family members at home with underlying medical conditions. Faculty & administrators must be transparent in showing how everyone is being protected thru quarantines where necessary. It is crucial to be sensitive to student concerns.. 5. How do you think attendees will benefit from Saudi Education Technology Summit? Attendees will benefit from the Saudi Education Technology Summit by being able to compare what has worked well & what has not worked so well with respect to online/virtual teaching. Like Tweet Share Share Share

Interview with Krishnan Gopi 1. How has COVID 19 changed the future for education sector? What has been the biggest challenge for this sector in these times of crisis? COVID-19 has accelerated the need for technology-enabled education – something that will define the future of education. The paradigm shift that we are witnessing in how we learn is expected to continue long after the end of the pandemic, which has served as a catalyst for positive disruptive change to improve how teaching and learning take place. There is a growing awareness among educators and families that today’s curriculum needs to evolve to meet tomorrow’s reality. Moving away from the conventional patterns of teaching and learning, thedigital age is witnessing a sea change in the way teachers are teaching and students are assimilating information. The biggest challenge faced by the education sector has been the ability to quickly transition to remote learning. Building an effective remote learning capability is not an overnight job – it involves thoughtful planning with continuous investment in the right set of tools, processes, technology and teaching capabilities and, above all, embracing a culture of change. 2. How has technology changed operations for all aspects of the education industry? COVID-19 has brought about a paradigm shift in the way industries operate. The pandemic has accelerated digital adoption by 3-5 years. With teaching now online, parents’ receptibility to alternative learning methods has increased. This means technology-enabled teaching is increasingly in focus as compared to face-to-face learning. Furthermore, with many organisations moving to a “work from home” model, school operations are being managed online with an increased usage of collaboration and communication tools. With a reduction in footfall at school premises given the current situation, digital adoption is on the rise. 3. According to you which area of education sector will witness maximum use of emerging technology in the next 5 years? Looking ahead, it is conceivable that the number of subjects and classes offered in schools may be adjusted because of blended learning or online school provisions gaining increasing prominence. Classroom time may be more productively utilised for in-person activities, face-to-face discussions, etc. We also anticipate that blended learning and online schools will become a permanent part of the education landscape and their presence will continue to grow. In future, we will see the rise of personalisation and competency-based education. Students will not be confined to the physical classroom and time-based, grade-level progression. Simulations, virtual reality and AI-based personalised learning will gain traction as students develop critical thinking skills in a collaborative environment. 4. As the crisis imposes immense setback for teachers to impart knowledge, how do you think their concerns and wellbeing can be addressed? As teaching shifts to increasingly online models, the concerns and wellbeing of teachers must be a priority as they look to balance the different demands both at work and at home. First, it is important to understand the cultural mindset required for remote learning, as it is strikingly different for traditional learning. The teacher’s role requires adaptability on a regular basis to navigate the demands of their everyday work in schools and classrooms. Teachers should be provided training to ensure they make the best use of the available resources across various collaboration and communication tools. Centralised technology helpdesks should be established to provide appropriate technical support. Plans that promote teacher wellbeing should be devised, and these should include advice on topics such as stress-management. Online teacher support groups can also be useful in promoting an understanding of the causes of stress and suggesting ways to overcome them. 5. How do you think attendees will benefit from Saudi Education Technology Summit? Attendees at Saudi Education Technology Summit will benefit from the expertise and learnings of education and technology thought leaders and institutions – those who are at the forefront of using advanced technologies to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. With leading professionals sharing their ideas, experiences and solutions, the event is an ideal platform to learn directly from industry leaders. Like Tweet Share Share Share

Interview with Sahar Al Marzouki 1. How has COVID 19 changed the future of the education sector? What has been the biggest challenge for this sector in these times of crisis? COVID 19 has benefited the education sector in many ways by opening up opportunities for new learning ways. Even when we return to the classrooms, educational technology and online learning will continue to be integrated into our school systems much more than it was before. The biggest challenge for the sector has been teacher training. Many educators were not exposed to much technology before and were forced to make a quick transition. How has technology changed operations for all aspects of the education industry? Accessibility and flexibility of communication. For example, students can easily message teachers or classmates through technology instead of waiting for the next class period. Educational technology has enabled teachers and administrators an easy direct line of daily communication with parents, and parents can now monitor their students’ day-to-day progress and school life. Technology has also allowed administrators to monitor classrooms to ensure teaching quality and offer assistance where needed. Furthermore, technology has greatly assisted in the admissions procedures, enabling online registrations, remote entrance exams,and Ministry tracking systems, which all promote efficiency and quality in the education system. 2. Which area of the education sector do you think will witness the maximum use of emerging technology in the next five years? Technology previously has played a larger role in higher education – offering distance degree and training programs. With the present pandemic situation, the doors to online learning for everyone has opened, and we will see a lot of technological advances and applications for primary and secondary schools. Teachers and administrators see the many benefits of technology in the classroom, such as a more active synthesis of learning materials and more flexibility for learners. Both teachers and administrators should become more comfortable with technology, integrate it into our education system, and obtain such an important tool’s advantages. 3. The present COVID 19 crisis imposes immense setback for teachers to impart knowledge. How do you think their concerns and well-being are to be addressed? It is vital to ensure a continuous conversation between teachers and administrators through informal chat groups, immediately address any problems or concerns, and listen to the teachers’ suggestions as they work in real-time/real-world situations. It is crucial that the administrators support their teachers with proper training, listen to their concerns, and make them central to developing and refining strategies. The presence of a “we’re in this all together” attitude instead of teachers commanded to implement admin decisions they may not be comfortable with goes a long way. 4. How do you think attendees will benefit from Saudi Education Technology Summit? Through the Saudi Technology Summit, we will all benefit by sharing our experiences, ideas, and solutions to KSA’s unique situation. This way, we will develop coordinated strategies and policies and effective response across all education sectors in the Kingdom Like Tweet Share Share Share