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Working Smart Erasmus+
Should the Smart Work managers be digitally literate and able to deal with digital security and trust issues, as well as critical changes in their work environment?
Digital literacy
When we talk about smart work from a manager's perspective, we find that there are issues related to digital literacy. The operation of a remote working environment depends on the existence of a technological infrastructure, both in terms of hardware and software. The technological infrastructure is important both for the existence of communication between people in a company and for their efficient collaboration. The owner, manager or human resource manager of an organisation should possess a set of basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to understand and deal with any glitches related to digital technology.
The advancement of digital tools is constant which makes it very important for managers to be aware of this development. Managers should therefore be able to search and find, process, analyse and critically evaluate information. They should also know how to orient in published (available) and unpublished information, to identify lack of knowledge in a specific field the organisation's security management policy and its implications for engagement with customers, suppliers and subcontractors.
Cyber-security
Security issues are very important in a working environment based on the extensive use of digital technology. Managers need to be familiar with information security best practices and standards, critical risks for information security management, the ICT internal audit approach, security detection techniques, including mobile and digital, and cyber-attack techniques and countermeasures. An information security policy is needed to improve cyber-security in a company.
An information security policy is a document that details the rules, expectations, and overall approach that a company uses to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its data. Confidentiality ensures that information is accessible only by authorized individuals, integrity ensures that information is reliable and trustworthy throughout its lifecycle, availability ensures that data is available and accessible to support business needs.
An information security policy communicates the intent of the company with regards to information security and security awareness. It contains goals and objectives that guide security strategy, providing clear guidance for when policy exceptions are granted, and by whom. The policy needs to be aligned with the business goals and culture of the company. Information security policies must be firstly accepted by the senior management of the company and then need to be communicated to employees, updated regularly, and enforced consistently. Every information security policy should include a scope of applicability that clearly states to who the policy applies. This can refer to the geographic region, business unit, job role, or any other organizational concept.
Trust
Managers should also help to create a trusting environment in which they work. They should have the ability to build trust by being seen as honest, consistent and fair when using digital tools. They should create a transparent communication space, support the development of mutual trust by setting realistic expectations, reinforce the organisation's values through role models, rewards and sanctions, and ethics communication to set the moral tone of the organisation and promote social justice, diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace. Trust is one of the key elements of any effective team, and it is very crucial in remote teams too in order to establish an inclusive work environment. Building an environment of trust, collaboration and communication with remote colleagues, can be the difference between failure and success in a company.
Change
Rapid technological development is causing constant changes in the working environment. The use of digital technology is essential to help individuals, teams and organisations manage change. First, initiatives are needed in a company or an organization to plan and implement change. It should then be possible to monitor the course of changes occurring within the organisational structure of an enterprise. Finally, an evaluation of all the changes proposed and implemented is required in order to examine the degree of success of the initiative. A systematic approach is needed to deal with the transformation of an organisation's goals, processes or technologies. For the above reasons, managers should be able to effectively manage change initiatives through digital technologies, use digital technologies to monitor organisational change and evaluate change initiatives.
Grant Agreement: 2021-1-FR01-KA220-VET-000025901
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