Expert Opinion: Digital Spring cleaning for your business

Stockport IT service provider, CTRL-S explains how digital Spring cleaning can help make your business more efficient and secure.

Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes inspiration for many to declutter their homes. Clearing out the old and making space for the new is just as beneficial for businesses, both the office and their digital infrastructure.

A cluttered digital environment can be detrimental to many key areas of operations, such as efficiency, increased security risk and productivity. A study has shown that employees spend 25% of their time searching for information needed to do their job. This is due to a variety of factors but typically due to the number of applications and processes needed to operate a single business function.

Digital decluttering is more than just deleting a few files; it’s a strategic process to clean up business data and digital systems. It leads to overall smoother operations and a reduction on security vulnerabilities.

The Importance of Regular Digital Cleaning

Neglecting your digital hygiene can have far-reaching negative consequences for your business. Some key benefits of performing a digital declutter include:

Improved Efficiency: Just like cluttered filing cabinets, a cluttered digital environment slows down systems and processes and hinders productivity. Streamlining your digital assets allows quicker access to information and smoother workflows.

Reduced Security Risks: Untidy digital spaces are a breeding ground for security vulnerabilities because they typically include outdated applications, forgotten user accounts or systems, and unnecessary data. Outdated software often lacks crucial security patches, leaving your systems susceptible to cyber threats. Unused accounts are the ideal entry point for cybercriminals, as changes made to them typically go undetected. This, along with an excess of unnecessary data, increases the potential and the impact of a data breach.

Smoother Operations: Using outdated, disjointed or malfunctioning systems can lead to frustration, delays and disruptions to daily operations. Ensuring your software and hardware are up to date and optimised allows your team to focus on core business activities and minimise the risk of downtime and technical glitches.

Cost savings: Identifying and cancelling unused or unnecessary subscriptions, deleting unnecessary data in cloud storage and streamlining workflows can reduce recurring IT expenses.

Actionable Tips for Decluttering Your Digital Workspace

See below our top tips for spring cleaning your own and your business’s digital environment:

Devices, Software and Applications:

• Identify, upgrade and uninstall: Audit operating systems and software, updating all necessary software and your operating system and uninstalling all unnecessary software.
• Review subscriptions: Review online service subscriptions and cancel those that are no longer required.
• Show your tech some love: perform TLC on your devices to keep it in peak shape for longer. This can include steps like cleaning, adapting charging habit or physical protection. For more tips, see our article, ‘Show your Tech Some Love’.

User Accounts and Permissions

• Regularly review: Conduct periodic reviews of user accounts and remove access for former employees or inactive users to enhance security.
• Implement least privilege: Ensure your current team only have access to the data and systems necessary for their specific roles.

Email Management:

• Ruthlessly unsubscribe: Take the time to unsubscribe from promotions, marketing emails and newsletters you no longer read
• Embrace collaboration tools: Utilise platforms like Microsoft Teams for internal discussions and collaboration platforms like SharePoint to reduce reliance on email for internal communication and file transfer.
• Organise and automate effectively: Set up rules to automatically sort incoming emails, create logical categories and folder structures and delete the old, freeing your mailbox of clutter.

Data and File Management:

• Organise logically: Create a clear and consistent structure across platforms. Identify and delete duplicate or outdated files taking up unnecessary space
• Backup regularly: Implement a robust data backup strategy for both local and cloud resources. Backups are critical for business continuity.

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Spring cleaning your business’s digital space is a great start to continued success. However, for your business to thrive, it should be an ongoing practice. This will maintain efficiency, security, and smooth operations.