Managing Your Business

Many businesses require a precise balance of general technical aptitude and specific skill sets, but a labor strike can ruin your entire technology plan. Many parts of a business' technology systems rely on passwords and specific settings that may not be well-recorded and not easy for an entirely new team to learn, but there are ways to keep things moving. Here are a few things to consider as you look for Information Technology (IT) department augmentation or replacements during a strike.

Information Security During Strikes

When a labor strike occurs, how safe is your information? Can people log into your systems remotely, and do you have backups or a restoration contingency plan in place if something goes wrong? These answers largely depend on what you already have in place, but consider making a few quiet, but comprehensive moves if you're not prepared already.

Proper information security means having few ways for people to enter the system via legitimate means. There should be a limited number of administrative accounts, and few people should have access to those accounts.

Knowing the password for administrative accounts should not be limited to the IT team. If you do not have the password, you should at least have access to someone who can allow you to change and memorize the password. 

This can be difficult if you use a hands-off approach to technology and allow the IT department to manage systems as they see fit. For this reason, keeping a mixture of salaried and contracted technicians who have access to critical systems can help you maintain a backup option in case of high-profile walkouts.

Training Specialized Roles

Aside from password requirements, many positions require specific certifications and skill sets. Even beyond the IT world, specific businesses have unique ways of working with even a standardized job. For this reason, a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be written to document those business-specific tricks and idiosyncrasies. 

Look for the specific certifications used for the job and be prepared to compare certifications and college courses. You can often choose freely between college course performance and certifications, although certification performance shows a more targeted set of skills that aren't at the mercy (or good will) of a subjective professor.

During the strike, consider bringing in the strike IT professional as a contractor. Although this can be difficult if the normal team knows who was working during a strike, a contractor who remains low profile can help you stabilize things as you negotiate.

Contact a strike security staffing company to discuss other ways to keep your business IT assets in good order during a strike.