Your IT workers are the lifeblood of your organization. They know the ins and outs of your entire network. When something breaks, they know where to look. And when you can’t connect to the Internet, they know what to do to get you back up and running. 

Now here’s the scary part:

Chances are likely one or more of these employees will quit in 2017. In a recent study, 37 percent of IT professionals indicated they plan to start searching for a new employer next year. And 26 percent plan to accept a new job offer.

Of the IT professionals who plan to switch jobs, 69 percent want to advance their technology skills. Sixty-four percent are looking for a better salary. And 40 percent want to work for a company that makes IT a priority.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents believe they aren’t paid what they are worth. Less than 25 percent expect a raise greater than five percent from their current employer. And only 12 percent plan on getting a promotion next year.

Here’s the scarier part:

Your IT workers have unrestricted access to your network and its data. They know your network's biggest weaknesses. They know all of your employees’ passwords. And they know which servers are storing sensitive information.

If some of this information goes missing, would you even know it? 

So you have some thinking to do about your 2017 network management strategy. Don't let your business fall victim to malicious insiders, or suffer from a sudden shortage of manpower. 

Instead, consider partnering with a trusted third party managed services provider (MSP) to handle your network operations. In doing so, your business will benefit from the guidance of a secure, SLA-backed organization with a name and a reputation to uphold. Working with a third party MSP will ensure that your network is protected from employee turnover and other cyber risks facing your company. 

A new breed of hacktrepeneurs has awoken and they have little to fear and everything to gain by infecting as many companies as possible and extorting money from them. Apex Technology Services stands ready to protect your company regardless of whether it’s located in New York City; White Plains, New York; Connecticut; Australia; Europe; or anywhere else. Our full suite of cybersecurity and IT support services is at your disposal, enabling you to spend less time worrying about and more time growing your business.

In addition, our new Cybersecurity Compliance Certification for law firms will help keep your legal practice from becoming the next Panama Papers victim. This baseline cybersecurity audit for the legal industry should be considered seriously by all law firms.