Three Obstacles to Better IT Onboarding and How to Avoid Them

In the dynamic realm of organizational onboarding, anything that improves the new hire experience reigns supreme. Discover how embracing advanced IT onboarding solutions can mitigate common onboarding challenges, paving the way for seamless integration of new employees into the workforce.

 Uncovering Onboarding Obstacles

There are three common IT obstacles that all companies face when trying to optimize the onboarding experience of their new hires. Overcoming these hurdles should be a key goal for all HR and IT organizations.

1. Communication Gaps Between HR and IT Departments

One of the primary hurdles faced during onboarding is the disconnect between HR and IT departments. HR is often caught up in all of the legal and compliance requirements for onboarding a new team member and does not notify IT until the last minute about a new hire. This lack of communication often leads to delays in device setup and access provisioning, hindering new hires from swiftly becoming productive to their roles.

Picture a scenario where a new employee eagerly starts their first day working from their home office, only to find their email and application accounts non-existent, and no device delivered for their work. Basic miscommunication between HR and IT leaves them feeling unimportant to the company while valuable time is lost in the onboarding process.

2. Mistake-prone Device Procurement and Provisioning

Device procurement and provisioning tends to be a mistake-prone process and therefore stands as another impediment to efficient onboarding. Lengthy lead times for hardware procurement add risk to any mistakes being made, and the constant change on hardware models and availability make it difficult to order correctly. Additionally, provisioning of devices is often filled with mistakes in the software that is loaded as well and the account that is setup for the device.

We have all seen the situation where a newly hired person awaits hours or days for an outdated device to be configured on their first day. This delay not only frustrates the employee but also sets a suboptimal tone for their journey within the organization.

3. Slow Access Granting to SaaS Applications

Restricted access to crucial SaaS applications adds complexity to the onboarding experience. It is very common that new hires go weeks without access to some applications due to broken processes that could streamline the the granting of user access. Without immediate provisioning of necessary tools, new team members struggle to engage fully with their responsibilities, hampering overall productivity.

How often have you seen it where a new team member has no idea what is happening because this are not receiving communication or updates within critical business applications. They often find out negatively that they have missed a deadline or update in their first few weeks by no fault of their own. It can be frustrating and de-motivating for a new hire when they are just getting started in their new role.

Flattening Obstacles with a Modern Solution

Modern IT onboarding solutions offer a paradigm shift in onboarding processes by automating and expediting critical workflows. The right solution can break down the obstacles to great IT onboarding with an integrative approach that drastically reduces setup timelines, ensuring workers are functional immediately.

1. Connect HR and IT

All companies have at least two systems of record for workforce identity – the HRIS which is run by HR and the Identity Provider, which is run by IT. Connecting these systems together is critical to better HR-IT communication. The systems should be connected both in workflow automation like onboarding and offboarding of workers, as well and the data that is stored in those systems like address, emails, and phone numbers.

Connecting HR and IT systems and processes is nuanced and must be implemented well. For instance, if all sales team members are supposed to have access to the CRM, then HR and IT must be in lockstep about what departments are considered sales especially during org changes and restructurings.

2. Automate Procurement and Provisioning

With automation, organizations can minimize human errors and ensure that new hires have the necessary equipment and access from Day One. This entails leveraging technology to streamline device ordering, setup, and delivery. Best practices for procurement may include maintaining an inventory of pre-configured devices ready for deployment, significantly reducing the lead times for new hires.

Furthermore, automation in provisioning allows IT departments to seamlessly install required software, security protocols, and configurations ahead of time. Best practices also involve creating standard setups for various roles within the company customized to the specific needs and job functions of each worker. Auto-provisioning should also include automatic updates and patches to software, ensuring that all devices remain secure and up to date.

3. Implement Profile-based Application Provisioning

Automated application account provisioning should be based on user information such as title, department, location, and employment type. Provisioning in this way is a significant leap forward in operational efficiency. This approach leverages predefined roles and permissions templates that align with specific job functions within an organization. For instance, an employee with a VP title in the marketing department can automatically determine their access to the budgeting system as well as the CRM they need from Day One. This method not only accelerates the onboarding process but also minimizes the risk of human error in granting access to sensitive company resources.

Furthermore, automation can adapt to the dynamic nature of modern workplaces, where remote work and flexible office locations are becoming the norm. By incorporating location and employment type into the provisioning process, IT departments can ensure that employees have access to location-specific groups and applications, while also making certain that remote contractors, for instance, do not have access sensitive data that cannot cross international boundaries. Through automating SaaS application account provisioning, companies can achieve a more secure, efficient, and adaptable IT infrastructure that supports their evolving needs.

Elevating Onboarding Experiences

In conclusion, the adoption of an advanced IT onboarding solution is a significant stride towards optimizing the IT onboarding process for any organization. By addressing communication gaps, expediting device setups, and templating application access, organizations can provide a seamless onboarding journey that empowers new hires to excel from day one. Embracing modern IT onboarding isn’t just about operational efficiency—it’s about fostering a culture of innovation, agility, and success in the ever-evolving organizational landscape.

 

About the Author

Scott Ryan is a seasoned executive with over 25 years in the IT infrastructure and media technology industries. His experience spans across entrepreneurship, leadership, and strategic planning, having led or assisted in leading the successful exit of multiple companies. Scott is a frequent speaker and panelist at industry events, investment conferences and podcasts. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two children.

About Montra Technologies

Montra Technologies is the innovator of identity and device management solutions for modern IT management. Modern IT management puts identity at the center of security and provisioning for all services and devices being used by employees. Montra’s platform is directly integrated with a company’s current HR and IT software for seamless, automated management of people and devices, regardless of location. Montra is trusted by some of the world’s most recognizable brands which use Montra’s innovative platform to improve the efficiency and security of their identity and device operations. The company was founded by industry experts with decades of technology leadership. Recognized by Channel Futures as an MSP to Watch and listed on the Inc. 5000, Montra is a Signature member of the ATDC at Georgia Tech.

Identity Lifecycle Management in the Modern Enterprise: The What, Why and How

In today’s digital landscape, where data breaches and cyber threats are prevalent, businesses are increasingly focusing on Identity Lifecycle Management (ILM) to safeguard their sensitive information and ensure secure access control.

Understanding Identity Lifecycle Management

The Identity Lifecycle

Identity Governance enables organizations to strike a delicate balance between productivity – ensuring swift access to necessary resources for individuals entering the organization – and security – determining adjustments in access rights as per changes in employment status.

At the core of Identity Governance lies Identity Lifecycle Management, a crucial component for effectively managing digital identities. Scaling up governance successfully requires the modernization of the infrastructure supporting identity lifecycle management in applications. The objective of Identity Lifecycle Management is to streamline and automate the entire digital identity lifecycle process for individuals associated with an organization.

Identity Lifecycle Management encompasses the processes and technologies used by organizations to manage the lifecycle of user identities within their systems. It involves creating, maintaining, and revoking user access rights throughout the user’s journey with the organization:

  • Onboard: When a person requires access, applications require an identity. Hence, a new digital identity might need creation if not already existing.

  • Transfer: When someone transitions across boundaries necessitating adjustments to their digital identity by adding or removing access authorizations.

  • Offboard: When someone no longer requires access, it’s necessary to revoke access. Subsequently, the identity may become unnecessary for applications except for audit or forensic purposes.

Benefits of Implementing Identity Lifecycle Management

Implementing ILM offers several benefits to businesses including:

  • Security Enhancement: By enforcing access controls, it bolsters security measures to restrict sensitive data and system access solely to authorized users.

  • Administrative Efficiency: The solution simplifies user access management tasks, minimizing the chances of human error and unauthorized entry.

  • Compliance Maintenance: Additionally, ILM aids organizations in adhering to regulatory standards like GDPR and HIPAA, ensuring continued compliance.

Addressing Challenges with Identity Lifecycle Management

Businesses face challenges such as ensuring rapid onboarding and offboarding processes, and maintaining a balance between security and user convenience. ILM addresses these challenges by providing automated workflows for user provisioning and deprovisioning, role-based access control, and continuous monitoring of user activities.

Implementing Montra Via for Efficient Identity Lifecycle Management

To streamline the ILM process and ensure compliance, companies can leverage cutting-edge solutions like Montra Via. Via offers advanced features such as automated onboarding and offboarding of users, profile-based provisioning of user accounts on over 350 applications, direct integration with identity providers like Microsoft Entra and HR systems like ADP Workforce Now. By implementing Via, organizations can improve operational efficiency, enhance security, and reduce compliance risks.

Real-World Results

For instance, an Atlanta-based professional services firm implemented Via and received a 2x reduction in onboarding time and a 3x reduction in onboarding and offboarding mistakes within the first two months. They have improved the experience for their new employees who are getting productive faster, and they are reducing their security and compliance risks by ensuring “zombie” accounts aren’t left open after a departure.

Tips for Creating a Successful Identity Lifecycle Management Strategy

Creating and maintaining a successful ILM strategy requires more than just great software. Businesses need to change their processes and make certain their people have what they need to be successful. Any businesses should consider the following tips:

  • Balance Security and Accessibility: Strive to find a balance between stringent security measures and user-friendly access controls to ensure that users will follow the processes they should.

  • Security Awareness Training: Provide comprehensive training to employees on security best practices, data protection protocols, and the importance of adhering to ILM policies.

  • Rights Monitoring: Regularly monitor user access rights, review permissions, and conduct audits to identify and address any security vulnerabilities.

  • Seek Guidance: Keep abreast of industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies to adapt your ILM strategy accordingly. And if you need, find partners that can help you stay current.

By following these best practices, businesses can establish a robust Identity Lifecycle Management framework that safeguards critical assets, mitigates risks, and fosters a culture of proactive cybersecurity.

In conclusion, Identity Lifecycle Management plays a crucial role in modern business operations by ensuring secure and efficient management of user identities. By adopting advanced solutions like Montra Via and adhering to best practices, organizations can effectively navigate the complexities of identity management and safeguard their digital assets.

For more information about Montra, please contact us at info@montra.io.

Sources

Identifying and Stopping Phishing Attempts: 5 Tactics

Phishing is a common tactic for cybercriminals to gain access to your organization’s sensitive data. Furthermore, a study by Deloitte reveals that phishing attacks represent 38% of all incidents involving cybercrime. With the increasing dependence on technology, cyberattacks have also become more sophisticated, making it challenging to detect and stop phishing attempts. As a CIO or CISO, it’s crucial to ensure that employees are aware of the risks of phishing and know how to identify and respond to these threats. Data from Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that cybercrime, including phishing, will cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021. In this post, we’ll go over five ways to identify and stop phishing attempts in your organization.

1. Educate Your Workforce

One of the most crucial steps in preventing phishing attacks is to educate your employees. According to a report by Proofpoint, 83% of global respondents experienced phishing attacks in 2018. Cybercriminals often target employees with phishing scams, and employee negligence is the top cause of data breaches. A study by Verizon found that 30% of phishing messages get opened by targeted users. Therefore, it’s crucial to train your employees and make them aware of phishing tactics and how to recognize them. Educate your employees on how to identify suspicious emails, including typos, grammatical errors, and unfamiliar sender addresses. Training should also include the proper response in case of a phishing attempt, such as reporting to the IT department or deleting the email.

2. Foster a Security Culture

Creating a culture of security within your organization is essential in promoting security awareness and preventing phishing attacks. Encourage employees to report suspicious events, share security tips, and seek assistance when needed. Emphasize the importance of maintaining a culture of security, and make it an ongoing, high-priority effort. According to a survey by Ernst & Young, 87% of organizations identified a lack of security culture as their primary obstacle to cybersecurity effectiveness. Similarly, Cisco’s 2020 benchmark study found that organizations with a strong security culture have lower breach costs – a median of $62,000 compared to the median of $330,000 in organizations with a poor security culture. Furthermore, a study from Gartner suggests that a strong security culture helps organizations adapt to the evolving threat landscape, reducing the likelihood of successful cyber attacks by up to 50%. Finally, a study by the Sans Institute suggests that organizations with a strong security culture have reported up to a 70% decrease in phishing susceptibility.

These results of these studies underscore the importance of fostering a security culture within your organization in order to reduce the risk of cyber threats like phishing.

3. Conduct Regular Testing

Regular penetration testing and security assessments are essential to identifying vulnerabilities in your system. The 2020 CREST Penetration Testing report highlights how mock phishing attacks can help uncover weaknesses in an organization’s security protocols, thus providing opportunities for improvement. Conducting these mock phishing attacks, where employees are given email messages that mimic a real phishing attempt, can help uncover weaknesses in your security protocols. These tests enable you to identify areas of weakness and take proactive measures to prevent future attacks.

This testing has a direct impact on cost. A study by the Ponemon Institute shows that organizations employing regular security testing identified breaches 27% faster, with a 38% lower cost of response. Similarly, the 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report from Verizon found that organizations that conducted regular testing and employed an incident response team reduced the cost of a data breach by as much as $14 per worker per year.

4. Use Security Tools

According to McAfee, keeping your software updated can prevent up to 85% of targeted attacks. Your organization should leverage advanced security tools to detect and prevent phishing attacks. Anti-phishing software is an essential line of defense to safeguard against phishing scams. These tools can help identify and block fraudulent emails, websites, and other malicious content. It’s also important to ensure that the software and systems your organization uses are up-to-date with security patches and the latest updates. The Sophos State of Endpoint Security Today offers a detailed examination of how anti-phishing tools can help businesses to detect and block fraudulent emails and malicious content. Deploying up-to-date security tools and keeping software patched is a significant step in minimizing the likelihood and impact of phishing attacks.

5. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Several cybersecurity reports underscore the importance of multi-factor authentication (MFA) as a critical element in protecting an organization’s data including the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report and a report by LoginRadius, which both indicate that 99.9% of cyberattacks can be prevented by implementing MFA. Moreover, a Google study found that on-device prompts, a form of two-step verification, helped to prevent 96% of bulk phishing attacks and 76% of targeted attacks.

Having a robust authentication mechanism is essential in protecting your organization’s data. MFA can mitigate the risk of attacks by adding an extra layer of security. A strong password combined with factors such as biometric authentication or two-step verification can make it difficult for attackers to infiltrate your systems.

In Summary

Phishing attacks are a real threat to organizations of all sizes, and the impact of a successful attack can be devastating. As a CIO or CISO, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your organization has the necessary measures in place to prevent and mitigate these attacks. By educating your workforce, fostering a culture of security, and conducting regular testing, using security tools, and enabling multi-factor authentication, you can reduce the risk of a successful phishing attack and protect your organization’s sensitive data. For deeper insights into the severity of phishing attacks and the necessity of the measures outlined above, you might want to consult the following resources:

If you are looking for a partner that can assist you in managing the security of your workforce, Montra can help. With our software and processes, we can help you keep your business safe from phishing and other security threats. Contact us today to get started: info@montra.io or +1-404-665-9675.

Benefits of Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory for Identity Management

Identity management is critical for businesses today. In a world where more and more employees are working remotely and accessing corporate data from a variety of devices, it’s important to have a robust system in place to manage and protect employee identities. That’s where Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory come in.

When used together, Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory provide a complete solution for identity management in organizations. Microsoft 365 provides the productivity and collaboration tools that users need, while Azure Active Directory handles the single sign-on and security features. This offers several benefits, including a consistent experience for users across all applications, enhanced security through centralized control.

Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory is a cloud-based identity management service that provides single sign-on (SSO) capabilities and robust security features. It offers several capabilities, including an enterprise identity service that provides single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and conditional access.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based productivity and collaboration suite that is the most popular SaaS platform in use today. It includes the Microsoft Office applications, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. It offers several capabilities, including email, calendaring, contacts, tasks, and document management.

Using Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory for identity management provides several benefits:

1. Centralized Management of Workforce Identities

Organizations that use Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory can manage their workforce identities in a centralized way. This means that they can provide their employees with a single set of credentials to access all the applications and services that they need, both on-premises and in the cloud. This makes it much easier for administrators to manage user accounts and reduces the chances of users forgetting their passwords or having their accounts hacked.

2. Consistent User Experience across Applications

When users sign into Microsoft 365 with their Azure Active Directory credentials, they will have the same experience across all the applications that they use. This includes the Office applications, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. They will also be able to access their files and documents from any device, including their mobile phones.

This makes it easier for users to access the information and resources they need, regardless of which application they are using. Additionally, it reduces the need for training on multiple applications.

3. Enhanced Security through Centralized Access Control

Azure Active Directory provides organizations with the ability to control access to their applications and resources in a centralized way. This includes the ability to set up multifactor authentication and conditional access rules, making it easier to monitor and control access to resources.

This enhanced security helps to protect corporate data and makes it more difficult for hackers to gain access to sensitive information. Additionally, it reduces the chances of users accidentally disclosing corporate data.

4. Reduced IT Costs and Increased Efficiency

M365 and Azure AD offer reduced IT costs and increased efficiency by enabling organizations to manage all identities in one place. This is because administrators can manage users in a centralized way, eliminating the need to maintain multiple user accounts across different applications. This makes it easier to provision and deprovision users, as well as to monitor and control access to resources.

Additionally, Azure Active Directory integrates with the Microsoft 365 suite of products, making it easier to deploy and manage. This integration can help to reduce the amount of time and effort required to manage user accounts.

Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory are a valuable combination to give organizations of any size the ability to manage identities. While the capabilities provided are great, the ability to cost-effectively leverage these capabilities can be beyond the scope of even the largest IT organizations.

At Montra, we understand the importance of workforce identity management and security, which is why we have spent time developing our own software that leverages the core capabilities of M365 and Azure AD to ease the use of it for all IT organizations. If you have any questions about our identity management services and software, please contact us at sales@montra.io.

The Top 5 Benefits of Azure Active Directory

Are you looking for a comprehensive identity management solution? If so, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) may be the perfect option for you. Azure AD is a cloud-based service that provides identity and access management for your business. It offers a variety of features and benefits that can help improve security, simplify management, and reduce costs. Azure AD is the technology that allows organizations to connect their on-premises Active Directory to Azure to provide a single sign-on (SSO) experience for their users. 

There are many benefits of using Azure AD, but in this blog post, we will focus on what we see as the top 5 benefits:

1. Increased security and compliance

With Azure AD, you can implement robust security measures to protect your data and meet compliance requirements. Azure AD provides features such as multi-factor authentication and conditional access that can help you secure your data and comply with industry regulations. 

Azure AD can also help you meet your compliance needs by providing comprehensive reporting and auditing capabilities. You can use Azure AD to: 

  • Enforce strong authentication policies 
  • Restrict access to sensitive data 
  • Monitor user activity 
  • Generate reports on user activity 

Azure AD can be used to secure on-premises applications and resources, as well as cloud-based applications and resources. These features can help you keep your data safe and comply with industry regulations.

2. Single Sign-On (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Azure AD helps improve security by providing Single Sign-On (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) – making it easy to manage user identities and access control. SSO allows users to access all their applications with one set of credentials. This can help improve security by reducing the number of passwords that users must remember. MFA provides an additional layer of security by requiring users to confirm their identity with a second factor, such as a phone call or text message. 

Azure AD also enables administrators to manage user identities and roles, as well as configure security settings for their organizations. Azure AD offers a variety of security features, such as password policies and activity monitoring, that can help you keep your users and your data safe.

3. Central Management of Applications and Users

Azure AD can simplify management by providing a central location to manage all your users and applications. You can use Azure AD to create and manage user accounts, assign permissions, and control access to applications. Azure AD also provides a self-service password reset feature that can help reduce IT support costs since password resets are the number one help desk request.

4. Reduced costs

Azure AD is a cost-effective solution that helps organizations save time and money by simplifying your IT infrastructure. Azure AD is its pay-as-you-go pricing model. With this pricing model, you only pay for what you use, which can be a great way to save money on your Azure AD deployment. 

Azure AD also reduces cost by eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure. This can help save you money on licensing as well as support since cloud-based services are more cost-effective for third parties to support for you.

5. Increased flexibility and scalability

Azure AD is a cloud-based service. This makes Azure AD highly scalable, so it is easy to grow your user base as your business needs change. It also means if your company is moving more toward hybrid work, then Azure AD services will be delivered to your users with great performance no matter where they may be. No need to manage a complex virtual private network (VPN) to get users onto the same network as the on-premises AD instance. 

Azure Active Directory is a comprehensive identity, application, and resource management solution that offers broad features and benefits. If you are looking for an identity management solution that is well-proven and has connectivity to a broad range of applications and services, Azure AD may be the right option for you. 

While powerful, Azure AD is still a bit unapproachable by most users. This is where our team of experts at Montra can help. We offer a variety of software and services, including our own software, Montra VIA, which leverages Azure AD to provide easy to leverage workforce and application management capabilities to companies of any size. Email us at sales@montra.io to learn more about how we can help you with your identity management needs.