In February 2020, a Time Magazine headline declared, “The Coronavirus outbreak has become the world’s largest work-from-home experiment.” Over a year later, that experiment has been a resounding success for companies and employees who found abundant upsides to less rigid workplace expectations.

Businesses need to act now to survey their supply chain, developing the capacity to anticipate and respond to supply chain risks, minimizing the impact and optimizing opportunity. In March, the world witnessed a curious scene. A container ship longer than the Empire State Building became lodged in Egypt’s Suez Canal, creating an incredible spectacle as heavy construction equipment and a fleet of tug boats tried to dislodge the vessel from the canal walls.

Here’s how small business leaders can position their employees to thrive in a post-pandemic operational reality. The recent pandemic and associated economic fallout were especially challenging for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Washington Post estimates that more than 100,000 small businesses have permanently closed, and overall revenue plummeted by as much as 52 percent.

While data security has been an important topic since the internet’s inception, the issue is experiencing renewed prominence as platforms collect and struggle to secure copious amounts of personal information and prevent cyberthreats at the same time. The early 2000s were characterized by unprecedented growth and participation in the digital data economy, but the 2010s saw the creeping consequences of this ecosystem.

NIST compliance is mandatory for federal contractors, but there is a lot of confusion around it. Without it, chances of getting those big projects in the government are significantly skewed. So what is NIST compliance exactly?

When many companies responded to an unprecedented global pandemic with an unparalleled shift to remote work, many leaders were skeptical that on-site productivity gains achieved in the past few years could continue. It turns out, in many cases, the opposite was true.

In todays political landscape a more aggressive enforcement approach from health and safety regulators is fast approaching. For employers looking to reduce their business risk, achieving regulatory compliance starts with creating an audit program that is both strong and sustainable. However, with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, many organizations are facing new barriers that may impede how they assess compliance and limit their potential exposure.

Not only are HR departments charged with developing and implementing pandemic safety protocols, onerous budget and personnel reductions, and the rapid transition to remote work, but they must also support a workforce that’s stressed out, less productive, and off-site. This problem predates the pandemic, but it’s taking on renewed importance as companies fight to thrive in an increasingly digital environment.

Employees, contractors, and vendors have unparalleled access to company data, requiring careful adherence to data privacy best practices to secure personal information. Unfortunately, many employees are either unaware of these practices or are unwilling (or forgetful) to regularly implement them into their workflows.

Some of the most iconic brands started during crises. As documented in an Entrepreneur article, the Hyatt hotel franchise launched during the 1957-1958 economic recession. Microsoft was founded during the oil embargo in the mid-1970s, and several prominent tech brands, including Uber and Airbnb, were created during the Great Recession. For today’s entrepreneurs, the lesson is simple: Don’t let these uniquely disruptive times deter innovation. Many are already embracing this mindset.