The past five years have been marked by unprecedented challenges and disruptions for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. From Brexit and Covid-19 to the Russia-Ukraine war and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), SMEs have faced constant pressure on their margins, labour supply and competitiveness. To survive and thrive in this turbulent environment, SMEs need to adopt a productivity mindset and leverage technology to do more with less.
And technology does not stand still. Ever. There are always new developments, innovations and opportunities to improve your IT and gain an edge in your market. However, keeping up with technology shouldn’t just be about necessity and a responsibility when your hand is forced, but a matter of choice or preference.
There are plenty IT projects that you can undertake to improve your IT, but not all of them are equally important, feasible or beneficial for your business. Therefore, you need to have a clear and systematic approach to evaluate and prioritise your IT projects, based on your business goals, needs and your resources.
Based on our analysis of the current and future trends and challenges facing SMEs in the UK, as well as our extensive knowledge and experience of providing IT solutions and services for SMEs, we have identified three key areas that SMEs should focus their IT project efforts on in 2024 and 2025.
IT Security Projects
These are IT projects that aim to protect your data, systems and devices from cyber threats and ensure your compliance with cyber security regulations. Some of the security projects that we recommend for SMEs are:
Two-factor authentication (2FA): This is a security feature that requires users to provide two pieces of evidence to verify their identity when logging into your systems, such as a password and a code sent to their phone or email. This adds an extra layer of security and prevents unauthorised access to your data and systems.
Microsoft 365 security: This is a set of security tools and features that are available within the Microsoft 365 suite of cloud-based applications and services, such as Office 365, SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive. These tools and features include data encryption, data loss prevention, advanced threat protection, identity and access management and security compliance. However, these tools and features need to be configured and managed properly to ensure that they protect your business effectively.
Microsoft 365 backup: This is a backup solution that allows you to backup and restore your data stored in Microsoft 365 applications and services, such as emails, contacts, calendars, files and folders. This is important because Microsoft does not provide a comprehensive backup service for your data so you are responsible for protecting your data from accidental or malicious deletion, corruption or loss.
Windows 10 upgrades: Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. This means that after this date, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for Windows 10 devices. This can leave your business vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches and other security risks. A natural transition would be to Windows 11, where you can enjoy data security, maintain compliance and ensure continued functionality.
IT Productivity Projects
These are IT projects that aim to improve your efficiency, effectiveness and collaboration within your business and with your customers and partners. Some of the productivity projects that we recommend for SMEs are:
Microsoft Intune: This is a device management solution that allows you to manage and secure your devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, across your business. This ensures that your devices are not only secure, but also follow the same policies for applications, making them much easier to manage and update in the future if needed.
SharePoint: This is a cloud-based platform that allows you to create, store, share and manage your data, documents and workflows within your business and with your customers and partners. SharePoint is the foundation of productivity, as it enables you to organise your data, collaborate with your team and automate your processes.
Modern Workplace: This is a broad term that covers a range of Microsoft products and services that are designed to help you create a digital and flexible work environment, where you can work from anywhere, anytime and on any device. Modern Workplace projects often utilise Power Platform and aim to replace manual, or inefficient, processes with mobile apps or web-based systems to save time.
IT Compliance Projects
These are IT projects that aim to ensure that your data, systems and processes comply with the relevant laws and regulations that affect you, such as GDPR, UK Data Protection Act 2018 and Cyber Essentials Scheme. Some of the compliance projects we recommend for SMEs are:
Data protection audit: This is an audit that assesses your current data protection practices and identifies any gaps or risks that may affect your compliance with data protection regulations. The audit covers areas such as data collection, storage, processing, sharing, retention and disposal, as well as data security, data breach response and data subject rights.
Data protection training: This is a training that educates your staff on the principles and requirements of data protection regulations, as well as their roles and responsibilities in protecting personal data. The training covers topics such as data protection awareness, data protection policies and procedures, data protection by design and default and data protection impact assessments.
Cyber Essentials certification: This is a certification that demonstrates that you have met the minimum standards of cyber security for your business, as defined by the UK government. The certification covers five technical controls that can prevent most common cyber-attacks, such as firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and patch management.
Get in Touch
We understand that every business is unique and has different needs and goals. With that said, our experts would be happy to help you tailor and implement IT projects according to your specific situation and requirements.
The HBP Group’s team of skilled IT professionals can design and implement the ideal IT solutions for your business, whether it’s a robust new security system, a seamless cloud migration project or a suite of software designed to supercharge your productivity. We are committed to ongoing support, ensuring your IT systems run smoothly and securely. This includes remote and on-site support, along with help desk services to answer your questions and troubleshoot any issues that may arise if you need ongoing business IT support.
Speak to one of our experts today!
info@thehbpgroup.co.uk
01482 423910
