When your business is on the path to growth and expansion, there are necessary steps you want to hit to keep things running smoothly. However, beyond that, there are some specific things one should check to ensure that there will be no hiccups encountered. What are some of these things?
Conduct a pen test
A company’s cyber network security is crucial, especially in this digital age, where connectivity is both a convenient new resource and a possible liability. As a lot of your data, assets, and sensitive information rely on the stability and protection of your network, it would be smart to do a pen test when entering phases of growth.
Penetration testing is a form of ethical hacking that can be done by a partner cybersecurity firm to check if your system can withstand attacks from external forces. That is a great way to see the sections that need improvement and can save you a lot of issues in the long run. By partnering with the right security provider, you can set up better security and ensure that there won’t be any prying eyes or loss of information.
There are a multitude of risks that you may not realize are lurking within your network, and a skilled hacker can easily exploit this if you don’t integrate the necessary safeguards and protocols.
Evaluate insider satisfaction
While it’s normal to assess growth in profit and customer happiness, it would be smart to ensure that your employee satisfaction is up to par as well. It is important because, with significant shifts and expansions, a lot of adjustments will have to be made down the line. The smoothness of these transitions can rely much on how happy your employees are with their work, and this can affect how they will adapt and respond.
That covers everyone, from your entry-level workers to the top brass and even owners. If there is a major disconnect within the company, it can spell trouble for the future of a business, especially when it’s growing. Make sure everyone is still aligned and at least generally satisfied with the direction that the company is going. Remaining a cohesive unit will be more important during these times of expansion.
As your employees’ happiness builds, it contributes more to your company’s growth and productivity.
Consider how fast your growth needs to be
If you’re entering a stage where expansion feels inevitable, consider first the pitfalls of taking on the next level. While every business owner has this in mind, trying to break even, some factors put stops to growth in an untimely manner.
Identify whether you are in a sustaining phase or if expanding could put you back to square one but with bigger stakes and a broader enterprise to start with. Doing this can help you determine if it’s the right step to build up or focus on preparations first. You don’t necessarily have to hit a plateau just because you are settling things.
Being able to keep a business running takes savvy moves and strategic tactics throughout, and knowing which marks to hit can define how successful you can be.
