Washington Works Blog

I’m sure you have some idea of what you’d want any new hire’s first day to be like. They’re welcomed by the team, and brought to their workstation where everything is ready for them to get to business: all accounts are set up, the laptop works, and there’s a game plan for them to follow.

In reality, however, this first day is likely spent obtaining any available laptop and ensuring your new hire has the secure access they need. Meanwhile, the new team member feels increasingly like an outsider, rather than a contributor, as they jump through these hoops. Less appealing than the alternative, right?

Let’s discuss how crucial it is to get the onboarding experience right.

How many duties and responsibilities fall on you as a business owner? More often than not, you’ll find yourself wearing multiple hats, picking up the slack where you can because you just don’t have the time or the resources to hire staff for certain specialized tasks. Unfortunately, IT maintenance and management is one such role that falls to the wayside all too often—but it doesn’t have to.

The end of Windows 10 support is closer than you think. On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially stop providing free security updates, non-security updates, and assisted support for Windows 10. For businesses, this isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a critical security and operational risk that demands immediate attention.

Having a backup is always a smart idea, but it is essential to remember that there are different levels of backup that a business can implement. It’s one thing to be protected against a server crash; it’s quite another to be protected against a disaster that destroys your servers, as well as those of every business within a five-block radius. While local backups serve a purpose, they cannot be the only thing you rely on. Real resilience means looking elsewhere to achieve redundancy.

Business cybersecurity is a constant concern, and attacks are becoming more sophisticated and frequent. Understanding the most common threats is the first step in protecting your company. Here are four of the most frequent ways businesses get attacked.

The Internet is more than just a tool; it's the very foundation upon which many organizations are built. From managing customer data to facilitating global operations, our digital infrastructure is indispensable. What happens, then, when that foundation crumbles under a cyberattack? Unfortunately, we've seen firsthand the devastating effects hackers can have. This month, we talk about the problems associated with a hacking attack.

Implementing cool new technology solutions is fun and all… until you realize that there’s a lot of work involved in it. Your employees, for example, might even resist the change that it brings. How is your business going to address these challenges in a way that is productive for not just your employees, but for your entire organization? That’s what we want to discuss today.

Nowadays, technology isn't just an advantage; it's an essential part of everything you do; and with endless new tools appearing, how do you decide which tech investments are genuinely good for your business and which are just distractions? Saying yes to everything can drain your budget, while saying no to the right innovation can leave you behind.

Navigating this is difficult and needs a smart approach. Here are key tips to help you know when to embrace new technology and when to politely decline:

Anyone that runs a business with employees knows just how important their sustained efforts are to the success of the endeavor. Unfortunately, not every person always puts in maximum effort or does things the way they’re intended to be done. This can be an issue for the bottom line. Today, we will be looking at the issue of time theft and what you can do about it. 

Cloud computing has altered how businesses operate forever and it’s because it brings unprecedented levels of flexibility and efficiency. One of its most compelling features is its scalability, the ability to easily handle a growing amount of work by adding or removing resources as needed.