Unleash Blog

Read the latest insights and tips on digital organization, workflows, productivity, and ways to unleash your potential.

Knowledge management Unleash: Unified enterprise search across all workplace applications Enterprise search engines facilitate information retrieval from internal or external sources, doing for an organization what Google does for the internet—creating a secure, efficient, and functional search engine so that businesses don't have to manually tag, index, share, and retrieve information. These tools organize data so that users can encode and access data across multiple sources, like documents, databases, websites, intranets, applications, and more. In a business context, enterprise search tools should be able to integrate with data management solutions and business intelligence software. Such seamless integration ensures information remains organized and easy to locate, not siloed under different data banks. Having excellent enterprise search software is one of the keys to productivity and proficiency, especially in industries where customer-facing information needs to be accessed quickly. * Which type of search do you need? Learn the difference between federated search and enterprise search. Traditional Enterprise Search Traditionally, enterprise search tools were used to search through structured documents such as application forms and invoices. In addition to formats having to be predictable and search keywords having to match the database exactly for the user to find what they're looking for, searchability was limited to natively digital text. This meant that only the texts typed in specific file formats were recognized, and not scanned or handwritten documents. However, although enterprise search has traditionally been restricted to cloud data, you can now opt for a secure enterprise search solution that offers capabilities for both cloud and on-premise data. Nevertheless, certain problems with regard to implementation still exist—as with anything tech-related, not all solutions are easily adaptable. Some solutions may come with all the bells and whistles but require a rigorous onboarding process that costs businesses more time and money in the long run, while others may offer quick onboarding but not much else in terms of functionality and features. So, is there a sweet spot for an enterprise search solution that offers all the key features a good enterprise search tool should have? Our Full-Spectrum Solution Enter Unleash, an enterprise search tool that seamlessly marries powerful features with quick onboarding. Offering an enterprise search tool for cloud and on-premise data, Unleash allows you to find everything you need with just one tool. In addition to integrating with all your favorite apps, Unleash will help you search for anything from files stored in the cloud to those in computers or anywhere else, all in one place! Costing less than 10 cents a day, our full-spectrum solution is incredibly easy to set up. Powered by seamless searching technology, our software does away with context switches, allowing you to activate productivity in one click. Most importantly, you can rest assured your data is secure with us—our company was founded by cyber security veterans, so we take privacy and security very seriously. With Unleash, you never have to worry about these things: Multi-layer security: your data is isolated and fully encrypted on our secured AWS data center cloudPrivacy: your data will never be shared or sold to anyoneControl and visibility: you have full control over which services you wish to link with Unleash, as well as the level of access you’re comfortable withCompliance: Unleash is GDPR-ready and SOC2 Type II-compliant What Makes Unleash Special? Unleash allows you to access your data at lightning speed to find what you need in one place– be it emails, receipts, videos, images, records, or anything else. Our intelligent search engine also analyzes user behavior and delivers relevant information, giving you a smart, personalized experience each time. Some of our stand-out features include: Search inside documents: you can find a file without remembering its actual file name, as Unleash brings up the most relevant results to your search inquiryAdvanced filters: get more personalized and intelligent results, as Unleash learns user behavior and frequently accessed informationAll-around calculator: get instant answers for currency conversions, time zone differences, computations, temperatures, volumes, distances, and moreMeetings: organize and launch meetings all in one place with the calendar viewSearch the web: search isn't limited to cloud and on-premise data—you can also search Google, Bing, Wikipedia, and DuckDuckGo directly from Unleash! Unleash Your Potential With a Comprehensive Enterprise Search Tool Harness the power of intelligent searching with Unleash! Once you try our comprehensive enterprise search tool, you won't have to deal with too many tabs on your desktop whenever you’re trying to look for something. Pull up a file, contact, or email in a split second! Improve collaboration and productivity in your workplace for a fraction of the cost—that’s the Unleash promise. * Still not convinced? Try it for free!

Knowledge management Knowledge Audit: What Is It & Why Is It Important?A knowledge audit examines an organization's knowledge requirements and how its leadership, organization, technology, and learning can work together to meet those needs. Instead of focusing on numbers, it examines what people in an organization know, how well they know it, and how they share that knowledge. When there is no clear structure for sharing information within a company, people start working in isolation. The result: information silos and duplicate work—leading to inefficiency and wasted productivity. The purpose of a knowledge audit is to show hard evidence of what knowledge an organization requires, its location, how it is used, any challenges and obstacles that exist, and what can be done to improve the flow of things. 4 Components of a Knowledge Audit 1. Knowledge Needs Analysis A knowledge needs analysis is a way to figure out what knowledge people and organizations already know and what other knowledge requirements they may need to be more productive. A knowledge needs analysis will help a company develop an effective knowledge management strategy by highlighting basic requirements and showing areas for improvement. 2. Knowledge Inventory Analysis A knowledge inventory analysis aims to find, record, index, and categorize the organization's existing explicit and tacit knowledge assets. Because explicit knowledge is physical, solid, and generally documented, this analysis may be carried out by looking at where the knowledge is located, how it is organized and accessed, its relevance, and its uses. During an audit, being unable to find documentation can pose serious problems. Document management software can make finding and managing your files easier. In contrast, the analysis of tacit knowledge could be based on people's knowledge and expertise. This can be done by looking at employee directories, their academic and professional degrees, skills, and experience. This analysis helps an organization uncover knowledge gaps and duplicates by comparing its results to a knowledge needs analysis. 3. Knowledge Flow Analysis This is a look into how knowledge flows from where it is to where it is needed. For example, the analysis could look into the organization's policies and practices for web publishing, managing records, or data handling. A knowledge flow analysis will demonstrate how people behave and think when sharing knowledge and highlight good and poor practices. It also involves studying the degree to which people use knowledge daily. When it comes to technology, the focus should be on the systems being used, such as portals and content management, as well as how accessible they are, how easy they are to use, and how frequently they are used. 4. Knowledge Mapping Knowledge mapping is the visualization of sources, flows, barriers, and sinks of knowledge within an organization. It's an impactful guide that shows relationships and dynamics. It also helps better define people's roles, like who creates knowledge, who collects it, or who uses it. It can influence how organizations see knowledge and help them focus on viable opportunities. How to Conduct a Knowledge Audit You can run a knowledge audit through the following steps: Identify Your Objective Setting objectives before you start can help you explicitly state the purpose of your audit and direct you toward the kind of information you should gather.Form an Audit Team Choose the right people to be part of your knowledge audit team. Ensure you include various stakeholders for accuracy. If it's a team audit, you might want to involve a few members who you think will have valuable input.Compile and Catalog Existing Knowledge In this crucial step, you need to make an inventory of the existing knowledge available in your organization and where it is located (i.e., intranet, shared drives, documentation platforms, etc.).Examine the Flow of Knowledge This is where you study how knowledge is shared. Ask yourself, "How do employees access information?" and "Who are they sharing it with?"Spot Obstacles and Gaps As you progress through these steps, you may notice gaps and barriers such as duplicates or knowledge hoarding that impede the flow of knowledge. Here, you can also identify methods that will improve knowledge sharing. Benefits of a Knowledge Audit A knowledge audit improves your organization by uncovering gaps and obstacles in one's internal knowledge base, allowing you to identify areas for improvement. It will help to recognize and avoid duplicates in the future. Additionally, creating a shared understanding of how to use knowledge management processes will help teams stay in sync and better understand how much knowledge is available, where it is stored, and how much more is required. Deliverables & Outputs of a Knowledge Audit While deliverables and outputs may vary, generally, a knowledge audit should: Establish what knowledge an organization needs to attain its goalsHelp assess the significance of knowledge and its contribution to the organization's performanceOffer evidence of how well knowledge is handled and areas where adjustments should be madeIdentify untapped knowledge areasCreate knowledge and social network mapsExamine the usage of external knowledge and identify better ways to use it

Knowledge management Overcome the Dangers of Knowledge Hoarding in the Workplace The problem of knowledge hoarding has become a growing concern in today's workplace. When employees hoard knowledge, they intentionally withhold critical information from their colleagues and the organization for personal or professional reasons. Knowledge hoarding can also be costly for the organization. According to a study by International Data Corp, Fortune 500 companies lose approximately $31.5 billion annually by failing to share knowledge among individuals and across teams. Why Employees Hoard Knowledge Some reasons why employees might hoard knowledge include: Leverage An employee might believe that possessing something others lack gives them power—in this case, knowledge. For instance, having certain knowledge could give someone an upper hand or make them a star performer, solidifying their position as a valuable team member. Similarly, if they are the only person in the team or company who understands how to handle unique challenges, they would be indispensable or immune to layoffs. Fear It's no secret that people don't like to be wrong. For example, someone working on a project may discover something that will make it better—but instead of sharing this knowledge, they keep it to themselves for fear of rejection or ridicule from colleagues and supervisors. Because of this fear, valuable knowledge is lost, and potentially innovative ideas are never realized. Competition Competition is a great motivator, but it also comes with its cons, especially in organizations with a culture of unhealthy competition. When employees are rewarded for individual victories rather than team achievements, they may be more likely to keep any valuable knowledge to themselves to stay at the top of the ranks. Trust Issues Unfortunately, about 1 in 4 employees do not trust their employers. Layoffs, benefit cuts, and job insecurity can all contribute to distrust. Furthermore, rivalry within teams may cause workers to mistrust team members, leading to knowledge hoarding. Potential Consequences of Knowledge Hoarding Employees who hoard information do the business or organization a great disservice. Knowledge hoarding impedes corporate growth in many ways: Teams or individuals may end up causing knowledge and information silos, which hamper efficiency. Employees who do not have the knowledge they need may waste significant working hours looking for it or creating it from scratch.Without a refined system for knowledge management, you risk losing the expertise or tacit knowledge when an employee leaves.Employees who cannot work due to knowledge setbacks might be frustrated and quit the company.It will impede the onboarding of new talent, or new employees may struggle to transition to their new positions. Benefits of Knowledge Sharing In contrast to knowledge hoarding, knowledge sharing offers companies a multitude of benefits. Encouraging a culture of knowledge sharing means everyone on the team feels like they have access to the tools needed to succeed—and more importantly, it means that everyone is motivated by team success. A knowledge-sharing culture provides companies with the following benefits: It fosters a culture of learning where employees want to take part in sharing and obtaining knowledge actively.There is improved productivity and efficiency since employees have access to knowledge and do not have to wait for a specific person to finish their tasks.It helps to heighten employee engagement and, in turn, reduce employee turnover. Collaboration is encouraged, where employees openly communicate with their peers instead of working in silos. How to Prevent Knowledge Hoarding Make It Easy to Share Knowledge Sharing knowledge can often be time-consuming. If just one individual has the knowledge, they'll have to keep explaining the same thing repeatedly, which is time away from more valuable tasks. In the absence of a system, some employees may become frustrated when searching for the necessary information. A knowledge management system (KMS) can promote knowledge sharing by centralizing all relevant information, making it easy for team members to collaborate and access information from any location. However, with all the ways data can be stolen, it's essential to understand the risks and take steps to protect yourself. Having data center security measures in place can help protect vital company information from getting into the wrong hands. Provide Clear Guidelines One of the best approaches to counteract knowledge hoarding in your organization is to teach employees how to share their knowledge. As part of your knowledge management strategy, your company should adopt a user-friendly KMS and take employees on a walkthrough so they feel comfortable making it a part of their routine. Additionally, proper document management of your guidelines can help make this process a breeze every time new employees are onboarded. Reward Those Who Share Knowledge Because knowledge sharing isn't natural for everyone, you might need to give your employees an incentive to share. You can encourage healthy competition by holding a contest and rewarding everyone who adds to your internal knowledge base within a certain deadline. Incentives don't have to be extravagant, but they should be something your employees want.

Knowledge management The Reasons You Should Integrate IAM With Data Center Security Identity and access management, or IAM, is a term used to describe the practice of managing users' identities and the permissions that are associated with them. Essentially, IAM systems help organizations ensure that only authorized users have access to the resources they need, while also keeping track of who has accessed which resources and when. IAM systems can also be used to manage passwords and other authentication information. The Purpose of Data Center Security According to a study by Ponemon Institute, the average data breach now costs companies $3.86 million—up 23% from 2013. The healthcare and financial services industries are the most frequently targeted, accounting for 43% and 28% of all data breaches, respectively. That amount of money can potentially bankrupt a company if not properly secured. In addition, data breaches can cause irreparable damage to a company's reputation, which can lead to fleeing customers and long-term financial losses. Putting the financial implications aside for a moment, the sheer opportunity for security breaches further highlights that data center security is critical in protecting the privacy of company information. To put this into perspective, the amount of data created, shared, and stored is growing at an unprecedented rate. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that some 64.2 zettabytes of data were created or replicated in 2020. This rapid growth creates new opportunities for criminals to exploit, as well as new challenges for organizations trying to keep their data safe. The frightening part? Data breaches can occur in many ways, but some of the most common is through malware attacks, stolen or compromised credentials, and social engineering schemes. With all this considered, data center security should be a top priority for companies and businesses. No matter the size or scale of their operations. Data integrity is another serious consideration companies should be making. Learn more about the importance of data integrity here. How Does IAM Boost Security? Through the use of IAM, administrators can control access to systems and data, ensuring that only authorized users have access to the information they need. IAM can also help streamline operations by providing a single point of control for user access, making it easier to manage user permissions. How is this achieved? IAM systems use a variety of methods—such as passwords, security tokens, and biometric identification—to verify the identities of users and grant them appropriate levels of access. Through these methods, IAM can help boost security by providing a centralized way to control user access, and by enabling administrators to more easily identify and respond to potential security threats. IAM can also help improve compliance with government and industry regulations governing data privacy and security. During these tough economic times, are you worried about your institutional memory? If so, learn how to preserve your company's institutional memory here. Benefits of IAM Systems IAM systems can provide several benefits, including: Reduced administrative overhead Managing user identities and access privileges can be a time-consuming task, particularly if there are many users. IAM systems can automate many of the tasks associated with managing users, which can help reduce administrative overhead and make your employees' lives easier.Improved compliance posture IAM systems can help organizations meet compliance requirements, such as those set forth by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). More efficient and secure user authentication IAM systems provide a more efficient and secure way for employees to authenticate themselves when accessing company resources. Reduced help desk costs IAM systems can help reduce help desk costs by automating many common tasks, such as password resets. How to Integrate IAM With Data Center Security The scale and breadth of potential data risks are rather scary. Thankfully, there are several ways to integrate IAM with data center security. One of the most effective approaches is to use a federated identity management system. With federated identity management, users can authenticate against a single identity provider, such as Active Directory or LDAP, and then be granted access to multiple resources, both within and outside of the data center. Businesses can also use role-based access control (RBAC) to manage access to data center resources. RBAC assigns roles to users and groups and then allows those roles to perform certain actions on specific resources. Worried that the flow of information within your company is compromised? If so, be sure to read about information silos and data federation and how you can better streamline the sharing of information within your organization. Before you head off, be sure to learn more about how you can improve both document management and knowledge management within your organization.