ESET’s response to COVID-19 and looking ahead to the future of work

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Across the globe, businesses and consumers are adapting for a post-COVID-19 world, one that has completely transformed the way we carry out and think about our work. In its What the Next Normal Will Be Post-COVID-19 report, leading IT market research and advisory firm, IDC outlines the top 10 changes we can expect, inspired by the initiatives of industry leaders. While all 10 trends will prove essential in building a ‘new normal’, the report highlights that the way companies have responded to the crisis will define their reputation for many years to come. For ESET, our approach and response to the COVID-19 crisis focuses on CSR, educational activities, business-oriented relief and support for our own workforce.

It was immediately clear to us that arranging massive and systematic testing for the coronavirus was going to be crucial in restarting the economy. To achieve that, the ESET Foundation created a Fund for Effective Diagnosis & Prevention of SARS-CoV-19. We initially donated EUR 300,000 into this Fund and in collaboration with the scientific community in Slovakia, we developed the first testing kit for COVID-19, donating 100,000 testing kits to the Slovak Republic. 

In addition to the direct threat to people’s health, the sudden shift to mass remote working left many organisations more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, as malware and scams were also on the rise. The IDC report notes that increased cybersecurity knowledge fosters a culture of trust within organisations. Through the WeLiveSecurity resource hub, we launched extensive educational activities for both the general public and expert community around cybersecurity, remote work, Remote Desktop Protocol and VPN security, encryption and backup. This included specific resources for teachers, who have had to manage remote working with students, as well as with their own children.

Educational support was complemented by tangible business support, as we extended free trials for consumer, SMB and Enterprise products. Supporting the wider European community was also of great importance, as providing a safer online experience for all is central to our core mission. As such, we offered the Computer Emergency Response Teams across the EU 180 days of free access to ESET Threat Intelligence feeds. 

And of course, in addition to helping the public stay secure, providing strong support for our own employees was and is crucial. We make sure to regularly update the business continuity plan with pandemic specifics, communicating the current status, tips and recommendations to our employees, as well as a dedicated email address to ask questions and request help from. Once we had introduced mandatory home working in Slovakia, we made sure that all teams had the physical and technological requirements to work from home, and we shared strategies on how to do it most effectively. Our team is the lifeblood of our work and ensuring their safety and security is the first step to securing others.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop and affect people’s lives around the globe, according to the IDC, What the Next Normal will be Post-COVID-19, Doc #EUR146291420, May 2020, we will continue to provide them with the best possible security during these uncertain times. As we look towards the future of work and a transformed global economy, we aim to be at the forefront of innovative work solutions and practices.