Published April 2020
Sponsored by Authentic8, BitTitan, Dropsuite, ENow Software, OVHcloud, Smarsh, VMware Carbon Black, Yubico and Zix.
Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound and unprecedented impacts on a global scale. The most common response of governments to the pandemic has been to implement “social distancing”, “stay-at-home”, “shelter-in-place” or similar types of edicts, which have forced millions of businesses to shut down their normal operations. Those that can continue operating have been suddenly forced into a situation in which employees and contractors are now working from home or other remote locations for an indeterminate period, causing IT, security, compliance and other staffers to scramble to accommodate a very different workplace paradigm.
To understand the impact of governmental requirements to shut down normal business operations, Osterman Research conducted an in-depth survey of more than 400 IT decision-makers and influencers, primarily in the United States. This report presents the results of that research and offers best practice guidance around what decision-makers may want to consider as they navigate the current crisis and plan for future eventualities. It’s important to note that while the topic of this paper relates to the current pandemic, the advice offered herein will be useful to decision-makers and influencers who must plan for future crises, whether limited in scope to a particular region after an earthquake or hurricane, for example, or to another global event.
