Internal auditing to help identify potential cyber threats.
“You’re giving me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ routine? I invented ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ Nobody tells me it’s them not me; if it’s anybody, it’s me.”
Internal auditing to help identify potential cyber threats.
“You’re giving me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ routine? I invented ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ Nobody tells me it’s them not me; if it’s anybody, it’s me.”
Upgrading your tech could reduce the impact of sick leave
Most businesses have felt the pain of sick leave at some point.
A key person off for a few days can slow everything down. A longer absence can put entire projects on hold.
But did you know that upgrading your technology can help offset some of that lost time?
When people talk about tech upgrades, they often think it means buying shiny new devices. Really, it’s mostly about removing the daily friction your team faces.
You know the thing. Slow systems, unreliable tools, old software, and clunky processes. They may seem small, but over a year they quietly drain hours, days, even weeks of productivity.
Recent research shows that improving workplace connectivity, that’s the speed and reliability of your internet and internal systems, could help employees reclaim the equivalent of several working days per year.
Why?
Because when systems are fast, secure and stable, people get more done with less frustration. And frustration is a bigger problem than most business owners realize.
A large share of employee sick leave around the world is connected to stress and mental health. And many workers say outdated or unreliable tech is part of what increases their stress.
Think about how it feels when you’re trying to do something important and your device freezes, or a system keeps crashing. Modern tools remove that emotional strain by simply… working.
Better tech can also give employees more flexibility.
Cloud systems (software and data stored securely online rather than on a local computer) make it easy for people to work effectively from anywhere. And AI tools, which help automate repetitive tasks or surface information quickly, free up time and reduce cognitive load.
When people feel in control of their work, they tend to feel less stressed, more productive, and more satisfied.
There’s also another benefit: Training.
Many workers say they want better skills and clearer support as businesses adopt new tools. When people understand the technology they’re using, confidence goes up and mistakes go down.
So while you can’t stop illness entirely, you can build a workplace where lost time hurts a lot less.
If you need help making an investment in productivity, wellbeing and long-term resilience, Get in touch!
What's happening at RCT this month?
We hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season! The team at Rivercity Tech is back, recharged, and ready to tackle the new year head-on. January is already shaping up to be an exciting one, with new projects on the horizon and fresh opportunities to help our clients do great things with technology. We’re looking forward to what 2026 has in store and can’t wait to get started.
Business gadget of the month
TSJ Office glass desktop whiteboard
You’re juggling your PC, phone, and a tablet. You want to jot down a reminder and keep it in sight (you will NOT forget that important appointment). But you have loads of windows open already, and frankly, your desk is a mess.
This is your solution.
It’s a handy little wedge that sits on your desk. You can write notes on the whiteboard, store your devices on top of it, and even tidy away cables and stationery (and snacks) inside it. Suddenly your desk is neat, and your reminders stay right where you can see them.
Beware: There’s a major new scam campaign nicknamed “Payroll Pirates”.
It’s been using fake ads on Google and Bing to trick employees into entering their login details on spoofed payroll and HR portals.
Researchers say the operation has targeted more than 200 platforms and lured in around half a million people. The scammers even intercept multi-factor authentication codes in real time using Telegram bots.
Tech facts
The world of .com began on January 1st 1985. That’s when the Domain Name System (DNS), the technology that lets us type friendly website names instead of long strings of numbers, was first created. The very first domain set up was nordu.net, used to host one of the earliest root servers. But the first domain ever registered was symbolics.com, added a couple of months later, on March 15th.
A couple in Essex, UK recently took part in an unusual energy trial. Instead of using a normal gas boiler, they heated their home with a mini data center in their garden shed. The small server hub gives off enough heat while running to warm the house, turning computing power into cozy winter energy. A very geeky and surprisingly efficient way to stay warm.
In 2014, security researchers uncovered a botnet that had hacked all kinds of smart devices, including a refrigerator, and used them to send over 750,000 spam emails. Yes, even kitchen appliances can become hackers’ tools if they’re connected to the internet without proper security. Proof that smart home doesn’t always mean safe home.
Inspirational quote of the month
“True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed… Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection.”
— Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook.
A New Month, A New Tech Quiz
What is meant by hardware in a computer system?
What does application refer to in a computing context?
What is computer literacy?
What does booting a computer mean?
Which of the following is not a programming language: Python, HTML, Microsoft Word?
The answers are below.
Physical components of a computer (e.g., monitor, keyboard, hard drive)
Software designed to perform a specific task
The ability to use computers efficiently and safely
Starting up the computer and loading the operating system
Microsoft Word
New to Microsoft 365
Microsoft is expanding Copilot in Windows 11
Soon you’ll see an “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot” option in the Home tab. It will let you send a file directly to Copilot for a quick summary or insight without leaving Explorer.
Behind the scenes, it uses the ChatGPT engine to process the file, likely via Microsoft’s cloud.
Windows 11 is also testing a new universal AI writing assistant that can proofread or rewrite text in different tones, though this feature will be exclusive to Copilot+ PCs for now.
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