Encompass Solutions Retreat

I started with Encompass in February 2020, just before Covid had us on lockdown. This affected the infamous company retreats. I heard a little something about them and was looking forward to attending, but it wasn’t going to happen that year. Maybe next year? Nope! We gotta stay safe and wait it out one more time. Understandable.

Here comes 2022, and all employees received an individual email invite to the company retreat. Okay… nice touch. Making me feel special… I like it! I didn’t know what to expect since this would be my first time ever going to any company’s retreat. Now I’m curious… Will we be working all day? What types of activities will there be? Will the food be any good? I did know that this would be my chance to meet co-workers I’d been virtually communicating with for over two years.

Let me skip ahead a bit. We formed teams beforehand. Remember back in grade school during P.E. when we were chosen by “captains” to be on their teams? Yeah… no, it wasn’t like that. We were given a task and had to find each other. It wasn’t hard, so I didn’t have to enlist Scooby-Doo and Mystery Incorporated for help. There were three pre-retreat challenges that we had to finish and submit for points. This was the beginning of teamwork that continued over into the retreat.

We’re here! Meet and greet the first evening. It was fun!! Had a great time meeting the ones I’d never met and seeing the ones I’d met when I was in the office. Since it is a company event, in case you’re asking… yes, we did have meetings. It wasn’t like that episode of the Golden Girls where a former student hired Dorothy to train the team at his company, and everyone left to do other things like play golf. I don’t think our leaders would have been too happy with that type of behavior. Our teamwork was incorporated into meetings where we brainstormed, answered trivia questions, and came up with ideas that would add to Encompass’ success. The afternoon events consisted of scavenger hunts, learning Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance, and building boats using duct tape and cardboard.

The scavenger hunt was fun. It was a timed race against the other teams, so we had to be quick and creative. Well, we had to be as quick as we could because we were on a mountain. Reading comprehension played an important factor when following written directions. I don’t remember exactly how many hunts we completed. When we were finished with one, with a short team exercise afterward, we were given another hunt. Just when we thought we were done for the day to head back to our rooms to prepare for dinner later, we were told that we all had to learn the Thriller dance from Michael Jackson’s video AND perform it. Say what now? Excuse me? Ma’am… the King of Pop was also an entertainer. I needed at least 24 hours to learn and perfect those moves. I tried channeling my dance and cheerleading days but I was clearly rusty. YouTube was our friend. We looked at the video and chose a few dance moves to learn and added some creativity to it. This wasn’t a recital, so it didn’t have to be long. We were glad about that because we were tired from the scavenger hunts.

Time for boat building the next day. It was a pirate-themed event and to get additional supplies to benefit our teams, we had to duel with the pirate. We dueled with inflatable swords. Just imagine what that looked like. We could also duel someone from another team to get their supplies. Piracy was highly encouraged and in full effect. This meant that we had to work fast, be strategic, and definitely keep an eye on the wandering eyes and hands of thieves who tried to act like they were coming in peace. Oh… I didn’t mention that the boat had to float, someone had to get in it, paddle out to and around the buoy back to shore, and pull the boat out of the water by themselves, did I? How could it be a competition without literally testing the waters? This was also timed, so the adrenaline was running high. It was the last team event of the retreat, and everyone wanted to get as many points as possible to be named the 2022 winners.

I was having a lot of much-needed fun. My daughter was my plus one and she really enjoyed herself. The final night of the retreat was bittersweet. The team-building activities were over, and we would soon be getting ready to head back to our homes, but not before it was time to announce the winners. If I’m not mistaken, my team came in second place for both the pre-retreat and retreat challenges. We all are winners regardless of which place we came in. Sounds like one of those familiar “you’ll get ‘em next time” phrases, doesn’t it? But seriously… everyone put in a great amount of effort and worked together just as teams should do. That night ended with a live band and dancing that I will always remember.


Keeping information safe and secure can be challenging for businesses of all sizes over the last few years. The shift from in-person to online to hybrid workplaces forced companies to change their cybersecurity practices and protocols. 85% of organizations suffered from a successful cyberattack in 2021, according to CyberEdge’s Cyberthreat Defense Report.

 

Businesses that have suffered cyberattacks and those that have avoided being a victim are looking at ways to improve their defenses and safeguard their data. But which plans, practices, and services should these organizations invest in?

 

To better protect themselves against cyberattacks, here are four steps businesses can take:

 

Identify the Valuable Data of Your Business  

 

Understanding what information cybercriminals are after is essential to combating cyberattacks. Therefore, creating an inventory list of valuable data and assets within your organization, including manufacturer, model, hardware, and software information, is of the utmost importance. In addition, take note of who has access to critical data and information while accounting for all storage locations. This practice will ensure that business leaders have a record of accessibility, so they know where to look in case of a vulnerability or breach.

 

Protect Assets by Updating and Authenticating

 

Protecting your data and devices from malicious actors is what cybersecurity is all about. To accomplish this, make sure your security software is current. Investing in the most up-to-date software, web browsers, and operating systems is one of the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats. Furthermore, make sure these devices have automatic updates turned on so employees are not tasked with manually updating devices. Additionally, make sure all data is backed up either in the cloud or via separate hard drive storage.

 

Another critical way to keep your assets safe is by ensuring staff are using strong authentication to protect access to accounts and ensure only those with permission can access them. This includes strong, secure, and differentiated passwords. 70% of people admit they use the same password for more than one account, according to a 2021 PC Mag study. Using weak and similar passwords makes a hacker’s job a lot easier. Finally, make sure employees are using multi-factor authentication (MFA). While this may result in a few extra sign-ins, MFA is essential to safeguarding data and can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful breach.

 

Monitor and Detect Suspicious Activity

 

Companies should monitor for possible breaches, vulnerabilities, and attacks, especially in a world where many often go undetected. By investing in cybersecurity products or services that help monitor your networks, such as antivirus and anti-malware software. Moreover, make sure your employees and personnel are following all established cybersecurity protocols before, during, and after a breach. Individuals who ignore or disregard essential cybersecurity practices can compromise not only themselves but the entire organization. Paying close attention to whether your company is fully embracing all of your cybersecurity procedures and technology is incumbent upon business leaders.

 

Have a Response Plan Ready

 

No matter how many safeguards you have, the unfortunate reality is that cyber incidents still occur. However, responding comprehensively will reduce risks to your business and send a positive signal to your customers and employees. Therefore, businesses should have a cyber incident response plan ready to go before a breach. In it, companies should embrace savvy practices such as disconnecting any affected computers from the network, notifying your IT staff or the proper third-party vendors, and utilizing any spares and backup devices while continuing to capture operational data. 


Learn how the world-leading OEM engine tooling provider, Rhinestahl, leveraged Epicor Kinetic to improve efficiency.


Watch this short video (5:45) to improve your relationship with your customers with automated templates triggered by certain conditions. Use SMS, automated phone calls, or e-mails as you prefer.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.