Why SaaS Security is Critical for Business 4.0

In an exclusive interview with Human Resources Online, Karen Lee, Managing Director – Southeast Asia, BIPO shares insights on why SaaS security for businesses is critical amidst the current pandemic.

From business restrictions due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) to the increase in remote work, organisations continue facing a myriad of challenges.

Globally, COVID-19 has resulted in an increased need for technology capabilities to connect stakeholders, observed Karen Lee, Managing Director – Southeast Asia, BIPO (pictured above).

She shared, “More than a year on, organisations in Malaysia are now looking more seriously at adopting Software as a Service (SaaS) technologies to solve pain points resulting from the pandemic, and in the process, automate and transform their business.”

Malaysia’s changing mindset towards digital transformation

BIPO supports over 2,800 clients across more than 100 countries and regions with a range of cloud-based HR and payroll solutions. Lee has worked with a diverse portfolio of enterprises across Malaysia, Singapore, and Southeast Asia, where she has seen increased use of digital tools to support business and HR operations.

Lee added, “As Malaysia pivots to digitalisation and shifts to a hybrid workforce, vast amounts of sensitive data are easily accessible on smart devices by large numbers of users. This poses a risk to privacy and sensitive information such as phishing attacks and vulnerability to new malware. There is an urgent need for SaaS security tools in the new digital economy”.

When selecting a SaaS provider, Lee suggests considering the scalability of the solution, and its flexibility to be integrated with other systems such as ERP, CRM, etc.

“It is important to consider the security certifications and policies of the SaaS provider. These should include ISO-27001 Information Security Management or SOC-1/2 to ensure that strict audit control measures are in place.”

BIPO’s integrated cloud-based HR management system provides end-to-end HR solutions from pre-onboarding to offboarding. It is ISO-27001 certified and hosted securely on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Alibaba Cloud, both highly regarded for their computing, storage, and content processing capabilities.

As organisations upgrade their technology and HR systems to enable employees to connect seamlessly with their devices, business leaders must leverage secure SaaS technologies in the new digital economy, she concluded.

First published in HR Online on 1 July 2021