Welcome to Kareem Harris's Portfolio

This mini event presented provided several valuable insights that were both practical and relevant to my personal and professional growth. One of the most impactful lessons was gaining a new perspective on insolvency. Before this event, I viewed insolvency as a sign of failure, but I learned that it’s actually designed to offer honest individuals and businesses a chance to recover and get a fresh start. This shifted my mindset about financial challenges, helping me see them as opportunities for restructuring and renewal. For my businesses, H&K Events Zone Limited and Grove Construction Limited, this understanding reassures me that even in tough times, there are ways to rebuild and move forward.

I learned about the importance of recognition and rewards in maintaining employee motivation. This stood out to me because it highlighted how small acknowledgments can significantly boost morale and productivity. In my personal life, this teaches me to appreciate the efforts of others more openly, whether in academic group work or collaborative projects. For my businesses, this insight will help me implement more structured and meaningful recognition systems. In event management, where teamwork and client satisfaction are key, recognizing team efforts can elevate service quality.

After listening to Mr. Dain Daley’s presentation on “The Interface of Cybersecurity and Human Behavior in the Workplace”, I took some time to dig deeper into the ideas he raised and its clear just how closely human behavior is tied to cybersecurity outcomes. What really made this presentation stand out was the shift in perspective: instead of focusing only on firewalls and antivirus software, he zoomed in on the everyday decisions, habits, and attitudes of employees that can either strengthen or weaken a company's defenses. 

From my own research and reflection, it became obvious that even with top-tier systems in place, a single careless click by a staff member can unravel months of protection. Mr. Daley mentioned that Jamaica faced over 43 million cyberattacks in 2023. While that number sounds unreal at first, it paints a clear picture that our country is on the radar, and no business is too small to be targeted. In my own companies, especially H&K Events, staff frequently deal with client emails, contracts, and online payment processing. Making a mistake could easily lead to serious consequences. Likewise, in Grove Construction, where we handle subcontractor details and project proposals, there’s also sensitive data at risk. 

Two things that I knew already:

• Cybersecurity depends on people as much as technology. I’ve always believed that employees can be a company’s first line of defense or its weakest link, depending on how aware and informed they are.

• HR plays a huge role in protecting company data. From recruitment to staff records, HR is the gatekeeper for a lot of confidential information that needs proper handling and secure storage.

Two things I learnt:

• The number of attacks on Jamaica last year is way higher than I expected. It made me realize that a “low profile” business like mine isn’t immune. If anything, it’s a softer target.

• There are practical ways to handle workplace issues that tie into both empathy and security. Mr. Daley mentioned the LATTE method which is to listen, acknowledge, take action, thank, and explain. While I hadn’t heard it called that before, I can see how applying it could improve how we respond to problems or concerns, especially when trust or accountability is at stake.
  

This presentation really opened my eyes to an area I’ve honestly overlooked. As someone who manages two businesses. Most of my focus is usually on delivering excellent service, managing staff, and keeping projects running smoothly. But this session made me realize just how important it is to take cybersecurity and data protection seriously, especially when it comes to handling employee information.

What hit home for me was learning how much sensitive data we actually store such as IDs, banking details, and even medical information. Whether it's the crew at Grove Construction or the staff working events at H&K, we collect this information for basic HR tasks, but I’ve never really thought about how exposed we could be if that data got into the wrong hands. Khiana spoke about Jamaica’s Data Protection Act and how both business owners and any third-party service providers we use can be held legally responsible if there’s a breach. That was a wake-up call. It’s easy to think “it won’t happen to us,” but after hearing real examples and the legal implications, I know this is something I need to tighten up immediately.

Two things I already knew:

• I already understood that employee records need to be kept private and secure, at least from a physical standpoint—locked cabinets, for example. But I hadn’t given much thought to the digital side of things.
• I was also aware of phishing emails as a cybersecurity threat. I’ve even seen a few shady messages come through our business accounts, but I didn’t realize how easy it is for staff to fall for them if they’re not trained.

Two things I learned:

• I didn’t know that under the Data Protection Act, both the business and any external service providers (like payroll companies) can be held accountable if personal data is mishandled. That made me realize I need to be more careful about who we partner with and what agreements are in place.
• I also learned how crucial it is to manage system access during onboarding and offboarding. For example, I’ve never had a set process to revoke login access when someone leaves. It seems like a small thing, but it can actually be a huge security risk.