Seeing as how more and more companies are now taking advantage of all the benefits that technology provides us with, it comes as no surprise that most of us require a computer to get our assignments done. While some businesses don’t have the funds to equip all of their employees with work computers, most of them set their workforce up with the necessary devices.
However, it is very important that you understand what you can and what you shouldn’t do on your work computer. Even if you are allowed to take it home with you for some remote work sessions, you should still keep in mind that this is a company asset that you should not use for anything other than work-related content.
DON’T SAVE PERSONAL PASSWORDS
By using our work computer for eight hours a day, sometimes even more, we tend to think of it as our primary device. What’s more, it’s not uncommon to use it more than our personal laptops. Due to this, it can be very tempting to save our personal passwords there in order to skip the tedious process of typing them in every time.
However, you should be aware that nothing you do on your work computer is private or confidential and that it belongs to the company you work for. This means that they have every right to examine and monitor everything that the computer is used for, from files to emails and internet use.
Plus, some experts even recommend against saving passwords on a work computer altogether seeing as how that makes it easier for hackers to get access to valuable data.
DON’T STORE YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON IT
Other than saving passwords, people often store personal files on work computers as well. From various receipts to family photos, you cannot forget the fact that this is not your property as everything stored on the computer belongs to the company. If the business closes or you get fired, you might lose all of that data as the computer will be taken from you.
Perhaps the equipment gets sold without securely erasing the data from the devices. You never know who can get access to your personal files so don’t use your work computer for this purpose.
DON’T USE PUBLIC WIFI
You are probably aware of the fact that public WiFi is not always safe and secure. Seeing as how the work you do for your company is sensitive and confidential, you need to take the necessary precautions to prevent hackers from gaining access to your device.
Even if you are sure that the public WiFi you are using is safe, you still need to be protected when working on your work computer at a local café or in transport.
It’s essential that you start using a quality VPN and other threat protection software solutions which can keep your information safe and prevent malware from being installed on your devices.
DON’T ALLOW ACCESS TO OTHER PEOPLE
Something else that you need to avoid doing is giving other people access to your work computer. Maybe your friend wants to google something really quickly and they accidentally download some malware. Maybe they try to prank you by going on some inappropriate websites that your employer can later see. You can simply prevent all of this by not letting anyone use it.
Also, consider if your work computer breaks down during the weekend, you should not allow just anyone to try and fix it as that can be a breach of the security policy and can get you fired. Wait until the next workday and have your IT department take a look.
DON’T GOSSIP OR JOKE INAPPROPRIATELY
When experiencing downtime at work, you can be tempted to start talking to your coworkers or friends to pass the time quicker. You need to work on cutting out this habit seeing as how the messages you send on your work computer can be seen by the IT department and your boss.
Regardless of whether you joke about someone in the company, spread some gossip, or accidentally leak some confidential data, you can be disciplined and potentially even fired.
DON’T LOOK FOR OTHER WORK OPPORTUNITIES
Finally, in case you are not satisfied with the job you currently have and are looking for an alternative, you should not do that on your work computer. Don’t use it to write your resume and cover letter either. It is simply wrong and if you get discovered, you can get fired without having a plan B. Or, if you already have a side hustle, do not do any other work on this device. Seeing as how everything you do on the computer that was provided for you can be monitored, if your employer finds out, you can lose your job.
As you can see, using the work computer for your personal use is a big no-no and simply isn’t something any professional would do. Furthermore, even when using it for work, ensure you are safe and no confidential data is affected.
