5 things to avoid doing on your work computer

It’s easy to forget that your work computer is very different to your personal computer, especially when working from home or on your lunch break. However, treating your work computer as your personal computer can cause serious issues, whether it’s a cybersecurity risk or affecting the productivity of your colleagues.

#1 Stream videos

So, you’re on lunch and you decide to watch something on YouTube or Netflix, no problem right? Wrong. If you’ve connected to the company Wi-Fi then you could be slowing the internet down for everyone else. Colleagues may find it’s taking longer to send important emails or download files.

Our tip – streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime allow you to download videos to watch later without using the internet. Download your favourites from home and then watch them offline when on your break.

#2 Let your friends or family use it

If you work from home or keep a work laptop at home, it’s very easy to let your family or friends quickly use it. It doesn’t matter whether or not they are looking to be malicious (they’re probably not!).

However, they could pose other threats such as accidentally deleting important files or click on links that they shouldn’t. They may also see confidential documents that they really shouldn’t be seeing.

#3 Connect to an unprotected network

Like most people, if you’re working out of the office, you might prefer to work in a coffee shop. We don’t blame you; it can help boost productivity by having a change of scenery.

However, don’t connect your work computer to the public Wi-Fi. This leaves you vulnerable to hackers. Some hackers target coffee shops, knowing lots of people will connect to the public Wi-Fi.

Tip – If you do have to connect to it, use a VPN for added protection.

#4 Download software without checking with IT

A big no-no! Whenever you download software, even if you’ve already downloaded it onto your personal computer, check with IT. It’s always worth double-checking with them to make sure your computer is compatible with it or that it won’t affect the performance of your computer. Plus it’s always good to keep IT up to date with any changes to your computer.

#5 Save personal files

Even if you’ve kept personal and work-related files away from each other it’s still not ideal to have personal documents on your work computer. It’s easy for these to get backed up on the work system when they really don’t need to be there. It takes up unnecessary space, plus if you decide to leave, you probably don’t want your personal files left on the server.

Looking for more tips on what you should avoid when using your work computer? Talk to one of our experts by calling us on 03333 055 055!