Has your entire small to medium-sized business made the transition to remote work? There are some measures you should take to ensure your team is properly cleaning their home office and IT hardware - both physically and technically.
A recent study from Oxford Economics found that employees waste upwards of 48 minutes a day simply waiting for their computers to respond, with slow work computers estimated to account for a total of 7.5 billion dollars a year lost in the United States alone.
Slow technology will result in lost productivity and efficiency for your business, and that means lower revenue. This becomes even more challenging for remote teams, where accessing help from IT departments is increasingly difficult.
Not only that, but in a world where employee health is a major concern for employers, it’s also crucial that your staff members are properly cleaning their hardware and office space to prevent themselves from falling sick.
Thankfully, there are a few measures your remote employees can take to both physically, and technically, clean their home office. OT Group has listed some tips here:
How to technically clean your work computer for increased efficiencies
Cleaning up your work computer isn’t just a cathartic exercise, it can help your system run faster and more efficiently. In fact, Business Wire reported that 66 percent of Americans say that one of their biggest frustrations is waiting on a system they know should be faster.
Keeping your computer well-organized at home will ensure your employees stay productive, secure their files and continue to produce high-quality work - even when your IT department isn’t on hand to help.
Here are some ways to improve how you organize your work computer at home, as well as some steps you can take to ensure your computer runs faster.
Delete files you don’t need: If your computer has less than 15 percent of free space it can start to slow down fairly significantly. Look through your computer and delete any files that you don’t use anymore. If you are deleting work files then make sure that you 100 percent don’t need them before deleting - you should also backup all your work files before deleting them off of your computer, we will talk more about that shortly.
Use cloud-based software: Instead of taking up space on your computer with a large number of files and physical software, why not consider making the transition to cloud computing? Cloud-based software and storage saves valuable storage on your computer and allows you to perform your job more efficiently. You can learn more about the benefits of cloud computing from our blog ‘5 Ways Remote Workers Benefit From Cloud-Based Technology’.
Empty the recycle bin: The recycle or trash bin on your computer can slow down your computer if you don’t regularly delete the files contained inside it. That’s because the files on your computer aren’t really deleted until you empty them from the recycle bin. Files in your recycle bin will still be taking up space on your hard drive and slowing your computer down until you delete them permanently.
Install anti-virus software: Your computer will run faster if it isn’t being attacked by viruses, spyware and malware. Anti-virus software will identify threats to your system and allow you to deal with them before they become an issue and impact the speed of your computer, or even steal your saved data.
Uninstall any programs you don’t use: When you purchase computers they generally come with a number of pre-installed programs that you are unlikely to ever use and take up space on your hard drive. Take some time to look through your computer and decide which programs you never use, you can then uninstall these programs by heading into the control panel.
Backup all your files: Backing up files is an essential element of your company’s disaster recovery plan, and remote workers must absolutely back up their data. Most small and medium-sized businesses do this by using a shared drive or cloud storage system. This process will ensure your organization’s work and data is protected in the event of file corruption, human error, cybercrime or system failure.
How to physically clean your home office to improve work-from-home wellbeing
Cleaning your home office isn’t just about improving the speed and organization of your computer. It’s also about making sure you have a healthy work-from-home lifestyle. That means taking measures to ensure you are comfortable in your home office, that you have an enjoyable working environment and that you keep your space clean.
Here are some steps you can take to stay healthy and in a positive frame of mind while working from home.
Clean your office: To ensure you stay healthy and well while working from home, remember to practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces in your office space. You can clean your desktop, keyboard, desk, mouse and other items in your home office by gently running a disinfectant wipe along the surface of your equipment. Once done, dry the surface of any electronics thoroughly to avoid the pooling of liquids.
Customize your office space: Working from home gives you the opportunity to completely customize your own office space. Designing your office to make it functional for how you work can significantly improve your productivity and your general wellbeing when working. There’s a variety of things you can do to improve your office space, such as choosing a dedicated area in your house, placing your desk near natural light and choosing the right technologies. If you’re interested in customizing your home office, then read our blog ‘10 Design and Technology Tips for Creating a More Professional Office Space at Home’ for more tips.
Take regular breaks: Employees working in an office take regular breaks, but remote teams often find it hard to remove themselves from their screens during the day. This can have a negative effect on productivity. Throughout your day, take regular 5-10 minute breaks to give your eyes a rest and stretch your legs, this will actually help you to get more work done.
Want any further tips that will help you be more productive and efficient when working from home? OT Group has years of experience in integrating and implementing technology solutions that help small to medium-sized organizations grow. Contact us today to learn more.
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