When you are given a device to use for work, whether it is a phone, a tablet, a laptop, or a desktop you may start thinking that you can use the device however you want.
There are things you should never do on work devices, like browse inappropriate websites, but you might be surprised that there are other things that can get you in trouble.
Here are a few things to avoid doing on a work device:
Don’t Store Personal Data
A good portion of your day is spent at work, so it can be tempting to login to your personal email, download personal files, or work on personal documents while at work.
Don’t make the mistake of working on personal files and platforms while on your work computer. If you are ever laid off for any reason, your devices will be taken right away. And if your work computer is the only place you have specific personal files stored, you will lose access to those files forever.
If you are logged into any personal accounts like Dropbox or email accounts, losing access to your device gives your employers access to these accounts through your work computer as well. You may not want your employer to have access to all your vacation photos from your Dropbox account or see your email conversations.
It is completely legal for businesses to monitor, track, and view anything you do on a business owned device. Never assume you have or are entitled to privacy on these devices.
Don’t Use Work Credentials for Personal Use
Don’t use your work email for personal communication. Always have a personal account that you use for all personal transactions and business.
Someday you may not work for the same company, and changing your logins at various websites to a new email address every time you get a new job might be a huge pain.
Don’t Login to Social Media
Unless you are in marketing, there is likely no credible reason you can give for logging into social media while you are supposed to be working. Everything you do on social media can be tracked and monitored, and you may just be showing your employers that you need more work.
Employers are always trying to figure out how to increase the bottom line. If they have employees that spend too much time on social media, they may think that there isn’t enough work to keep so many employees on staff.
Don’t Shop or Play Games
Like scrolling through social media, shopping or gaming while you are supposed to be working just shows that you might be shirking your job responsibilities.
Depending on the sites you are using, you may even open the company device or network to attack. Not all websites are created equal, and browsing through websites that are not secured properly or even compromised could lead to problems for the entire business network.
Don’t Ever Think No One is Watching
The bottom-line is don’t do anything on your company issued device that you wouldn’t do with your boss standing right over your shoulder. Chances are highly likely that while they aren’t actually physically watching everything you do, someone at your company probably is watching.
Don’t look for a new job, don’t apply for new jobs, and of course never look for inappropriate content. These things can most certainly get you fired.
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