Remote and hybrid work are here to stay. Some items in your office should not be. As the year end approaches, it’s a good time to do a little office archaeology work. Take a moment to uncover and dispose of these dated implements:
The Stone Age
These are the tools of early office dwellers. Whether stored in closets or hidden in dusty filing cabinets, it’s time to send these items to meet their ancestors.
Paleolithic Implements
I refer to flip charts, fax machines, in-boxes/out-boxes, timecards, and the like. Like the ashtrays of earlier times, these should be consigned to the waste stream.
Conference Phone
Since Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, when was the last time you sat around a conference table talking to this wired centerpiece? Disconnect it.
Paper Files
Follow the guidelines of your Data Retention Policy. Don’t have one? Much will depend on your industry, your location, and the data in question. Even with HIPAA, GDPR and other requirements to consider, I am not aware of any regulations that require that data be kept in paper form. Digitize or clean out your paper files. Read my last blog and get rid of your paper checks also.
The Iron Age
The tools from this period are inefficient and sometimes dangerous, but many companies continue to use them. Why? It’s an office archaeology mystery:
Server/Ethernet Connections
Still have a server and ethernet-wired offices? You may have valid reasons for maintaining your own server and data. Just don’t tell me, especially when using online banking, payroll, and ecommerce services, that you do so because you cannot trust the security of online alternatives. Host your data online; consider installing an up-to-date office wifi setup as well.
Windows 7
I was shocked the other day when I pulled up to my (large) bank’s drive-through ATM and it displayed a Windows 7 home screen with an error message. Support for Windows 7 was discontinued in January of 2020. This is a serious security issue. If you are still using Windows 7 on work computers you have the same problem. Upgrade, now.
Unsecure Company Website
Haven’t updated your website in years? Back in the day, having a HTTP website was fine. Not anymore. If your website URL is not preceded by HTTPS, it is not secure. HTTP websites are ranked lower by Google. They also do not protect visitor information from being stolen, read, or modified by hackers. It’s a problem.
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