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Productivity

The Hidden Cost Of Internet Misuse At Work

Using the Internet for personal purposes in the workplace is causing a dip in employee productivity and costing money for the business owner.

Internet abuse constitutes an issue due to the fact that the browsed content raises ethical questions and often the sites visited are not allowed through office policies.

This is in addition to the fact that the time and frequency of accessing the Internet compromises productivity.

What constitutes Internet abuse?
Workplace Internet abuse is a significant risk factor for employer liability, costing employers’ valuable hours of work.

Internet abuse ranges from viewing pornography in private c472520_moffices to spending hours on social sites, playing online games, shopping online and paying bills through the company Internet.

Other consequences of improper Internet use include litigation, such as sexual harassment, hostile work environments and discrimination.

Revoking privileges
One way to deal with this problem is to entirely remove Internet access. Unfortunately, such a decision has the negative effect of punishing those who don’t abuse the privilege.

In addition, it’s impossible to completely banish personal Internet usage when the business relies heavily on Internet for communication, research and up-to-date information.

Monitoring usage
One way to reduce employer liability is to monitor and filter employee Internet use.
Although there are disagreements about the principle behind Internet monitoring, many employers agree that it is a necessary ‘evil.’

This solution requires some investment and changes in the networking infrastructure but can provide an almost immediate Return on Investment (ROI).

A phased implementation approach works best. Let your employees know you’re making a change, implement, and then give them a few days to adjust.

It is also necessary to draft an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), implementing rules of personal Internet use before implementing such a change.

If you want to discuss internet monitoring solutions for your business, please give us a call for a free assessment.

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How To Prolong The Life Of Your Computer

Печатьby Jeremy Miller, Technician
One of the questions we get asked most often is, “What can I do to prolong the life of my computer?” We have been working on computers for years and have found that hardware protection and regular maintenance is the best answer.

What is regular maintenance?
Regular maintenance is the general up keep of your computer over time. There is a number of free software out there that offer this service with a stipulation.

They will partially clean up your system or some malicious software will state it will speed up your computer if you upgrade to the paid-for version. You should not trust this free software because it can damage some applications or even your operating system.

What can I do?
There are many things you can implement to prolong the life of your computer. You first want to think about your hardware because all software can be reloaded, but once your hardware fails your computer can crash like a house of cards.

Cooling is Key
The first thing I recommend is to regularly clean out your computer with compressed air. Nothing kills a computer better or faster than high internal temperatures. On average your computer is about 30 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the room it is in.

You can also increase your cooling by adding more fans. Many desktop cases have space for additional fans.
The better the air flow the longer your computer will last. For laptops, you must always ensure the fan vents are not being blocked, and you can increase cooling by using a cooling pad that has additional fans to increase the air flow around your laptop.

Make sure you have reliable power
You should always have your computer powered by a surge protector. If you live in a dwelling that has power fluctuations, you should consider an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) which are also known as a battery backup. Many also protect against brownouts.

Most UPS come with multiple outlets, some are protected by the battery as well as surge protection and some are just surge protected.

UPS will provide regular power to your computer even if your power fluctuates, and it can shut your computer down properly if you lose power.

Without reliable power you can short out just about any component in your computer.

If you shut your computer down incorrectly or if you just lose power you can damage your data and can cause your operating system to stop functioning.

Regular software maintenance
Your computer will accumulate a lot of temporary files from software that does not clean up after itself.

Your hard disk will become cluttered from constantly moving files around, and most computers have old unused software still running in the background.
All of this takes a toll on your computer hardware over time. The idea is to keep the software foot print as small as needed.

The less items you have launch at startup will lead to a much longer computer life. This is because most software needs your processor, Random Access Memory (RAM), and hard drive to run.

The more you have running at one time the higher the stress level on your hardware.

Virus infections may not cause noticeable issues right away but over time you will start to notice things not running properly.

Virus infections and other malicious software can take most of your hardware resources which makes your computer perform poorly. You can attempt to clean these infections out yourself, but without knowing how your computer works, you may end up doing more damage than good.

Is there an easy way to regularly maintain my computer?
We are constantly cleaning out computers and are very familiar with issues that arise in these processes.

We offer a solution to clean out your computer on a daily basis, so that you can continually use your computer without interruption. Our service runs in the background and will take care of most issues that arise.

We can help increase the longevity while you get the most out of your computer. If you are interested in learning more or have questions please feel free to call us.

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What Is The Real Cost Of IT Downtime?

hourglass with dollar inside (time is money concept)

People working with technology understand that downtime happens, whether it is planned (as during upgrades and maintenance) or as an unplanned emergency. Unnecessary downtime often costs an organization significant amounts of money.

Not being able to process sales is perhaps the most direct way in which your company will lose revenue during downtime.

If your sales team uses your company’s online resources in their daily tasks, they won’t be ringing up the sales numbers. Add to this the costs of resolving the issues that caused the downtime, including both labor and materials, you’re left with the direct monetary impact to your organization.

There’s no doubt about it – downtime can damage your company’s reputation. Your customers don’t like to be kept waiting. Downtime may cause late deliveries, interfere with your customers’ ability to place an order or even to contact your customer service.

Efficient business owners understand that employee productivity has a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. It’s crucial that everyone has the tools they need in order to remain productive. Downtime causes loss of productivity, and, therefore, profits.

The only way to maximize uptime is to monitor your systems on an ongoing basis. This will provide you with specific details regarding any issues affecting your organization. If you are experiencing anything less than 99.9 percent uptime, you need to start looking into solutions to resolve the problem. Give us a call today.

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How To Beat Job Burnout

If you are finding it more and more difficult to cope with the demands of your job in addition to the rest of your life, you are definitely not alone. More and more people are putting in additional hours at work or being on call even when they should be at home relaxing.

The good news is there are ways to make your daily routine a little more balanced. One of the best is to actually build downtime into your schedule. As you plan your week you should make a point of including time with friends and family as well as activities that will allow you to recharge such as a sport of some kind.

Being proactive about scheduling can be very helpful and also prevent free time from being wasted. Another good idea is to drop activities that are sapping your energy or time, including online activities. Making time for exercise can also assist you with becoming more alert and boosting your concentration and overall energy level.

Why Virtualization Is A Good Idea For Your Small Business

Thomas Fox is president of Tech Experts, southeast Michigan’s leading small business computer support company.

Server virtualization is the partitioning of a physical server into smaller virtual servers to help maximize your server resources.

In server virtualization, software is used to divide the physical server into multiple virtual environments, called virtual or private servers. This is in contrast to dedicating one server to a single application or task.

Server virtualization provides a small business with almost unlimited storage space. Let’s look at some of the ways that server virtualization could benefit your small business.

Efficiency
Virtualization maximizes server space, which reduces the number of servers needed to store important company data.

Since multiple virtual servers reside on a single physical server, your infrastructure will require less space, saving occupancy costs.

Economy
Virtualization will cut down on your energy consumption, which will lower your monthly bill. Because you’ll need fewer servers, you’ll save on hardware costs, as well.

For a small-business owner, these savings can mean a lot in the long run, especially if energy costs are high.

Disaster Recovery
Fires, theft and natural disasters happen, often without warning.

What would happen to your business if all of your important files were stored on in-house servers that got destroyed in a tornado or fire?

With virtualization, that becomes less of a worry, especially if you conduct regular checks to ensure that your data is being properly backed up.

It is equally important that you take steps to ensure the data can be recovered if necessary and that when recovered, the data is usable.

Virtualization cuts down on the risk that an employee or thief could walk off with important company files, something that can happen if you back up company files on external hard drives.

Business Continuity
Unlike disaster recovery, business continuity is about quickly recovering from things like power outages and server crashes.

These two common occurrences could cost a small-business owner a lot of money depending on how long employees remained idle waiting for power to be restored or a server to be repaired.

With a virtualized server environment, server images are often backed up to the cloud – where they can be enabled in real time and act as a replacement server until resources are restored.

Virtual Desktop
This is a growing trend in the business world. Also known as client virtualization, desktop virtualization separates the PC desktop environment from the physical machine and operates in the cloud.

With virtual desktop infrastructure, employees can access the company network from their laptops, tablets or smart devices.

Virtualization has worked well for large enterprises for a number of years, and now the technology is affordable for smaller businesses.

Choosing virtualization for your company is no small matter. You’ll want to make sure you use an experienced, trusted IT partner to make sure your project goes smoothly.

Get Ahead By Practicing These ‘Top Employee’ Habits

Maybe you’ll win the lottery. Or a wealthy relative will leave you a fortune.

But if neither possibility turns into reality, you’ll have to go to work tomorrow, where your best chance of getting ahead is to be the best employee you can.

Here’s some advice for making an impact at work:

Be positive
Managers and co-workers like working with people who are upbeat and enthusiastic.

You don’t have to force a fake smile on your face every minute of the day, but refrain from complaints, cynicism, and sarcasm at work. Support what’s working, and fix what needs to work better.

Communicate
The ability to express your ideas clearly is one of the most important skills you can master.

Concentrate on getting your messages across in concrete, concise language that everyone can understand without confusion.

Compliment people
Tell people sincerely when you appreciate their work, their assistance, or their support.

Highlight their tangible achievements, connect your praise to your organization’s goals, and don’t overdo it. Everyone, including your supervisor, likes to hear, “Thank you,” or, “Good work.”

Be honest
Admit your mistakes, and ask openly about things you don’t understand.

“Fake it till you make it,” has a place in your career strategy, but in the long run you’ll do better by being up front with your supervisors and colleagues.

Keep learning
Don’t rely too long on what’s worked for you in the past. A commitment to your own development shows that you’re serious about your career, and gets the attention of managers looking for tomorrow’s leaders.

Does Videoconferencing Make Sense For Your Company?

Thomas Fox is president of Tech Experts, southeast Michigan’s leading small business computer support company.

Science-fiction fans have long wished for life-sized communication devices that create a real-time image of the person you’re talking with.

Recently, holographic video technology has begun to surface, although at present the price means it’s restricted to only the wealthiest companies.

More realistic options when you want a face-to-face with clients across town are video conferencing and telepresence setups, like HP’s Halo solutions.

Soaring fuel prices, and the growing awareness of our carbon footprint, are encouraging the fast adoption of video conferencing among big and small companies alike.

Some businesses have even taken the line that if a video conference is possible, they won’t travel long distances for a meeting.

The advantages of video conferencing are obvious. As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

By being able to see each other, participants benefit from improved understanding and communication. Productivity goes up, travel costs are removed, and the time spent driving or flying to meetings is slashed dramatically.

The next stage
The benefits offered by video conferencing are soon to be taken to a new level by technologies like motion tracking, facial recognition and simulation, intelligent audio technologies, handheld and full-scale holographic devices, 3D monitors, stereographic camera setups, and entire-room display technologies.

Recent months have already seen the introduction of digital projectors into mobile phones.

While many of these technologies sound quite far-fetched, a lot of them will be available for regular business use in the near future.

And like most technological breakthroughs, with time many of them will also find their way into our homes. Friends and family living overseas could virtually walk in and talk with you – or share their living rooms in full detail.

Enhancing collaboration today
While holograms and other such technologies are still out of reach for most, video conferencing systems like Halo are helping organizations hold more engaging long-distance meetings that lift productivity while reducing costs.

The top-end products can include life-sized screens, crisp pictures, surround sound and even operating technicians.

A far more attractively priced option are PCs and notebooks equipped with web cameras. With free services like Skype and Webex, you can quickly and easily set up time-saving face-to-face meetings.

Collaboration and communication can be improved effortlessly, travel costs removed in an instant.

New technologies will soon revolutionize the way we communicate, but in the meantime, video conferencing can offer your business a great advantage.

Take Charge Of Your Time To Manage Your Job Better

Time is money, or so the saying goes. People who manage their time effectively get more done and go further in their careers.

Make the most of every minute with these useful ideas:

Act on email promptly. Don’t leave emails in your inbox, whether you’ve read them or not. Spend a few minutes on a regular schedule responding, saving, or deleting messages so important emails don’t get lost in the electronic clutter.

Do your most important tasks first. Identify your priorities (and those of your boss) so you know what’s critical and what’s trivial. Then take care of your top priorities first thing in the morning instead of putting them off or waiting until you’re “ready.” The rest of your day will flow more easily once you’ve got the important stuff under control.

Identify quick tasks. Make a list of everyday jobs you can do in five minutes or less. Tackle these when you’ve got a little spare time—between meetings, or waiting for a long document to print. That way they won’t distract you when you need to concentrate, or waste your time when you should be working on more important things.

Take good notes. Don’t try to remember everything. When you’ve got an idea, or realize you need to do something later, write it down. Review your notes regularly so nothing slips away.

Just say no. Avoid tasks and projects that don’t directly contribute to your primary objectives. Use your list of priorities to identify work that you need to do. Turn down (politely) requests to take on irrelevant work, or negotiate for a deadline that allows you to focus on your key tasks.

While managing your time better, it’s also a good idea to improve your relationship with your boss.

Impressing your boss isn’t about insincere flattery or hogging the spotlight. The best way to get attention and credit is to do your job as well as you can – and follow these tips:

Take notes. Carry a notebook to any meeting with your boss, and use it to record his or her instructions. This shows that you place a premium on detail and accuracy.

Save money. Look for ways to cut expenses in your organization. Most managers are under constant pressure to keep costs down, and yours will be grateful if you can help.

Arrive early, stay late. Don’t be a clock-watcher. Your willingness to put in extra time will show your dedication to the boss’s objectives and your organization’s success.

Dress well. Even in a casual-dress atmosphere, pay attention to your appearance. A professional wardrobe will stand out.

Keep the boss informed. Don’t be a gossip, but do give your manager a heads-up on anything happening in the workplace that could affect his or her goals.

Do a little extra. Seek out the small tasks that other people forget, or the big ones that everyone avoids. Going the extra mile will make a lasting impression.

Be organized. Keep your work area clean, and have the information your boss needs ready at any time. You don’t want to waste your manager’s time while you search for documents under piles of disorganized memos.

Double-check your work. Don’t be in such a hurry that you don’t have time to proofread your email or confirm the facts in a report. Small errors can undermine your credibility and reputation.

Get Past The Roadblocks To Creative Concepts

Sometimes the ideas just don’t come. You don’t have to be a cartoonist or a novelist to need fresh ideas; every job calls on us to find creative solutions from time to time. When you’re not feeling the magic, look for these common causes of “imagination block”:

Inside the box thinking
You may be looking for familiar solutions to the same old problems. Get into the habit of questioning all your assumptions and looking at situations from different angles.

For instance, instead of asking, “How can we sell this product to our customers?” try, “What would make a customer reject this product?” and build your solution around eliminating that objection.

Fear of…
Maybe you’re afraid of failure. Or the commitment a solution might call for. Or perhaps you’re aware that the best idea will require you to do things you’re not comfortable with.

Confront your fears head on, and identify why they’re paralyzing you. Most of the time you can overcome them if you break them down into manageable elements.

Lack of knowledge
Take a look at your subject. If it’s unfamiliar, you may not know enough detail to generate any relevant ideas. Do more homework.

Or if you’re casting about for a completely new idea, devote time to studying something outside your usual area of expertise without looking for a flash of inspiration. Often, exploring a new field will generate unexpected connections between existing projects.

Overabundance
Sometimes the problem is that you’ve got so many partial ideas that you can’t choose just one to develop.

Try picking one at random and working on that alone until you’ve either got a solid project or you reject it for being unworkable. Or step back and look at your priorities so you can choose the option that suits your needs best.

Plan Your Workday’s Start For Maximum Efficiency

Your first few minutes at work can set the tone for the entire day, so don’t waste them. Here are some tips for launching a productive day from the very start:

• Arrive on time. Nothing throws you off your game like having to catch up with everyone else. Get the rest you need, and give yourself plenty of time to show up when you need to be there.

• Settle in smoothly. Don’t take too much time for this. Spend just a few minutes reviewing your to-do list (updated the night before!) and checking in with your boss and employees. Plan your day, but be ready for interruptions as they arise.

• Check messages—briefly. Don’t bother answering every email and phone message you’ve received since yesterday. Review them quickly, deal with any that require immediate attention, and then move on.
• Think. Your brain is fresh in the morning, so use it to make plans. Review your long-term goals as well as your most urgent tasks for the day, and spend a little time analyzing your priorities so you can put your energy where it will do the most good.

• Choose your most important task first. This may be the task you least want to do, but putting it off will only distract you and drain your energy. Look over your to-do list and pick the job that will have the biggest impact, and take it on while you’ve got maximum energy and the fewest interruptions.

• Plan a break. Don’t push yourself to stay at peak energy all day. Schedule a quick break at some point in the morning so you can double-check your priorities, revise your plans, and get a little rest to prepare for the rest of the day. Enjoy a “brain snack” such as trail mix, peanut butter and toast, or hummus and vegetables.