10 Things You Should Do Before Returning Your Work PC
You got a job offer, and you need to return your work computer. Before you do, there are steps you can take to protect your confidential information and save valuable data.
Although the laptop was for work purposes, chances are that you did some personal things on the computer and would like to clear that data before returning it. Here are the steps you should take before returning your work computer.
1. Consult With Your Employer
Before you do anything with the files on your computer, you should speak with your employer to ensure you follow IT policies. Some companies may have policies restricting your ability to take client contact information or anything they consider proprietary.
You don’t want to burn bridges when leaving a position, so you must follow company policy until your last day. After obtaining approval from your employer, you can start to work on the steps listed below. Even though you’re not selling your computer, you may be interested in learninghow to permanently delete files on your PC before selling itfor valuable tips.
2. Back Up Your Documents
Once you’ve verified with your employer that it’s okay to back up any personal files on the computer, the next step is to go through your computer and delete the files you no longer need. Once you’ve purged unnecessary files from the computer, you should organize the remaining files according to who needs them.
If you need files for yourself, then you should back up the files on a USB drive or use cloud storage. For the files that coworkers need access to after you leave, you should back them up on a shared drive for easy access. If you’re unsure about doing a backup, you might be interested in learning aboutthird-party tools you must try to back up your Windows data.
3. Keep Helpful Programs
While at your current job, you may have been introduced to some programs that you find helpful. If the job you’re moving on to is similar to your current one, some of the programs may be valuable to you in the future.
Before you copy any of those programs, obtain written permission from your employer, as some companies treat the programs they use as proprietary information, and there may be licensing issues. Speak to your employer and IT department before downloading any programs on the company computer.
If you get permission to copy the programs, it’s an excellent idea to download them on a USB drive or the cloud to access them when needed. If you’re looking for a planner app, you might want to check out thesefree weekly planners to organize your productive tasks.
4. Save Contacts and Emails
There may be people you met at your current job that you’d like to keep in touch with, personally or professionally. Access to old emails can also be beneficial in the future when looking up references, information, and networking purposes. You may want to check outa quick guide to importing & exporting email contacts.
If your company is using Microsoft Outlook, there are two ways to save your emails and contracts:
5. Save Your Login Information
Many of us have picked up the habit of saving our passwords on the browser we use most often because it makes accessing our accounts easier. It’s an easy and efficient way to access your accounts until you need to access them from a different computer.
Make a note of your usernames and passwords and save the information somewhere safe where it’s possible to easily access it. You may be interested in learninghow to manage saved passwords on Android with Google Password Manager.
6. Clear Your Browser History
You should delete your cache, bookmarks, cookies, internet history, and passwords. Passwords are particularly critical to delete, since forgetting to erase them can give whoever gets on the computer access to your accounts.
Most browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Firefox, make deleting data easy since you can access the tool in your browser settings. You may be interested in learninghow to clear Safari’s browsing history on an iPhone or Mac.
7. Delete Personal Programs and Files
Search your computer for personal files, including photos, videos, and audio files. You may want to look in familiar places where you save files, such as Downloads, My Documents, the Desktop, and other folders you have created.
You can use Window’s search feature to locate the video, audio, image files, and any PDFs you may have saved. Furthermore, there areseveral ways you can uninstall programs from Windows. Ensure you’ve deleted all personal emails you have sent from your work email and delete apps you’ve downloaded for personal use, such as Netflix or Spotify.
8. Empty the Recycle Bin
After deleting your personal files, the last thing you want to do is forget to empty the recycle bin and leave all the files you didn’t want anyone to access sitting in one spot. Your files aren’t gone from the device until you empty the recycle bin.
If it’s been a while since you emptied the bin, you may notice an increase in the computer’s speed once you do. To empty your recycling bin, right-click on the bin and chooseEmpty Bin.You may be interested in learninghow to make Windows automatically empty the Recycle Bin.
9. Clean the Computer
Some of us are guilty of eating and drinking around our computers, which can lead to spills and crumbs. Before returning your laptop, you may want to use compressed air to clean the keyboard and a microfiber cloth or wipes to clean the computer, its screen or monitor, and the trackpad.
If you’re looking for tips on cleaning your computer, you may want to learncleaning tricks to make your laptop look new.
10. Don’t Forget Your Company Phone, Too!
In addition to returning your computer, your employer will ask you to return your company phone if they have provided you with one. The steps are similar to those you take to clear your computer.
Deleting data from your phone may be more critical when you consider the personal nature of phones. You want to ensure you’ve deleted any private messages and apps you downloaded for personal use.
Leave Your Job on a Positive Note
Regardless of why you’re leaving your current job, it’s essential not to burn bridges on your departure. You want to make the transition as smooth as possible, ensuring that your coworkers can access the work you completed while you were on the job.
Ensure that everyone you are working with knows the project’s status before you leave, and tie up as many loose ends as possible. Leave your job on a positive note to carry it into your next position.
Are you starting a new job? Here are 8 things you should never do at your new job to make a positive impression.
When your rival has to bail out your assistant.
It’s not super flashy, but it can help to keep your computer up and running.
Taming data is easier than it looks.
Windows is great, but adding this makes it unstoppable.
I found my TV was always listening—so I shut it down.
