Tips for effective home working in the data centre industry

With COVID-19 still having an unprecedented impact on businesses across the globe, many individuals may still be working from home. For those within the IT and Data Centre industries, this doesn’t just bring challenges of team working, it also brings additional pressures and stresses when it comes to security. Home workers may worry about the security of their network, or consider the vulnerability of their business without the same level of staffing.

This post is dedicated to giving some top tips on home working that can apply to any industry, while also giving specific advice to those within the Data Centre or IT industry that will help give you peace of mind your business is secure.

Tip 1: Routine is key

This tip applies to anyone working from home. If you’re used to an office or another work environment, where you can interact with your work colleagues, it can be quite unusual being in an environment where suddenly your home is also your place of work. Studies have shown that working from home can increase productivity, so make sure you get the most out of this.

We recommend you continue to follow the morning routine you had in place for working days while working from home, minus the travel to work. Wear the clothes you’d wear at work, freshen up as normal, and try to pick a specific room that will be your new place of work. Confining your work activities primarily to this room allows you to step into that space with the similar feeling of arriving at the office. You can separate work from home life in your mind.

Tip 2: Establish as a team what you can accomplish remotely and, if visitations to your data centre or office space are required, follow official advice

A lot of practical work can be required if you’re in the Data Centre or IT space, especially if you’re a technician or responsible for managing the facilities. Certain tasks will simply not be possible to complete from home. However, there may still be things you can achieve remotely, so it’s important to consult your business continuity plan and establish as a team what your priorities are, and what you can achieve remotely. Continue to keep up to date and follow government advice with regards to any visits to the office or business.

Tip 3: Connect more with your clients

An obvious piece of advice is not to lose touch with your work colleagues. Make sure you arrange regular telephone or video catch ups, since there is a lot of software available primarily for this purpose. Also, though, don’t forget about your clients. If you deliver services to clients, make sure you reach out to them. Not only could they use the reassurance, it will also help your own frame of mind to have a quick chat when social contact in person has been restricted so much.

Tip 4: Protect your metal health

Although included as tip 4 here, this is the most important tip. During these difficult times, keeping your spirits up is not the easiest task, and most people continue to struggle alone with mental health problems. Key to this is being honest. If you’re struggling, admit you need to seek help, and reach out to a colleague or someone you can talk to about your concerns. There is also plenty of advice on the NHS website, including links to organisations like MIND you can reach out to. A lot of workplaces now also have at least one mental health first aider – find out who yours is.

There are also some general tips you can follow to help tackle anxiety and stress. There has been some research into the benefits of having house plants in the office, so might be time to revise your place of work at home. Also, spending time with pets on your break may help. Studies have proven that the presence of animals is uplifting for mental health. Finally, make sure you maintain a healthy diet and sleeping pattern, and try to fit in room for some exercise. You may find that without your commute to work, you now have more time to exercise to reinvigorate yourself.

Tip 5: Protect your business

Protecting servers with important information on remains crucial in the Data Centre and IT industries. Reduced staffing may cause you to fear over security, but there are other safeguarding measures you can put in place. For instance, Cross-Guard offers a range of security cages to protect servers, which can be combined with other security measures. If you want even further peace of mind, the company also offers security cages that are certified to different standards to give ultimate attack resistance.

Hopefully this article provided some useful advice. Cross-Guard released a monthly newsletter providing the latest news, industry updates, and any offers the company is running. If you’d like to receive these updates, please sign up. Or, to contact us, please give us a call on +44 (0)20 8108 9328 or email sales@cross-guard.com.