Speeding up staff

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Many people get frustrated by a 'slow' internet, not realising that their company connection is struggling under the strain of so many users. More bandwidth could be a cheaper, temporary option.

Clogged up connections

But internet and general computing speed is also dragged down by spyware and adware - small programmes that can secretly install themselves while one is surfing the web, and do things like pop up adverts all the time. The average ill-maintained, ill-protected computer is riddled with this stuff.

Fortunately a cure is relatively quick and free: download AdAware and/or Spybot, and clean it all out. When first run, the results are shocking: very often hundreds and hundreds of problem files, and changed registry keys.

Greedy applications

Too many applications running is also an issue. A worker complains that their computer isn't powerful enough: when you click the bottom right corner to see all the apps running or do a CTRL+ALT+DEL Processes, a dozen or more potentially processor-hungry programs are currently active.

Windows does offers some tools to improve performance. The Add or Remove Programs control panel can identify never-used or long-forgotten software, which can then be deleted to clear up disk space. The Disk Cleanup tool also frees up disk space.

There are two ways of addressing the situation of general maintenance. One is to assume that workers are generally clueless, and have the IT department nanny their every move. This becomes intensively time-consuming for skilled IT staff, and is a waste of resources.

Time for better training

A better way, and also a more preventative method, is to educate staff about spyware, adware, efficient computer use - and basically how Windows/Linux/OSX works. Show them how to control what programs load at start-up. Show them how to see what's running. Have them install spyware removal apps, and make them schedule weekly check-and-cleans.

All the Windows inbuilt optimisation processes are easily found through a Help search. Have employees try to figure it out for themselves, searching 'Disk Cleanup' and then carrying it out - maybe free coffees for the successful could be an incentive? Finding out just how many staff have no clue how to even access Windows Help will be illuminating, if nothing else.

Certain staff will never have the capability to carry out these procedures, and certain procedures require Admin access (such as defragging) and higher levels of IT training.

But the majority of office workers aren't stupid and can be trained quickly and easily. They will actually find themselves happier to carry out a few routine maintenance tasks themselves and not have to wait hours for the IT helpdesk to send someone round. Being able to use these skills at home to improve their personal computers will be an added bonus.