Home Office Safety and Security (HOSS) Week occurs in the second full week in January, and is from January 12 to 18 this year. During this week, stay-at-home workers are urged to assess the safety of their work environment. If you work remotely or are looking for such a job, we’re using today’s observance to highlight certain aspects you might want to consider including in your home office. Take out time to assess your workspace and pinpoint any security vulnerabilities that could jeopardize you or your data.
History of Home Office Safety and Security Week
Working from home differs from working in a corporate setting, where IT and security departments operate behind the scenes to keep the workplace safe. In this situation, you are solely responsible for your safety and that of your data. Long before it was formally acknowledged as it is today, medical practitioners used remote work from the late 1700s through the 1900s.
Working from home has numerous advantages. Schedules are more flexible, no commuting is required, they can design their workspace, and many wear comfortable clothes or even pajamas on the job. They get to spend ample time with loved ones too since they don’t have to commute, and they can manage their internal temperature in a home office.
Working from home allows people to save money. They save money on gas, that pricey espresso on the way to the office, or lunch at a restaurant. Furthermore, their clothing budget is quite small, considering they will make fewer trips to the dry cleaners.
There are, of course, certain downsides. Remote workers are in charge of their safety and security after all. They’ll need to devise a fire escape strategy and install their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, among other things.
Two more ways to ensure it is safe are to make sure the home office is childproof and that the electrical system can handle the demand of all the equipment. Remote workers should maintain their workspace clutter-free to avoid trip hazards. Important documents should be kept in fire-resistant filing cabinets. To keep hackers and viruses at bay, keep your antivirus and firewall software up to date. Make a backup of your information and save it in password-protected files.
Home Office Safety and Security Week aims to remind remote workers of the importance of security and safety even in a home office environment. Use this opportunity to get your safety straightened out to avoid issues and keep work going smoothly.
Home Office Safety and Security Week timeline
Medical practitioners begin to practice remote work.
A NASA engineer, Jack Niles, coins the term ‘telecommuting’ in his publication “Telecommunications-Transportation Tradeoff.”
Remote work guidelines for employees and employers are introduced.
The DOT Appropriations Act comes into effect, legitimizing remote work and demanding that businesses create telecommuting policies.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (B.L.S.) reports that about 14 million professionals in the finance industry are remote workers.
Home Office Safety and Security Week FAQs
How can I keep my home office safe?
Here are some of the ways you can secure your home office: Protect your connection using a V.P.N., make sure your antivirus is up to date to avoid malware, limit the use of smart gadgets, physically secure computers, and hardware, and make regular backups of sensitive work.
Why has remote work become so popular?
Flexibility is a must for today’s workers. Millennials desire the freedom to work and roam, and a parent with three children might prefer to work remotely at least twice a week. People who work remotely can modify their work hours to fit their lifestyle rather than the other way around.
Why are workplace safety and security important?
A robust workplace security program is critical because it reduces the company’s liability, compensation, insurance, and other social security costs to stakeholders. As a result, you improve your company’s revenue while lowering the operational costs that drain your budget.
How to Observe Home Office Safety and Security Week
Take inventory
If you are a remote worker, you can take inventory of your workspace to celebrate HOSS Week. Make sure your list is detailed and remember to keep it handy at all times.
Check your antivirus and firewall protection
Are your system’s antivirus and firewall software up to scratch? If not, you should do something about it quickly. Outdated security systems leave you vulnerable to attacks that could jeopardize your work.
Backup your data
Remote workers who work on local files on their computers need to have backups to avoid data loss. It’s best to have both physical and cloud backups to ensure that in cases of fire or hacker attacks, your data is still accessible.
5 Facts About Data Security That Will Blow Your Mind
Bloodthirsty
A University of Maryland Clark School study is among the first to estimate the relentless rate of cyberattacks on systems with web access— an average of 39 seconds.
Target practice
According to the HIPAA Journal, in September 2020, over 9.7 million healthcare records were breached in cyberattacks.
Mind games
Resisting phishing attacks, according to Cofense, depends on user behavior, and recognizing this is the best approach to protect your company from some of the popular kinds of attacks.
The flaw in our stars
Over 95% of cybersecurity attacks are a result of human error.
Slow going
The majority of companies will take almost six months to identify data breaches.
Why Home Office Safety and Security Week is Important
Preventing property damage
It reminds us of the importance of workplace security. Creating a safe workspace is crucial for reducing the risk of damage to property in cases of assault and burglary.
Preventing data loss
The week preaches vigilance in issues such as antivirus and firewall software and creating backups for important files. These ideas will help keep data safe from theft and keep work running smoothly.
Creating awareness about remote work
The week aims to encourage more businesses to see remote working as a viable option. With safety and security measures put in place and the many benefits of a remote work situation, more businesses will be making the transition to more flexible work conditions.
Home Office Safety and Security Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | January 9 | Sunday |
| 2023 | January 8 | Sunday |
| 2024 | January 14 | Sunday |
| 2025 | January 12 | Sunday |
| 2026 | January 11 | Sunday |
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