For all of the latest information on hybrid working, including working from home, visit the hybrid working hub and IT Services' information for working from home. 

Hot desk facilities have been created to allow staff who spend the majority of their time off campus to bring in just their laptop and use a desk with equipment ready for them to use. 

These desks have the following equipment on them by default: 

• Screen
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Laptop riser
• Dock

What is a dock?

A dock, or docking station, is a unit designed to connect all of the peripherals of a computer desk setup (screen, mouse, keyboard, power, network cable, etc.) to a laptop, without the need to plug each item into the laptop individually. Thanks to the dock, you only need to plug the single cable coming out of the dock into your laptop, for everything else to be connected to the laptop (sounds like magic, but it isn't, it's just really cool tech!).

What's a laptop riser?

Laptop risers have various purposes (including helping to keep the laptop cool and allowing a raised angle typing), but the main reason a laptop riser is supplied on the hot desks is to allow your laptop screen to be used alongside the external screen, if you want to work on two screens

Working from home

If you’re going to be working from home there are some things you’ll need to think about so you’re well prepared when it happens.

Advice from IT Services

Visit IT Services' Working from Home page at for advice on how to access:

Email

Webmail is available at: https://outlook.com

Your M: Drive and departmental drives

Connecting to VPN and mapping your drives is the preferred method. You can also use Apps Anywhere.

OneDrive and SharePoint

Access your OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams files via Microsoft 365. Use the MWS username version of email address to login and ensure you are enrolled for Duo/2FA.

Staying in touch with your team

Microsoft Teams allows you to conduct and attend meetings, live events and chats with your team members. Teams can be accessed online or by installing the Microsoft Teams from Install University Apps (available on all MWS devices when on campus or off campus and connected to the VPN).

Note: The LMG Systems Team can set-up a private channel for your work group in the over-arching Libraries, Museums & Galleries Teams site – get in touch. All staff are added to this Teams site by default.

You can also twin your mobile phone to your desk phone - this means if anyone calls your desk phone, your mobile will ring too. Instructions can be found here:

You can also contact the IT Service Desk for more info.

Usernames and passwords

You wouldn’t be alone if you’re using your internet browser to remember usernames and passwords for each site you visit, but what would you do if that browser wasn’t available. Do you know the username and password for each separate site? Don’t forget you’ll need to adhere to University security protocols so keep usernames and passwords secure, whatever method you use to remember them.

Browser accounts

Did you know that if you use Firefox or Google Chrome, you can create/sign in with a Firefox account or for Google Chrome, create/sign in with a Google account? Doing this saves all of your favourites, usernames, passwords, history etc.  It can help make things easier if you swap between different computers/devices. It would be good practice to keep separate account for business and personal use.

Useful websites

There will be lots of sites that you use, but here are some of the most common:

Acquisitions-specific websites