With many individuals now finding themselves working from home more frequently than in the office, creating the perfect home working environment for employees can be a challenge.
Where for many, the home was once a place to escape from work it now needs space that enables your employees to work comfortably and productively.
At the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic back in 2020, People Management magazine reported that 72% of people had been working from sofas and 56% had worked from their beds – however it soon became clear that this wasn’t going to work long term and home offices were on the rise.
Home offices come in all shapes and sizes and are more often than not a duel purpose room with different needs. So where do you start with equipping all your employees?
At Podia, we're experts in remote working solutions, we've summarised the 5 must haves for an optimum remote working set-up:
1. Dedicated desk and supportive chair
Small, shared space solutions
When your employees don’t have a designated office room or a large space to work with, creating a functional home workspace can seem almost impossible. When integrating a home office into a shared room such as a kitchen or living space, it’s essential to ensure it doesn’t take over the room so you can still escape from work when needed.
Our micro bundles are the perfect example of how small spaces don’t mean sacrifice. These bundles are equipped with ergonomic, stylish desks and comfortable seating which can slot into the smallest spaces of all shapes and sizes. And, the great thing about these solutions is that they can be utilised by the whole family and not just limited to your workday.
Adjustable Sit-Stand desks
Sit-Stand desks are currently a huge favourite in the office, and we can see why. Offering the option between sitting and standing is a great way to keep your employees working comfortably and productively from home.
With lots of mental and physical benefits, sit-stand desks are a great way to take your employees home workspace to the next level and allow them to say goodbye end of the days of constant sitting. Equipped with an ergonomic desk chair and posture mat these furniture solutions have everything to ensure your team never work uncomfortably again.
2. Professional webcam
One of the biggest downfalls that came with working from home was the lack of face-to-face interaction and your teams not seeing each other daily. This resulted in many workers feeling isolated and disconnected and struggling to complete their daily roles. With the rise in virtual meetings and Zoom, having a webcam is the perfect solution for your staff feeling connected with colleagues when working remotely.
Although many laptops come with a built-in camera and a webcam may seem an unnecessary purchase, this is not the case. Many built in laptop cameras are low quality and don’t have the same features to show your employees at their best. The Poly P5 for example, has exceptional camera optics, low light compensation and is portable, meaning wherever your team take a call they always look exceptional.
3. Noise cancelling headset
When it comes to taking calls from home, there are always awkward moments where your employees have to quickly mute due to the kids playing too loudly, the dog barking at the postman or the neighbour inconveniently mowing the lawn.
With a noise cancelling headset, disruptions are a thing of the past. If you’re employees are frequently on conference calls, you simply cannot settle for them using their computer audio and microphones. Noise cancelling headsets will take your companies video calls to another level. With many of our headsets at Podia having dual microphones, best-in-class audio and noise cancelling technology, you will ensure that your employees can always hear and be heard, in even the noisiest of places.
4. Additional screen or monitor
When working from home it can sometimes feel difficult to get the job done in comparison to in the office. Reviewing large data, working on detailed designs or even just multi-tasking, anyone who has long days working from their desk will know that an additional screen is a must for smart working.
It's no surprise that employees can complete jobs quicker and more accurately when pairing a laptop with a desktop monitor as opposed to using one screen alone. One simple reason is the reduced need to switch windows. Jon Peddie Research did a 15 year study on dual-monitor use versus single-monitor use. The research found that adding a second monitor increased user productivity by an average of 42%!
With remote work technology advancing quicker than ever, an additional screen no longer has to mean a standard monitor though. Dedicated video collaboration devices such as the DTEN ME are a new and exciting addition to any home workspace. With the sole purpose of displaying video calls, these devices are equipped with camera, speakers, and microphones, making video calling easier and more professional than ever.
5. Separate keyboard & mouse
Whether your employees are typing an email, a blog or even a shopping list, they shouldn’t be needing to stretch or lean to reach their keyboard/mouse. Poor desk posture is detrimental to any home worker. When typing or using your mouse your wrists should be straight, your upper arms close to your body and your hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows with the top of your screen at roughly eye level, all of which is impossible when using a laptop keyboard.
Investing in a portable mouse and keyboard for your employees, allows them to adjust the placement of these to where is most comfortable without having to worry about the angle of their laptop screen. The latest design of keyboards such as the Microsoft Surface Ergonomic have been designed keytop geometry that can further protect your wrists and hands from strain in those long hours of typing.
To summarise,
Small spaces does not mean your employees have to compromise with their workspace
Sit-Stand desks are an easy way for your employees to stay active and productive when working from home
Headsets and Webcams are a home working essential for optimum video experience
Video collaboration devices are the perfect workspace addition for anyone who finds themselves on calls for much of the day
A separate Keyboard and Mouse are crucial to working comfortably