{"id":7323,"date":"2024-09-25T11:16:43","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T11:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/?p=7323"},"modified":"2024-09-26T13:22:13","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T13:22:13","slug":"home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 8 Home Office Essentials for a Seamless Work from Home Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#The_Vital_Apps_for_Remote_Work\" >The Vital Apps for Remote Work<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#1_Work_Monitoring_Tools\" >1. Work Monitoring Tools<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#2_Messaging_Apps\" >2. Messaging Apps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#3_Platforms_for_Video_Meetings\" >3. Platforms for Video Meetings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#4_Project_Management_Software\" >4. Project Management Software<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#Providing_Home_Office_Equipment_Gadgets\" >Providing Home Office Equipment &amp; Gadgets<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#1_Office_Chair\" >1. Office Chair<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#2_Work_Desk\" >2. Work Desk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#3_Monitor_Arm_or_a_Laptop_Stand\" >3. Monitor Arm or a Laptop Stand<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home\/#Additional_Equipment_Gadgets\" >Additional Equipment &amp; Gadgets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/work-from-home-jobs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Working from home<\/a> is considered convenient since it allows you to avoid frustrating traffic and save time and money on commuting. Yet, many remote workers don\u2019t have the appropriate setup to work from home. From ergonomic furniture to small but helpful gadgets, your employees might be missing more than you think.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.knightfrank.co.uk\/office-space\/insights\/culture-and-space\/more-collaboration-space-in-offices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Knight Frank<\/a> reports that around 50% of global businesses are planning to transform their office space in the years to come. If your company has the same plans, you might want to consider helping your employees to set up a proper home office. After all, their kitchen chair and countertop won\u2019t be an appropriate place to work for long.<\/p>\n<p>According to Travelperk, 10% of remote workers are uncomfortable working at home, 11% complain of too many distractions, and 13% have inadequate equipment.<\/p>\n<p><em>Ignoring discomfort can lead to health issues, while distractions and inadequate tools can affect long-term productivity.<\/em> So, ask your workers if they are comfortable and satisfied with their productivity while working from home.<\/p>\n<p>If not, it\u2019s high time you addressed this problem. This article outlines all the most important digital tools as well as physical elements of your employees\u2019 home offices that you can contribute to.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Vital_Apps_for_Remote_Work\"><\/span>The Vital Apps for Remote Work<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To make your remote collaboration efficient, you and your team will need to rely on several different types of software solutions. Here are a few most essential ones you should consider:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Work_Monitoring_Tools\"><\/span>1. Work Monitoring Tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7327 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/work-monitoring-tools-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"work-monitoring-tools-for-work-from-home\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/work-monitoring-tools-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/work-monitoring-tools-for-work-from-home.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To ensure the efficiency of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightful.io\/employee-monitoring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employer monitoring software<\/a> your employees\u2019 time, activities, and productivity. Several powerful monitoring tools can help in these efforts. They allow you to:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Pinpoint how much time each employee spends on each task<\/li>\n<li>Measure the usage of different apps and websites<\/li>\n<li>Track idle time<\/li>\n<li>Set break time and detect if any employee exceeded the break allowance<\/li>\n<li>Calculate utilization of work hours<\/li>\n<li>Detect early signs of burnout<\/li>\n<li>Improve your data security by immediately identifying internal threats<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The combination of these features can help your managers not only track your remote teams, but also provide help and support to each struggling employee.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Insightful<\/li>\n<li>Controlio<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Messaging_Apps\"><\/span>2. Messaging Apps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Platforms that allow your team members to exchange direct messages make remote collaboration much easier. They often provide an option to create dedicated channels which are great for keeping communication going without confusion.<\/p>\n<p>Additional features you can look for in these apps include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Voice or Video Calling<\/strong>\u2014great for impromptu informal calls.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Status Updates<\/strong>\u2014If a person is in a meeting, taking a break, etc. It helps prevent disruptions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sending Emoji Reactions<\/strong>\u2014Keeps the communication alive and fun, but also prevents clutter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Slack<\/li>\n<li>MicrosoftTeams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Platforms_for_Video_Meetings\"><\/span>3. Platforms for Video Meetings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7328 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/platforms-for-video-meetings-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"platforms-for-video-meetings-for-work-from-home\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/platforms-for-video-meetings-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/platforms-for-video-meetings-for-work-from-home.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Specialized platforms for video conferencing often provide both voice and video calls, as well as messaging functionalities. They are an indispensable tool for communication between your team members, as well as between your team and clients.<\/p>\n<p>What sets them apart from messaging platforms is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Better image resolution<\/li>\n<li>Ability to accommodate more participants<\/li>\n<li>Screen sharing capabilities<\/li>\n<li>The option to record your meetings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Zoom<\/li>\n<li>Skype<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Project_Management_Software\"><\/span>4. Project Management Software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Neither remote nor office-based teams can function nowadays without project management software. These platforms keep the workflow transparent, all tasks visible, and often allow:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assigning and transferring tasks<\/li>\n<li>Setting deadlines<\/li>\n<li>Adding descriptions<\/li>\n<li>Adding attachments<\/li>\n<li>Leaving comments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This way they provide a platform for sharing all relevant project information with all participants boosting the accountability of teammates.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jira<\/li>\n<li>Asana<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Providing_Home_Office_Equipment_Gadgets\"><\/span>Providing Home Office Equipment &amp; Gadgets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Remote work apps serve purely to support the functioning and improve the productivity of remote teams. On the other hand, the furniture and gadgets your employees use also affect their health.<\/p>\n<p>Everything from their chair to the position of their monitor and keyboard can affect their physical health. Here is how you can help them plan their workspace for maximum health and productivity benefits:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Office_Chair\"><\/span>1. Office Chair<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7329 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/office-chair-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"office-chair-for-work-from-home\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/office-chair-for-work-from-home-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/office-chair-for-work-from-home.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Inadequate chairs can lead to serious injuries over time. This is why you should offer them a high-quality office chair that will preserve their physical health.<\/p>\n<p>Go for an ergonomic chair that has:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Adjustable seat and arm height<\/li>\n<li>Seat tilt<\/li>\n<li>Lumbar support<\/li>\n<li>Casters for mobility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember, the chair you offer doesn&#8217;t have to be overpriced to provide the necessary support and be comfortable.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cooler Master Caliber X2<\/li>\n<li>Herman Miller X Logitech G Vantum Gaming Chair<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Work_Desk\"><\/span>2. Work Desk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is one of the most important pieces of equipment your employees need. Height is one of the deciding factors when it comes to choosing an appropriate desk. It influences your whole posture throughout the workday. Just like with a low-quality chair, an inappropriate desk can lead to sore and stiff muscles, as well as wrist injuries.<\/p>\n<p>This is why it\u2019s smart to choose an electric adjustable desk. Then your employees can set them to the perfect position for them.<\/p>\n<p>Another upside of adjustable desks is that they can also serve as standing desks. Standing while working on some tasks can lead to better concentration and easier work on the lower back.<\/p>\n<p>If you cannot afford the full price of these desks, offer to cover a part of the cost. In addition, you can also offer a more affordable option.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>SHW Electric Height Adjustable Computer Desk<\/li>\n<li>Vivo Electric Height Adjustable Desk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Monitor_Arm_or_a_Laptop_Stand\"><\/span>3. Monitor Arm or a Laptop Stand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7325 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/monitor-arm-or-a-laptop-stand-for-work-from-home-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"monitor-arm-or-a-laptop-stand-for-work-from-home\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/monitor-arm-or-a-laptop-stand-for-work-from-home-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/monitor-arm-or-a-laptop-stand-for-work-from-home.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Your employee\u2019s desk might be in a perfect position for their body, but their laptop or monitor position might still be off.<\/p>\n<p>A monitor or laptop screen should be around an arm\u2019s length away from your eyes to avoid strain. For the same reason, its position should allow you to look straightforward and slightly down.<\/p>\n<p>To help your workers keep their screens in the best position for their eyes, consider providing them with an adjustable laptop stand and a monitor arm. These additions will make their day-to-day work much more comfortable. If they share their time between home and office, the best choice is a foldable laptop stand.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm<\/li>\n<li>Nexstand K2 Portable and Adjustable Laptop Stand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Additional_Equipment_Gadgets\"><\/span>Additional Equipment &amp; Gadgets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Besides larger pieces of equipment, there are many smaller ones that can further improve your employees\u2019 comfort and productivity:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ergonomic Keyboard:<\/strong> This sort of keyboard offers wrist support and allows you to keep your arms in the most natural position possible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ergonomic Mouse:<\/strong> It allows your wrists to remain in a natural position reducing the possibility of carpal tunnel syndrome.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blue Light Glasses:<\/strong> Eyewear that filters out the blue light reduces the strain on your eyes and helps them stay healthy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Noise-Canceling Headphones:<\/strong> If your employees spend a lot of time on calls, or just deal with a lot of distractions, these headphones can help them stay focused and productive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Web-Cam: <\/strong>A high-definition camera will help your workers seem more professional in front of your clients.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Docking Station:<\/strong> If your team members\u2019 main tool for work is a laptop, a docking station may come in handy. It will allow them to connect additional monitors, power cords, or USB devices and improve their PC\u2019s capabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Before you start working on a home office improvement benefits plan, talk to your employees and team leads. They are the perfect source of information regarding what you should focus on most.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Working from home is considered convenient since it allows you to avoid frustrating traffic and save time and money on commuting. Yet, many remote workers don\u2019t have the appropriate setup to work from home. From ergonomic furniture to small but helpful gadgets, your employees might be missing more than you think. Knight Frank reports that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,27,191],"tags":[417,416,419,418],"class_list":["post-7323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-business","category-remote-work","category-work-from-home","tag-home-office-essentials","tag-home-office-essentials-to-work-from-home","tag-productivity-tools-for-remote-work","tag-work-from-home-setup"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7323"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7332,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7323\/revisions\/7332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}