Hybrid working tools > Small Business AnswersSmall Business Answers

COVID changed a lot in our society, especially the acceptance of working from home. Although many never want to leave home again, a vast majority now look for some type of hybrid work environment requiring hybrid working tools where they split the week between the office and the home office.

Research has shown that working from home is more efficient, saving a lot of commuting time but removing office socialising and interpersonal communication and ideas.

In this guide, we will look at some products and services that make life easier for the hybrid worker

Hybrid working tools are more than just a laptop

Many organisations are now seriously considering their real estate needs, and the hot desk, although previously popular, is now becoming the norm. This means that the worker no longer has their own desk, and anything they need will be kept in a locker in the workplace, transportable in their bag or at home.

Suppose you are going to carry around your desk. In that case, it is important to consider your back and the implications of lugging around a big bag full of tech and stationery. The good news is that, in theory, we are now living in a mostly paperless world, so you should not be carrying around reams of paper.

Below is a list of products and services that you might consider for your hybrid working tools:

Small lighter PCs

In a soon-to-be-published GadgetGuy review, we looked at the merits of replacing a PC with a Chromebook. With so much of our work now being cloud-based, it removes the need for a powerful client device to do our work. A Chromebook is lighter, has a longer battery life, and is much cheaper. Chromebooks aside, if you are going to lug a laptop between home and work best, go for one that is light and, as a result, has a smaller screen. Look for models that boot up fast with SSD for storage.

Monitor

Hopefully, you will have a monitor available to staff on shared work desks and a provision for them to also have a monitor at home. At around $300 each, these are a worthwhile investment. A large monitor enables easy viewing of documents and spreadsheets if you have a small-screen laptop.

To connect the monitor to the laptop, you must consider different models and connection standards like HDMI or USB-C. This will ensure all workers can take advantage of the monitor.

PC Stand

Probably not a product you would think of, but a laptop stand allows you to elevate your screen to eye level, so you are not hunched over and end up with back issues. The second advantage is it raises your inbuilt webcam to a more flattering angle. Hence, others are not literally looking up your nose.

Twelve South has just launched a potable desktop stand that can raise your laptop by up to 55cm and weighs less than 1kg. Included is a travel sleeve so you can easily transport the stand between home and work or even the coffee shop. The keyboard angle can be adjusted between 0 and 45 degrees, and the stand allows you to easily align with an external monitor.

Keyboard

A Bluetooth keyboard removes wires and makes typing with a laptop much more productive. Small Business Answers looked at the Logitech MX Mechanical keyboard, which is pricy but fantastic. Still, more economical models can easily be found.

Although carrying a keyboard between work and home is not something we would suggest. You can purchase lightweight Bluetooth keyboards weighing the same as your mobile phone that will work with your PC, tablet and smartphone.

Mouse

Even though a laptop comes with a trackpad, a wireless mouse will make life much easier. Having extra buttons and wheels will increase productivity, and a quality mouse will be far easier to use. This is one of those products you say; why did I not get one of these sooner? We have reviewed the Logitech MX Master 3S mouse, which gives you a new level of precision. An alternative to look at is the Logitech Lift mouse, which offers an ergonomic solution by taking the controls into a more vertical position. The benefit is less wrist strain.

Headphones

When in the office, chances are you will be in a high-density hot desk environment. The downside of this is the noise generated around you and the impact that will have on any phone calls.

Using a headphone solution for calls with noise cancelling technologies will help you hear the telephone conversation better and allow you to be heard by the other calling party.

We have reviewed an on-ear solution from Poly. The Voyager 4320 will function with or without a base station and even detect if they are picked up or removed to answer a call or mute a call automatically (respectively).

A more portable solution that is just as handy on public transport is the Jabra Elite 7 pro. They are in-ear earbuds with noise cancellation and can be paired with multiple devices such as your PC and smartphone.

If you are a mobile worker spending a lot of time in a vehicle or in a situation where you want to ensure your voice is heard, look at the Jabra Talk 65. Note this is a one-ear device.

Internet access

As a hybrid work, you or your staff will need reliable internet to complete the job. Hopefully, this is already covered at home or in the office, and an NBN-type solution will be your best bet. Note a wired ethernet connection to your PC will always give video calls a better quality.

A wireless broadband solution is also important as a backup, enabling you to work on the move. Most mobile data solutions will do the job if living in a major city.

If you work in a remote area or one with poor coverage, we recommend you read the following guide.

Cloud applications and storage

Unfortunately, becoming a hybrid worker means you are putting your company’s data at risk. This risk can come from losing your PC on a commute to a piece of hardware failure due to being bumped or dropped.

Keeping your data on the cloud is a safe and efficient solution to overcome this. This can be done either via your office productivity suite like Microsoft Office 365 or Google G suite.

Alternatively, you can look at a cloud storage provider that provides you with a virtual hard drive to keep your files safe.

The advantages of cloud storage are that you can easily collaborate your work with others and even all work on the same document simultaneously. Especially if your team is all working remotely, this is advantageous.