By Danielle Mayea,
StarTech.com
Working from home
comes with its distractions: whether it's children home from school, a pet
needing attention, or the mere fact that there's a comfortable couch in the
next room. To ensure employees stay focused and on task, it is essential they
have a workspace designated to optimize productivity.
Setting up effective
workstations for employees shifting to a work from home environment can be a
daunting task. Laptops are key to enabling remote workstations because they
offer users the option to work virtually anywhere, but using a laptop alone
comes with its limitations.
To help, we've
compiled a list of solutions to four common problems that professionals may run
into while working from home on a laptop. These tips can help you create effective
home office workstations that keep your team productive and comfortable, while
staying on budget.
1)
How
to stay connected to the productivity tools used at the office:
Maintaining
access to all of the productivity tools you had in the office can be a
challenge when you begin working from home.
While laptops are great for offering
flexibility in the workplace as they're designed for mobility, port
availability is often sacrificed. A docking station or multiport adapter can
help combat this problem by allowing users to optimize the limited ports available on their laptop. These
connectivity tools provide users with the ability to turn their laptop into a
highly efficient workstation, connecting multiple monitors, gigabit ethernet, a
keyboard and mouse - all through a single cable to their computer.
While there are a number of solutions available
on the market, finding one that provides the connectivity options you need
while staying on budget can be challenge. Multiport
adapters are a great compromise to their more premium
counterpart: docking stations. They
provide an economic solution that can be as powerful as a docking station, in a
more compact form. These products provide users with access to their essential
peripherals and technologies including:
-
Additional
monitors output options
-
Add USB
and other ports
-
Facilitate
device charging
-
Gigabit
Ethernet
If you simply require additional USB port
options, a USB hub is an
easy solution that helps keep users connected to the tools they need most,
whether it's an SD card reader or their smartphone.
If you're looking for a single product that can
do it all, a docking station is a
great option. A quality docking station offers an all-in-one solution, providing users
with a simple way to stay connected to their productivity tools, reduce eye
strain with multiple monitor access, and access a fast and secure network.
These products enable the productivity of a full-scale workstation, with the
portability of a laptop all through a single connection to your computer.
2)
How
to reduce eye fatigue:
Working long hours on a small laptop screen can
cause numerous negative effects including eye strain, headaches, and a lack of
productivity. Connecting to multiple and larger displays allows users to reduce
eye fatigue and boost
productivity up to 44%.
To reduce eye fatigue, a simple video adapter can provide
employees with a plug and play solution that transforms their 13-inch workspace
into a multi-monitor workstation. There are video
adapters to support a wide variety of laptop ports,
including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort, so you're sure
to find a solution that suits your needs. Additionally, don't
forget the cables! A multi-monitor workstation is only as good as the
connectivity tools used to enable it. When purchasing a display cable, it's important to ensure it is tested to meet
industry standards. Some cables also carry a certification which helps
guarantee the reliability and performance of the cable.
3)
How
to ensure a fast and secure network:
When
telecommuting, remaining connected to your team and office network is critical.
This means ensuring device network connections are fast and secure.
The speed of your connection is critical to
minimizing lag which can be frustrating and negatively impact productivity.
Imagine being on a video conference call and your feed continuously freezes. A
fast connection can help enable those activities which require high bandwidth.
Data privacy and security is important when
employees begin working from home and organizations have less control over the
security of the network employees connect to. Accessing a secure network
connection is essential to ensure that the sensitive information accessed from a
company's network or intranet remains protected.
To access better network speeds and security
implement USB-C and USB
Ethernet adapters. These adapters make it easy to add a wired network
connection to your device. As long as there is a USB or Thunderbolt 3 port
available, a compact network adapter provides a quick and simple solution to
network speeds and security.
4)
How
to stay comfortable while working:
While this may be the
most overlooked of the obstacles, the negative effects of an uncomfortable
workstation shouldn't be ignored. Creating a space that's comfortable can help
you stay focused and eliminate the health concerns that come with sitting
hunched over a laptop for several hours a day.
To combat this issue,
create an ergonomic workstation. A basic monitor
mount can help save space, provide
height adjustments and display rotation for comfortable viewing. If you prefer
to use multiple monitors, there are a variety of mounts available that support anywhere from dual to
quad monitor workstations. Also, a laptop stand can provide easy angle adjustments for more
comfortable viewing and typing. To keep you comfortable wherever you're working
from, consider a lightweight and portable solution.
Every
home office is unique, and while the needs or challenges of individuals on your
team may vary, one thing remains the same: optimizing productivity and comfort is
critical. With a variety of diverse solutions available, prioritizing your
team's wellness and ensuring they remain efficient and connected is easy, whether
they're in the office or working from home.
For workstation
connectivity essentials visit www.startech.com/home-workstations.
##