Employers and employees continue to see the advantages in the flexibility offered by remote work. What are some of the trends and challenges to successful home working?

We are having more video meetings
Whilst video meetings are not likely to replace in-person meetings entirely in a post-pandemic world, they are most certainly here to stay. As our familiarity with this communication tool has grown, so have our expectations. Many first introductions are now taking place via video, and users expect these video meetings to look and feel professional. Children, pets and noise, along with personal effects or other household members, can all interfere with videos. HP devices now offer camera and audio features such as filters to remove background noise, and AI enhancements, made possible by the new 11th generation Intel Core i5 and i7, that can add sophisticated visual backgrounds to video calls.

Better quality video calls require faster internet
Whilst most homes in suburban areas in New Zealand can get 1GBPS fibre broadband or similar, many rural areas have been lagging behind. Whilst the ongoing rollout of 5G across the country is improving the situation, it should be noted that internet speed is not the only cause of latency. In many cases, Wi-Fi congestion has become a problem both on home networks and in the office, where multiple video calls are taking place at the same time. Upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 can alleviate this issue.

Interacting in novel ways
Users are finding new ways to share ideas and information virtually and are increasingly turning to tools that allow drawing, writing or highlighting. Devices such as HP’s x360, that allow drawing, writing or highlighting direct onto the screen interface, and apps like Microsoft Whiteboard, make remote communication and collaboration easy.

We are creating more content than ever before
The shift to virtual communication means users are increasingly taking responsibility for creating their own visual content for training materials, presentations and pitches. With this comes a need for more powerful software and hardware. The new Intel iRIS Xe graphics on the 11th Gen Intel® Core™ devices deliver this power in a notebook format. And the flexible x360 model, that can flip instantly from laptop to tablet, comes with a pen to write or draw directly onto the screen.

We need a good working environment
Every home environment will be different, and users won’t always be working from a dedicated home office. They may be sharing a desk, or perhaps working from the couch in the evening. The Elite range, including the Dragonfly and EliteBook 800/1000 series laptops, are lightweight and can wake from sleep in less than 1 second, making them super flexible for home use. They also come with an optional webcam shutter to provide extra privacy when working at home. The Laptop Company can work with your organisation to create a home office equipment procurement scheme that allows your employees select the products to best suit their needs from a range of devices, and at a budget that you control.

The key to successfully managing a decentralised workforce is giving them the tools they need to be productive and proactive, however their home office may look. The Laptop Company can help your organisation develop a strategy that lets your employees work seamlessly from anywhere.

​There has been a massive shift in the way we work over the last year. The sudden move to remote work at the start of the pandemic left distributed teams looking for ways to collaborate and communicate. Organisations were forced to adapt rapidly to these changes, with many employees not familiar with video presenting or creating content through cloud-based services. What began very much as a needs-must solution, has since evolved into a much more sophisticated way of working, bringing with it an increased expectation of professionalism.

Presentation skills and professionalism
With audiences now adapted to video communication as the norm, expectations have grown. Many introductions are now taking place via video, so first impressions matter, highlighting the need for employee training across presentation skills and content creation.

Collaboration and communication
Being able to communicate instantly has been essential for collaboration. Microsoft Teams chats have replaced discussions over cubicle walls or in offices. Ideas and brainstorming sessions take place on shared whiteboards that users can write or draw on with devices such as the x360, and cloud-hosted shared documents havebecome the norm. This all serves not just to enable collaboration but to actively encourage it.

Performance and Security
Secure cloud storage and cloud-based tools have proved essential for productivity and collaboration, with Microsoft 365 proving a popular choice for many organisations. The importance of cloud-based job and customer management services has become apparent, giving users access to the information they need to perform their job. At the same time, more users are needing to create high-quality image, video and presentation content, increasing the requirement for higher performance laptops. The newest 11th Gen Intel Core-i5/i7 Elitebooks meet this need well, featuring powerful HP with Intel iRIS Xe graphics, previously the domain of design and comms teams.

Flexible Tools and Flexible roles
Business continuity and resilience have been priorities, as organisations are faced with ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19 and the wider economic implications. Employees have needed to be flexible and able step in to cover tasks outside of their roles. Consequently, we are seeing staff developing more generalist skills than before, while those in more specialised roles are increasingly stretched. This has led to increased training requirements, more versatile devices, along with a need for instant communication, access to cloud storage and cloud-hosted documents.

Looking forward, the technology and changes to working practices that were initially adopted out of necessity, now present new opportunities for agility and innovation. As organisations and users continue to adapt, becoming more professional and skilled in their approach, they will find themselves in a strong position to grow. And ready to face whatever the future may throw at them.

Cybersecurity remains a top priority for every organisation. The growth of remote working means organisations must mitigate the security risks of having information and computers off-site. People, devices and applications that access data all increase vulnerability. As a result, robust endpoint security through regularly patched and updated devices is an essential defence against cyber-attacks.

Protect your data and IP
Effective endpoint security requires a solution that can centrally-manage all of your organisation’s devices and user environments. The Laptop Company can support you to implement a centralised in-house security solution using HP Security Solutions to help control software, apps, device settings and security permissions for every device in your fleet. You can let us take care of everything for you with a fully-managed environment to include deployment, devices, user-access, drivers, software additions, updates and deactivation.

Stay in control of every user device
Beyond user access and security controls, it is vital to know where remote devices are located. Keep your devices and organisational data safe with our asset-tracking service and asset-tagging, so you can oversee every device, from first delivery through to end-of-life-recycling. The Laptop Company can help you keep track of the whereabouts of all user devices, protecting your assets and disabling any devices that are lost or stolen.

Proactive remote performance and location monitoring
Ensuring devices are performing optimally improves the end-user experience, increasing employee satisfaction and productivity. HP DaaS, with TechPulse lets you can monitor the health and whereabouts of devices in almost any location. Plus, valuable analytics powered by Deep Learning provide critical device data, so you can react proactivity to prevent performance issue or security threats.

Streamline device deployment and management
With the right deployment strategy, your remote workforce will be set up for success. The Laptop Company can streamline device deployment and management for you, making sure your team have the tools they need to do their job from day one. Devices deployed with our Standard Operating Environment provide a uniform user experience and software setup, making them easy to use and maintain. Remote support is simplified because you will always know exactly how a user’s desktop is configured and that all installed software is compatible.

Successfully managing a remote workforce requires a comprehensive and consistent strategy for deployment and management. With the right tools to centrally-manage all your organisation’s devices and users, you can streamline the user experience and keep your data secure.

The way we work has seemingly been changed forever. Over the last year, the rapid transition to remote working has highlighted the need for organisations to be both flexible and resilient. However, what was once seen as a disruption is being increasingly regarded as an opportunity for innovation.

So how can you make this digital transformation work for your organisation and what solutions are there to some of the challenges of deploying a remote workforce?

Devices that are configured and ready-to-use from day one
Take the headache out of implementation with mobile computers that are ready to go straight out of the box. Provide your users with devices that are fully configured to your network infrastructure, security and software requirements. No more time wasted waiting for software and security features to be installed, or for issues connecting to your network to be resolved, so that remote workers are productive from the get-go.

Meet the needs of the individual user
Give your employees the tools they need from the moment they switch on their device. With a fully individualised configuration, including specialist software and security, users will be instantly set up to do their job properly. And you can make sure their devices are regularly tested for battery life, power and stability, with remote maintenance and device performance monitoring available through HP’s optional TechPulse service.

Manage device performance and security
Without a doubt, one of the biggest challenges of remote working is security. Home networks, inexperienced users and sophisticated cybercriminals all create the perfect storm for security breaches. However, by implementing a standard operating environment already configured and activated for every device, you can help ensure your users are secure from the first boot.

Keep devices secure and up to date wherever they are
Maintaining a positive and productive remote workforce requires ongoing maintenance. The Laptop Company can take care of this for you, managing and releasing accessories and special software updates remotely, ensuring devices are always secure and performing optimally.

With the right strategy, your organisation can remain profitable, productive and proactive as the modern workplace continues to evolve. By creating a more resilient remote workforce technology environment, not only will you be in a strong position to face any disruptions in the future, you’ll also have the flexibility to be innovative now.

Partnered with world-class vendors HP to deliver HP Elite Laptops powered by the latest Intel® Core™ vPro® Processors, The Laptop Company can help you provide a secure and seamless experience for your remote workers, keeping your team online and connected wherever they are.

Employers are equipping mobile workers with a growing number of devices, including phones, laptops, tablets and a raft of accessories. With Covid-19, this has ramped up further with many organisation replicating office setups in employee homes with monitors, docks, cameras and audio headsets (we have launched an employee purchasing website for this very thing).
All of this is causing more cost, and more complexity for both fleet and user management.
Now is a good time to take stock of what you are spending on.

First off - what are employees being equipped with now? Let's look at the devices we're seeing in the field, their capabilities, and the crossovers in capabilities between the devices that are issued to staff:

That's around $3700 for the basics, based on standard business-quality equipment.
As you can see, there is a small amount of crossover between standard laptops and phones, a large amount between phones and tablets, but a large number of essential business and administrative tasks can only be done using a laptop computer when outside the office.
Many employees also supply a desktop computer and monitors in the office (add $1200), and monitors and a dock at home for remote working (add $800) as part of standard business continuity planning (thanks mostly to Covid-19 and earthquakes).

And more if you opt for high quality equipment. Flagship smart phones alone start at $1300+GST, and monitors can each go well in to the $1000 range.

As part of our Switch to Surface campaign, we've looked at our product portfolio to identify devices that can tick all of the above capabilities. We're also looking to see whether any one device will allow us to dial back spending and requirements on other devices. The Surface range is notable for providing unique products not available from competing brands.

When specified with the Intel Core m3 processor, the 10.5 inch Surface Go 2 tablet ticks many boxes, and it does each very well (view range here >). Well enough to dial down the specification of employer-issued smart phones (thanks to its high quality front and rear cameras, light weight and app store support).
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It's also powerful enough to replace standard laptop and desktop computers for administration and reporting tasks in Windows 10, and able to connect to multiple monitors and external keyboards for a full desktop experience. It can run the legacy software required by most enterprises and public sector teams without needing a second PC.
It's compact and interactive enough to replace any pro-quality mobile tablet, providing pen, app and touch screen support. At around 544 grams, plus Type Cover keyboard, it's a full Windows PC in the body of an entertainment tablet.

Shown with and without optional protective Type Cover keyboard and Surface Pen.

This is based on an entry level smart phone at $300 for calls and emails, plus the recommended retail price of a Surface Go 2 with 4G mobile data, 8GB memory, a Type Cover keyboard and Surface Pen. A total of around $1850+GST total instead of $3700. Note that government, education and corporate volume discounts reduce this further (contact us for details).
You can also get a discount of up to 40% off your first seed unit for volume contracts through The Laptop Company. Again, contact us for details.
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The Surface Go 2 is unique, we're not aware of any competing business-class device running Windows 10 in the same form factor and with the same performance. The closest is the larger Surface Pro series and its equivalent competitors with 12" or larger screens.

If your users have legacy monitors and accessories in the office or at home, try the Surface Dock 2 and your choice of cable connectors for existing monitors. As-per most new docking stations, the Surface Dock charges the Surface Go 2 when connected and it works with all current Surface devices. You can also use a variety of USB-C docks and docking monitors with the Surface Go 2. Contact us to test.

With potential savings at that level, we can understand if you would like to try before buying. At current we have a number of demo devices available if you want to inspect the device, or launch a pilot programme. Minimum quantities apply to the seed unit discount, so please contact us to find out more about this.

If you run your own mobile device management service, you've reduced your device count between 33 and 50% by scrapping tablets and desktops on your next fleet renewal. That means less complexity and fewer potential security holes.
If you would like to find other savings in user-management, ask us.

If you have workers on the road in enforcement, sales, construction management, healthcare, monitoring or compliance, we recommend you assess the device.
Go to https://procure.laptop.co.nz/surface/surface-go - or speak to one of our account managers to find out more.

While working from home is nothing new to many people, this year we saw the biggest and fastest shift to new workforce arrangements in human history. According to Statistics NZ, 40% of people workers in New Zealand performed at least a portion of their work remotely during Alert Levels 4 and 3. 

Yet we know from a recent survey of CFOs by PwC that the biggest concern over the next 12 months will be potential productivity loss due to 41% of remote workers lacking the technology to work effectively from home.  

Ergonomics and physical functionality are essential for setting up any home office environment. We can’t just expect our people to sit at the dining room table or on the couch, as they’ll be less productive and potentially injure themselves. 

This is why IT leaders need to find the right docking devices for powering their remote workforce – to ensure they’re healthy, productive and engaged. Here is some advice on the devices and technology you should consider for your remote workforce. 

Monitors 

Unless you want your employees to be dealing with strained eyes and necks, extra monitors are essential kit for any home office. A dual monitor configuration is what we’d suggest at a minimum, and some other factors to consider include:  

Some factors to avoid here are: 

• ​Mismatched monitors  
• Older display technology 
  
• Lack of adjustable height and angle 
  
• Poor resolution and size 
  
• Lack of compatibility 

To learn more about choose the right display, read our Monitor Guide here. 

Docking Stations 

The right docking station is essential for connecting each users’ computers and monitors. Without the right choice here, we see incompatibilities that range from wake-from-sleep issues to incorrect monitor resolutions, or a complete lack of connection. There are a variety to choose from that include: 

• Thunderbolt 3 docks 
  
• USB-C docks 
  
• USB-A or USB- 3.0 docks 
  
• Port replicators 
  
• USB Hubs 
  
• Docking Monitors 

To learn more about these options, please visit our Docking Station Guide. 

Docking Monitors 

We are seeing the increasing popularity of monitors that provide docking capability.  These are devices where peripherals such as keyboard, mouse and sometimes LAN are connected to the monitor. These are all then connected to the user’s laptop or tablet with a single cable through the following options: 

• USB-C  
  
• Thunderbolt 3  
  
• ​USB-A or USB 3.0  

Our pick for the best Docking Monitor on the market right now is the HP E27d G4 QHD Advanced Docking Monitor.  This will inspire joy on any home office desk, with clean connectivity for adding everyday accessories at the display and the ability to add a PC with just one USB-C™ cable. This docking monitor also empowers IT to remotely manage HP devices from anywhere on the network through RJ-45. 

To learn more about these options, visit our Docking Monitor Guide. 

The Laptop Company is proud to be helping NZ organisations to prepare for future disruption through reliable and flexible technology, hardware and services. Through our partnership with HP, we can deliver powerful and secure HP devices powered by Intel® processors to your team – no matter where they are.   

Need help? 

Get in touch with us today to begin optimising your device fleet with HP and The Laptop Company’s complete solution. It combines hardware, support, proactive management, and services for every stage of your users’ device lifecycles. 

If you’re looking for deal pricing or government prices for your team, please get in touch with us here.  

​There are now 3 different Surface Laptops to choose from. Which is best for which members of your team and how do they compare to the competition?  If you're considering a switch, we've created this guide for you.

Entry level. A 12.4 inch ultraportable laptop starting at 4GB memory and 64GB eMMC storage or our recommended 8GB memory with 128GB or 256GB SSD storage for business users.

Recommended for: Everyday users, students, commuters and field workers who need a light laptop on the road that can power workplace and office applications in the office and at home.
Users moving from older WXGA resolution fleet laptops will appreciate the upgraded screen, extra performance and lower weight of the new Surface Laptop Go. 

Pros: Excellent performance for content creators with Intel Iris Plus graphics, Windows Hello facial recognition, lightweight design and great application performance from an Intel Core i5 1035G7 or Intel Core i7 1065G7 processor, both offering roughly double the graphics power of the Surface Laptop Go. Excellent ergonomics with touch screen, backlit keyboard and on-screen Surface Pen support.

Cons: More expensive than the Surface Laptop Go.  Icons and text on legacy in-house software applications may appear smaller on screen due to the Surface Laptop 3 models' high resolution displays.  Not designed for frequent Pen use as screen is not designed to be detached or flip into tablet mode (see Surface Book 3 for this capability).

Mid-range: A 13.5 inch ultraportable laptop starting at 8GB memory and 128GB SSD storage for business users with high resolution display and Windows Hello facial recognition.

Recommended for: Enterprise application users, commuters and power users who run multiple windows on their screens at the same time.
Users moving from alternative mid-range business laptops will appreciate the screen quality and additional graphics performance of the Surface Laptop 3.

Recommended for: Web and application developers and power users who run multiple windows on their screens at the same time, as well as users who need a larger display and Windows accessibility features enabled for enhanced accessibility. 
Users switching from other big-screen laptops will appreciate the high screen quality and slimmer, lighter design of the Surface Laptop 3 15 inch.  Graphics performance compared to older 15 inch business laptops with dedicated graphics will be similar.

Fleet buyers in New Zealand can access a seed unit at no cost through The Laptop Company before switching to Surface when you register your interest.  Contact us now to secure yours and for terms and conditions.  Click the Contact Us button. 

​Microsoft announced its new Surface Laptop Go – a few of you might want to know whether it’s worth buying for business and how it compares.  As with most Surface devices, there's no direct competitor for the new entry-model. Here’s the run-down.

Microsoft's new entry-level laptop offering.  With a smaller 12.4 inch display, the Surface Laptop Go, slots in below the Surface Laptop 3.  Like the Surface Go 2 tablet, it's smaller, lighter and less expensive than its larger peers. 

The closest alternative in the Surface range is the entry-level Surface Laptop 3 with Intel Core i5.  
We’re omitting the entry level Surface Laptop Go from this comparison.  Although it’s powered by the same processor as the upgrade models, we don’t recommend the entry-level model’s 4GB of RAM or 64eMMC storage for business users. That model also misses out on the fingerprint reader that's standard on the upgrade models.

Bold indicates better.  *4GB Surface Laptop Go available in consumer range, 16GB model available in Platinum

Application performance from the Intel Core i5 1035G1 is generally excellent, and roughly equivalent to both the entry-level Surface Laptop 3 and other current 10th generation Intel Core i5 business laptops. It’s notably more powerful than the Surface Go 2 tablet.
The Surface Laptop Go uses the latest version of the Intel UHD ‘G1’ graphics, which is competitive with most other brand devices – but it can’t match the Intel Iris Plus ‘G7’ graphics that’s standard on the Surface Laptop 3.  The upgrade options available on the Surface Laptop 3 are also more powerful – if you want an i7 processor, or more 256GB storage, opt for the Surface Laptop 3.

The Surface Laptop Go has a smaller 12.4 inch touch screen – as with other Surface Devices this is the squarer 3:2 aspect ratio shape than most competitors widescreen displays.
The display resolution is noticeably lower the Surface Laptop 3’s 13.5 inch display with approximately one third lower horizontal and vertical resolution.  At 1536 x 1024, its resolution is lower than the typical 1920 x 1080 displays seen on other laptops.  This may be a good thing for business users given many in-house legacy software interfaces don’t work well with small screens at high resolutions.  The pixel density is roughly equivalent to a 15.6 inch Full HD screen. Not recommended for users who stack multiple documents or applications on their laptop screen at the same time, unless they want to use an external monitor. 

The Surface Laptop Go is the first Surface device not to support the Surface Pen for on-screen writing and drawing.  That's probably a moot point for most Surface Laptop users.  Unlike the Surface Book, Surface Go or Surface Pro, the Surface Laptop 3 does not have a detachable or reversible keyboard for dedicated pen users.

Both SSD versions of the Surface Laptop Go include an integrated fingerprint reader for Windows Hello authentication.  This is in place of the infrared facial recognition of the Surface Laptop 3.  The fingerprint reader is integrated into the power button for instant-on authentication. 

​Both the Surface Laptop 3 and new Surface Laptop Go are good choices for commuters, students and travellers – both are light, slim and offer good battery life.  Surface Laptop Go users miss out on the illuminated keyboard of the Surface Laptop 3, which is invaluable for presenters and travellers.
Power users, heavy admin-users and creatives should opt for the Surface Laptop 3 to enable stacking of documents onscreen, better graphics performance and should consider the 16GB upgrade. Further up the tree, the Surface Book 3 with dedicated graphics provides the highest performance and greater versatility for power users, professionals and content creators.

This provides sufficient storage for most business users and application performance that's competitive with any other 10th generation business laptop powered by Intel Core i5 despite the entry-level billing. 
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​If you’re considering switching your users to the Surface Laptop Go, please contact us for deal pricing and to book in a demo when these become available.  Being a new form-factor, it's worth trying before buying under our seed programme.
If you’re looking to switch to Surface, ask about our fleet and user migration services to make the move painless.

Some form of disruption is inevitable – it’s how we respond to disruption that counts. This year we’ve seen many of our customers quickly adapt to changing conditions and achieve new levels of success while doing so.  

Because we all rely so heavily on technology, our technology strategy plays a major role in how well prepared we are for the next disruption. With that in mind, here are some strategies you can consider for creating a more resilient workforce technology environment. 

Know where your data is, or will be – No matter your industry, your business is now run by data. It isn’t until we can’t access data, or we lose it, that we realise how crucial it is. This is why it’s essential to have reliable cloud storage, along with backup and disaster recovery solutions that can restore your business in even the worst-case scenarios.  

Keep your people secure, wherever they are – Regardless of how secure your network and your database are, it is people, devices and applications that access data. Endpoint security through regularly patched and updated devices is your first line of defence against cyber-attacks. 

Connect people to each other and customers – We’ve all done more than our fair share of web meetings this year, and this trend is set to be part of the new normal. With the right secure tools, you can keep teams connected to each other and projects. More importantly, you can stay connected to your customers in any scenario with the right cloud tools. 

Leverage managed services – No IT team is an island. To cope with the complex technology landscape today, you need to create an ecosystem of reliable technology partners. This allows you to lean on their experience and skills when you need it the most. 

Find the right devices – Although there was an element of urgency, we managed to connect Kiwi businesses to the devices they needed this year. Now we see more organisations embracing device delivery and management services that offer the flexibility to get the right devices to the right people, wherever they’re located. 

The Laptop Company is proud to be helping NZ organisations to prepare for future disruption through reliable and flexible technology, hardware and services. Through our partnership with HP, we can deliver powerful and secure HP devices powered by Intel® processors to your team – no matter where they are.  

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​Need help?

Get in touch with us today to begin optimising your device fleet with HP and The Laptop Company’s complete solution. It combines hardware, support, proactive management, and services for every stage of your users’ device lifecycles.