Remote work looks to be here to stay but are our home offices up to scratch?

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.

The Evolving Workplace

COVID-19 changed the way we work forever, and remote working looks likely to be here to stay. Organisations that have embraced these new working practices, have found great opportunities for innovation. 

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