Having your own home office will set you apart from other remote workers since you have your own setup. However, it also depends if you have reliable and the best remote work tools for communication, collaboration, and office equipment.
According to Forbes, nearly 9 out of 10 people find it hard to use video when they work from home, and 85% struggle with audio. Moreover, only around 4 out of 10 people have been given additional tools by their employers, apart from a mouse and keyboard.
As to some companies, giving additional tools to their remote employees is just another waste of their money. Will it affect their employees’ productivity?
In this article, you will know why investing in a good home office will pay off.
Based on companies’ perspectives, CFOs don't want to spend more on equipment for employees' home offices as they already paid for office equipment. People in charge of technology and facilities are also hesitant to help employees with their work-from-home setup and believe employees should buy their equipment and furniture because they allowed them to work from home.
Meanwhile, for employees, the majority of them don't pay for their home office equipment. Employees believe that the company should provide them with the necessary equipment for working from home, and it's not fair for them to spend their own money on it.
As a result, employees have trouble with technology and ergonomic problems, making it difficult to work productively and feel good. They experience physical discomfort due to the lack of ergonomic furniture, and they worry about how they appear on camera, leading to mental stress.
Read More: Why Ergonomic Remote Work Setup Better And Helpful To You
The lack of necessary equipment can also lead to frustration and resentment, which affects the company's ability to keep employees.
Moreover, it makes it hard for employees to collaborate and communicate well. When video and audio quality is bad, it doesn't just affect the employee, but also the people they talk to such as coworkers, clients, vendors, and investors.
Almost two-thirds of employees (64%) struggle with inadequate or insufficient lighting in their homes while working. This can make it harder for them to see and focus on their work, which can impact their productivity and well-being.
Poor lighting can also cause eye strain, headaches, and other physical discomforts, making it difficult to work for extended periods.
Approximately 60% of employees face issues with the sound quality coming from their computer speakers while working. This can make it difficult for them to hear clearly during video conferences or when listening to audio files, which can impact their ability to communicate and work effectively.
It can also be a source of distraction and frustration, affecting their overall productivity and job satisfaction.
Nearly 58% of employees reported that they need to sit in an uncomfortable position to be visible on camera during video conferencing, which can cause physical discomfort and affect their focus and productivity.
This may be due to the position of their computer, camera, or lighting setup not being optimized for comfortable and effective video conferencing.
Here are the steps you can follow or you can suggest to your company to have the best hybrid work-home office that will improve employees’ productivity and well-being:
Ask your employees to suggest or share their pain points and ideas for specific technology, tool, and furniture solutions that work well with them.
Show the list in another survey and make adjustments based on employees’ feedback.
You arrange home visits by IT and facilities staff to help anyone who needs assistance with the equipment. To address tax issues, you create a policy asking staff members who left the organization to donate any bulky furniture that was difficult to return to facilities. Lastly, you pay for the cost of fast internet for employees.
One of the communication and collaboration tools you need to request from your company is an all-in-one video conference camera that offers high-quality and crisp audio which you can make as your camera, speaker, and microphone.
The best video conference camera in the market that you can use is the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana, a 360 conference camera that supports 1080p video conference solutions, 360-degree FOV, 4 smart microphones, and an all-surround speaker.
Its Plug-And-Play feature makes it different from other cameras as it is not vulnerable to wireless vulnerabilities unlike devices connected to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. You only need to plug it directly into your laptop or computer and you don’t need to download additional drivers and software.
The AI Huddle Pana is compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, etc.
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Investing in a good home office setup can increase productivity and well-being for remote workers. However, many companies are hesitant to provide additional tools and equipment, causing employees to struggle with technology and ergonomic issues.
Inadequate lighting, poor sound quality, and uncomfortable positioning during video conferences are common challenges for remote workers.
To address these challenges, companies should ask employees for feedback, provide necessary equipment and furniture, and offer assistance with setup. These steps can improve employees' productivity, well-being, and overall job satisfaction.