With hybrid working here to stay, many employees are upgrading their home workspaces, and peripherals are playing an important part in that.
The pandemic had many effects on the UK, but one of the longest-lasting is increasing the amount of people who work from home permanently or several days a week. In February, 44% of employees reported working at home all or some of the time, according to the Office for National Statistics.
As home workspaces are increasingly becoming permanent fixtures, many employees are now looking to upgrade it to ensure it has the same standard of equipment as they have in the office.
“At first, peripherals in the homeworking sector were centred on core kits – laptops, headsets that sort of thing,” says Paul Burn, director of Nimans. “Now, most people have a proper workspace, they are adding to their equipment.”
Paul says this includes things like webcams, microphones, additional screens and desktop conferencing devices. He adds that the quality of things like equipment being purchased is increasing. “People want the dedicated cameras rather than just use the one installed on their laptop because they want that better video experience at home because it’s so important now as so many meetings are conducted through video calls.
“We’re finding that spins into the audio too; people are moving away from wearing a headset because it doesn’t feel as natural.”
Paul says these are the two main areas that are increasing in sales – not just at home but in the office as increasing numbers of meeting rooms are becoming video enabled.
Alongside the explosion in demand for video capability is resellers looking for accreditation for their products. “We’re finding many of the resellers want to make their products Zoom accredited, or Microsoft Accredited, so they can sell into those areas that are using those technologies,” says Paul.
Eamon O’Doherty, head of UC and collaboration UK&I at Logitech, agrees: “The focus now is not only about being able to get the work done, but how best it can be done and having the right mice, webcam or headsets can be a gamechanger to help employees to be at their most productive, wherever they are.”
He adds that noise-cancelling headsets are popular, as they can help to eliminate distraction. Likewise, more businesses are adopting webcams that can automatically optimise lighting while providing HD video. “This is an efficient and low-cost way to boost focus and confidence in meetings, making participants more likely to provide useful contributions. Tools such as these are providing real value, making sure meetings are productive as possible.”
Demand for traditional peripherals
Miguel Rodriguez, managing director of SYNAXON Hub, adds that there is still a good market for traditional peripherals too. “Sales of peripherals were really strong during the pandemic such as screens, keyboards and mice, docking stations, storage devices and multi-format printers we still see a demand for – anything that will enhance the user’s experience. Indeed, this is a very good way for partners to add value.”
Jeremy Cooper from Fellowes notes that there is interest in peripherals that transition effectively between working environments. “These include lightweight solutions for keyboard supports, lumbar supports and intuitive carry cases,” he says. “Monitor arms are especially popular, as they accommodate dual screen viewing and help workers to have a clearer, more organised desktop workspace.”
Ergonomics are also an important consideration, Jeremy adds. “Employers have a legal obligation to look after their employees wherever they are working,” he says. “In the mobile laptop world, poor posture and bad working habits can have devastating long-term results – yet they are all too often overlooked, even though back ache and musculoskeletal disorders are two of the major causes for absenteeism. A good ergonomic working set-up which includes laptop supports, monitor risers, monitor arms, back supports keyboard and wrists rests should be essential kit.”
He adds that peripherals should be part of a reseller’s product mix. “Every attachment sale is important, as each one made contributes to a higher value in the basket,” he says. “If a customer is buying a new laptop, a laptop support makes perfect sense. Similarly, if a customer purchases a new computer or monitor, a single, dual or multi-screen monitor arm solution should be proposed.”
More than tech
But it isn’t just about technology, as Lawrence Savage, UK marketing director at Exacompta Clairefontaine Group, explains. “There is an increasing number of companies recognising the important part neurodiversity plays in relation to how individuals interact with their environment and each other.
“With this in mind, the latest eco-friendly Exacompta Bee Blue range of filing and desktop accessories, has been designed in conjunction with the latest trends in office colour design. These heavily feature a mix of blues and yellow shades, which can combine to help boost performance and enthusiasm in a stimulating and enjoyable environment.
“Offering modular storage and display systems that can be tailored to an individual’s specific needs is essential.”
Lawrence adds that demand for sustainable and personalised products continues to grow, and there will also be an increase in biophilic orientated office equipment, which are designed to incorporate natural elements and materials and thus improve productivity, while lowering stress and anxiety.
Eamon agrees that putting employee needs first is becoming a key consideration for businesses.
“Now, a large part of what businesses are looking for when they invest in solutions is their ability to enhance the employee experience and support them to do and feel their best. factors such as quality, ease of use and comfort have become key considerations in tech investments over price, and dealers should be looking to offer kit that is designed with the user in mind.”
Part of the toolkit
Eamon adds that dealers should be looking to provide peripherals as part of wider hybrid working toolkits. “From quality video conferencing solutions that broadcast meetings to participants at home to make them part of the conversation to quality headsets that ensure remote participants can contribute with ease, these are both equally important to making sure meetings run as smoothly and efficiently as possible,” he says. “At the same time, split keyboards and quality mice help to reduce harm like repetitive strain injury, helping to boost comfort and productivity. It’s all about having the whole suite of products so businesses can provide a seamless and enhanced experience for employees wherever they are and help them work at their best.
“With hybrid working the primary working model and set to be for the foreseeable, technology will continue to evolve with it. At the centre of this will be the people element. There is no one-size-fits-all on how to do work, and peripherals need to cater to the needs of every individual, helping them to be at their most productive. As technology continues to advance, designed with the user in mind, peripherals will become more intuitive, easier to use and support employee engagement.”
