Partner content HANNspree: Stay at home – work at home!

HANNspree explores how to be best equipped to create a smooth balance between living and livelihood when working from home.

Covid-19 has presented extraordinary circumstances to which we have all had to adapt. One of the most profound changes in our white-collar world is the order to work from home when the virus is rife. Some may be lucky enough to have a dedicated workspace along with the necessary hardware to smoothly transition to their home office during a lockdown. Millions of other employees, however, have had to carve a workspace in their homes and invest in essential equipment. In the first month of the first UK lockdown, HANNspree experienced a huge surge in monitor sales. Market data backed this sales spike with evidence that computer monitor sales almost doubled in a week as businesses pre-empted the advice to work remotely and instructed staff to avoid the office. Martin Kent, UK Manager HANNspree comments, “clearly, those setting up shop from home were either short of the right equipment to keep them productive, or the new everyday office environment and hours prompted many to upgrade.”

Do not disturb!
Working from home is standard practice for many, whether its part of a contract, personal choice, or a necessity in order to put in some extra hours when the office closes for the day. The most obvious advantages of a reserved work area are, the ability to install fixed hardware, and locating where there are few distractions.

HANNspree has a comprehensive monitor portfolio to give the modern home office a professional display solution. If you want to make a statement, the newest additions to the HS monitor series boast elegant, frameless designs, which also enable seamless continuity between multiple screens side-by-side ideal for multi-display set-ups.

“Even if you depend on the mobility of a laptop, a fixed monitor can extend your work area significantly. Laptops are ideal for taking work on the move and between the office and home, but the display space is restricted. When you are suddenly working from a home office regularly, your display size could become a bit of a bugbear, so consider that bigger is likely better!”

The HANNspree monitor portfolio has solutions up to 40inch. The larger display sizes make excellent backdrops for videoconference calling during lockdown. The comprehensive size selections of course enable you to choose a size that best fits into the office space available to you.

“Alternatively, HANNspree’s portable monitor solutions are ideal for extending your laptop or even your smartphone workspace. Using a single Type-C USB 3.1 connection, transferring data directly and acting as an energy efficient power supply, you can instantly create a second display. And because these monitors are designed to be mobile, they are a great investment for returning to normal working, for example, you can easily transport these specially designed portable monitors to client meetings to perform presentations.”

Pass the salt!
Working from home isn’t for everyone. The ritual of travelling to the office, socialising with colleagues and escaping the distractions of home life can be very appealing, so following government advice to stay at home is likely stressful and overwhelming for some. And then there are the challenges that make your working day extremely difficult. For example, many people’s dining room table is moonlighting as a work desk, as well as a place for children to do their schoolwork, craft or play, in addition to hosting the family dinner. Working amongst Play Doh, Lego and baking paraphernalia can be tricky practically as well as mentally.

“Setting up a moveable office is easy with our portable monitor range,” says Martin Kent. “You don’t have to be tied down to a single location to enjoy extra display space, and the plug and play set-up takes the stress out of being turfed out of one room into another as family life shifts around you. These portable monitors are also robust. With a toughened hard glass cover they are not only designed to withstand the rigors of travelling, they are also protected against dust, dirt, condensation, liquid spills and cleaning solutions.”

When you are working at home with children and want to be able to share IT equipment, a touch screen display is a great choice. There is a wealth of touch-enabled applications for school age children that can help serve home education, and which make learning more interactive and appealing.

“You can combine the benefits of touch technology with the convenience of work-space relocation with the portable HT161CGB. This monitor features 10 finger touch points enabling multiple users to collaborate or play at the same time. Parents can become more involved with their children’s lessons or simply encourage some much-needed down time together, such as multiplayer gaming or why not dabble at multimedia manipulation to nurture creativity.”

Are you sitting comfortably?
So, you don’t have your fancy swivel chair anymore. Your desk could now be a kitchen island or a swiftly erected homemade shelf in the unused space in the hallway. Whether you have a proper office desk or not, an ergonomic monitor can ensure your long hours at your screen are the most comfortable they can be. The ability to height-adjust, swivel and tilt can be the solution to avoiding back problems caused by awkward sitting positions while trying to get the best view of a computer display. The HANNspree HP series of ergonomic monitors also feature a 90° pivot manoeuvre, which enables you to easily switch screen orientation to best suit the application you are working on. If space is limited, you could also consider wall mounting a monitor at eye level.

Could working from home become the norm?
Despite businesses being able to periodically return to work, office staff remain safest in the comfort of their own homes and could be advised to work from home for some time to come. Furthermore, how many businesses could now see the benefits of having staff working from home on a long-term basis? Savvy business owners looking to cut overheads have had an unexpected taste of a home-based work force, which could potentially trigger a new norm for white-collar workers.

“The most important factor to consider if you plan to, or are expected to, work from home indefinitely is, are you able to remain productive? Consider your surroundings and your IT setup to ensure you are comfortable and well equipped to perform your job to the best of your ability. It is also important to maintain your daily routine. Self-discipline is key. You certainly don’t want to get caught with your trousers down on a video call!”

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