Work-from-home is now an arrangement many businesses have adapted to. For the better part of the last one and a half years, employees would have become familiar with virtual meetings, taking calls, poring over their screens and clacking away at their keyboard for work.
All of these work activities mostly occur around one main oft overlooked furniture – the desk. It is therefore important to consider, what features and functions in a desk could make employees happier and more productive from home?
Here’s a look at 5 factors that you may want to consider in employees’ ergonomic desks.
Read Also: Work-From-Home (Again): 5 Best Office Chairs From $149.90 To Improve Your Posture
#1 Portability (i.e. weight and size)
If the work desk is too heavy or bulky to be portable, then it obviously stays in the same spot. Conversely, smaller tables on wheels that can be brought from room to room, especially if you want to have the option to work around your children the living room or shift into the room for work that requires a quieter environment.
Of course, the portability of the desk only matters if employees have sufficient space at home to move their desk. Many homes in Singapore may be too small/narrow for this to be a possibility.
#2 Adjustability
Employees working at a table hunched over a screen for hours should stand up and stretch their legs every once in a while. A table of adjustable height means that they can work while standing or sitting whenever it suits them.
The height adjustment mechanism can be manual or auto (i.e. the table has electric motors that are button-automated). Either way, a quiet mechanism is recommended. For those who don’t want to get rid of an older table, there’s also an option for an add-on height adjustable component that sits atop your table.
If the table’s adjustability is automated, make sure it comes with dual motors, or the weight on the table will not be evenly distributed. Some tables, albeit the higher-end ones, even come motorised with anti-collision mechanisms. Alternatively, table protectors for table corners are also available (similar to those used to childproof a home). This is especially important for portable tables.
Read Also: 10 Most Affordable Standing Desks You Can Buy For Your Work-From-Home Office Set-Up
#3 Ease of dismantling
Ostensibly, table components that can be shortened and extended can sometimes be taken apart more easily. On that note, ease of assembly makes WFH tables more convenient.
Current work-from-home arrangements may also be temporary. So, when offices get populated again, employees may want the option of dismantling and storing away their tables with ease.
#4 Versatility (to include other accessories)
When you buy a table, you also want it to be versatile enough for customisation or compatible with add-ons from other brands.
For example, EverDesk+ table customisation options include a laptop stand and an arm to mount a monitor on, multi-jointed so that the monitor can be positioned every which way.
With laptops and monitors also come wires. Without wire management, an otherwise tidy workspace can quickly become a mess of unruly cables. Customised cable trays are great for organising wires and sockets.
Read Also: 5 Computer Monitors And Screens (Under $250) To Enhance Your Work-From-Home Experience
Storage compartments are equally important. When working from home, employees need work supplies within an arm’s reach. That means that tables with built-in storage compartments are the most convenient options.
#5 Warranty
The length of warranty should also influence your buying decision, especially if the table is auto and has electric motors for adjustable height (as electronics would be more prone to malfunctions). The warranties on some table purchases can be extended for a fee, so you may want to ask. Additionally, if you’re buying wooden furniture, they also come with warranties.
A Desk That Suits Your Work-From-Home Requirements
The best thing about WFH desk-buying is also the worst thing — the mind-boggling range of options to choose from. Hopefully these five guiding factors help you to navigate.
At the end of the day, the table you choose for your employees depends on their unique working needs and available space to fit in a desk at home. A well-chosen table is also a prudent investment you can be proud of, and help you improve in both form and function.
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