So, your workforce has been stuck at home for more than a year now, and you have some funds originally earmarked for employee benefits that still need spending. As they say, when life gives you lemons, squeeze them, add ice and honey and then sit back and enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So here are 11 gift ideas for your employees to make their Work-From-Home (WFH) more comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One way for work calls to look more professional is a green screen<\/a>. This can make video calls more professional by reducing messy backgrounds and instances where some part of your body goes missing on screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Zoom and other teleconferencing apps have background occlusion AI that works without a green screen, however it is not as clean at cutting out the background. Sometimes, hands, ears and some parts of hair might get cut out, resulting in odd-looking images, and it becomes even less convenient when you wish to show items in front of the webcam, because the AI typically interprets these items as part of the background and blurs or cuts them out. A green screen solves that problem because now these apps can simply cut out everything that is green. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopee has a number of inexpensive green screens which are very convenient to set up and stow when not in use. These are made to attach by Velcro to the chair. The 150cm option ($19.99) works quite well as other options may require users to be seated very close to the webcam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: Unsure About Zoom? Here Are 6 Video Conferencing App Alternatives<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For those looking for a standing desk<\/a> for your employees, this is a good alternative. The health benefits of standing to work is debateable, but your employees will definitely appreciate the option to stand up and still work ergonomically when they start feeling sleepy. This desk offers most of the benefits of an Omnidesk, but without its exorbitant price-tag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: 10 Most Affordable Standing Desks You Can Buy For Your Work-From-Home Office Set-Up<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not everyone has the space at home to make a permanent workdesk. However, sharing the dining table for work could be equally inconvenient especially if it is placed in a particularly noisy or disruptive part of the house \u2013 which it usually would be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A good intermediate solution could be a table<\/a> that can be folded and stashed away. If the user so desires, they can simply leave the table where it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: 5 Factors to Consider When Purchasing an Ergonomic Desk<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While brands like Secretlab and Omnidesk are very targeted to gamers, your average employee is likely to find the flashy aesthetic to be quite over-the-top. A good alternative is ErgoTune ($599), which coincidentally happens to have more adjustments to enable seated work for long hours. The aesthetic also looks very white-collar professional, making it perfect for appearing on the background of teleconferencing video calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, other less expensive chairs<\/a> ($149.00) exist on Shopee, which give a good portion of the adjustability and comfort that ErgoTune offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: Work-From-Home: 5 Best Office Chairs From $149.90 To Improve Your Posture<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a second monitor directly improves productivity especially for staff who have many work tasks that require computer work. A 24\u201d monitor from Prism<\/a> ($249.00) would be sufficient for the task and staff can simply have it hooked up to their laptops to function as a second screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, a portable monitor<\/a> will enable your staff to bring around their screens where necessary so that they can easily use it both in office and at home. The best part about spare monitors is that it can continue to be useful, even after everyone goes back to the office for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: 5 Computer Monitors & Screens (Under $250) To Enhance Your Work-From-Home Experience<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people may not have dedicated workspaces at home, which may also mean not having a dedicated desk that is ergonomically designed for work on a laptop. But that can be changed quite inexpensively with a laptop stand<\/a> that elevates the laptop such that the screen is at a level for comfortable viewing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are portable models which allow for the laptop stand to be easily carried around back to the office too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: 6 Good Laptop Stands (Below $100) That Employees Should Consider<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having better audio quality come in from the microphone also makes for better virtual meetings. Additionally, condenser microphones<\/a> typically come with tighter pickup ranges, so background noise from other family members and the road in front of their homes do not come into the meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, this microphone comes with a volume adjustment knob, so users can easily mute it by turning the knob rather than needing to constantly scroll to the mute button on Zoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: Guide To Setting Up A Livestream Or Podcast For Your Business or Side Hustle From $300 (Or Less)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A good pair of earphones definitely help by cancelling out the noise. These usually also function almost like an earplug as well. Wireless earphones help because the user does not have to take them off each time they go to the toilet or walk around the house to grab a snack, top-up their water or check on their children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Creative Outlier Air<\/a> also comes in with a built-in microphone. While this microphone will pick up a lot of background noise, it can be used in a pinch to respond to calls or talk during meetings. Other more expensive wireless earphones exist in the market, and the value is better audio clarity as well as better sound sealing, alongside better comfort. It should be noted that most microphones on such devices are not great especially considering that they are situated so far from the mouth. Using a good microphone alongside would be recommended, especially for those who take teleconference meetings with clients often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Teleconferencing calls are perhaps the norm right now, however considering that most companies are used to it, it would likely make even less sense in the future to ask your team to travel just to have a discussion that lasts for 30 minutes. One item that could help improve comfort during calls is a good headset so your staff do not have to strain to hear each other. The Logitech G331<\/a>($99.00) has massive ear cups and great audio drivers, making for a comfortable fit even over large ears, and producing audio with good clarity. The microphone is respectable \u2013 even if it\u2019s not the best. For a headset with a better microphone, the Logitech G pro<\/a> ($199.00) does the job better and makes the user\u2019s voice sound more pleasurable or just less jarring to listen to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: 5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones\/Earbuds Below $250 For Online Meetings During Work-From-Home<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Exercise stretching bands<\/a> are a great way to improve strength or target specific muscle groups, and they are a great replacement for weights due to its weight, portability and versatility. They also come in different colours \u2013 usually indicating their resistance\/weight level. As COVID-19 cases continue to remain elevated, this simple gift can keep employees at home, while still keeping active. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Giving an exercise band to your staff can also be a good excuse to conduct a zoom workout session together \u2013 you could either have your staff follow a YouTube workout regime, and this could be a good mid-day or end-of-day staff bonding exercise where everyone can groan in pain together on Zoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n#2 Motorised Standing Desk – $249<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#3 Folding Study Table – $79-$99<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#4 Office Chair – $149-$599<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#5 Secondary Monitor $250<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#6 Laptop Stand \u2013 Under $20<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#7 Condenser Microphone – $30<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#8 Wireless Earphones – $89.00<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#9 Headset $99-$199<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#10 Exercise Bands \u2013 under $10 each<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n