Hybrid working: Companies need to rethink the devices supplied to remote workers

Historically, companies have been equipping their employees with the devices they need to do their best work. Computers, monitors, mice, keyboards, etc. With the diffusion of hybrid forms of work, however, there has been no consideration of rethinking the needs of employees and the equipment has remained the classic one used in the office. However, a problem arises: until a few years ago meetings were held face-to-face, and the video camera and microphone integrated into the notebook were usually sufficient for the few necessary video calls. Today communication and meetings have moved online, and new needs arise.

The work has changed, but the tools are the same. The Logitech studio

To understand the new needs of remote workers, Logitech has made one research which involved 1,000 IT decision makers in large companies and 3,000 workers. What emerges is that although hybrid work and the various forms of smart working are now the norm for many people, the hardware equipment made available by the company has not changed.

In most cases the company supplies the computer, a mouse (65%), a keyboard (59%), a monitor (52%), a headset or a desk phone (52%). Only 37% also got a webcam, while 28% also got external speakers. Fewer than one in four employees (24%) have received wireless headsets from the company as well.

In practice, the usual habits have been maintained. These were fine as long as most of the meetings took place face-to-face, relying on the company meeting room (usually equipped with adequate audio-video equipment) for online meetings.

Given this data, it is not surprising that the majority of respondents (89%) complain of poor audio and video quality in video conferencing and online meetings. This is because the webcams and microphones built into laptop computers are often of low quality, unable to offer adequate images and sound.

This leads to a loss of productivity: the 53% of the sample said they frequently get distracted to check that the speaker and microphone are working properly, as well as to arrange the lights in order to have an acceptable illumination. 48%, on the other hand, say they waste time tidying up the area around their desk before an online meeting.

Data that is not surprising: anyone who has held an online meeting has been faced with very dark or “burnt” images, not to mention crackling audio, background noises (whether they were children, pets, ambulances with sirens turned on in passing) . In addition to not being the best in terms of the company’s image, these problems waste precious time and increase workers’ stress.

Problems that could be mitigated simply by equipping employees with dedicated devicessuch as headphones and microphones with noise reduction and good quality webcams, which can be easily positioned and capable of returning more defined images with realistic colours.