The outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent acceleration of remote working was a catalyst for innovation in products designed to aid working from home. These are a few of the best products for working from home that are enabling homeworkers to feel better, work better, and make the most of their space.
From expos, trade shows, and independent businesses, we have found a few of the latest designs in products and software that can improve your work from home experience.
The smart desk
A desk that you can set to your desired height, that charges your phone, and works as a whiteboard… Meet this new smart desk, from Purus Life.
Smart desks have hit the market targeting homeworkers more so since the pandemic. Many offer electronic height adjustments, some also have the added benefit of wireless charging.
The Purus Life smart desk does all this as well as having USB/C ports, memory pre-sets, touch-screen controls and being whiteboard marker friendly. It comes in two different colours with a tempered glass surface for durability and a style that will suit most workspaces.
Not forgetting what a desk is designed for, it also comes with a useful storage drawer.
Standing desks have well-documented health benefits and for long periods of working at home, this desk comes with a whole range of other useful features we love.
Price: £449
Smart Desk – Height Adjustable Desk – Purus Life
The space-saving desk
If there is one big challenge for homeworkers, finding a suitable space to put a desk is certainly one. If you don’t have a dedicated home office, a desk is a large piece of furniture to accommodate.
The Drop Top desk by Pith & Stem is an ingenious solution, giving you a fully functional and generous desk that can neatly fold away when you have finished. The difference with the Drop Top is how it blends into your home discreetly when not in use as a desk. Instead of a having a piece of wood folded against your wall, the Drop Top becomes a customisable piece of art.
The desk itself is built for efficiency and multitasking with space for dual monitors, cables and storage compartments. You are not having to clear your entire desk when it comes to folding it away. You can maintain a productive setup without compromising your space.
Prices: £350 to over £2000
Software for better meetings
During the lockdowns, we accepted that children might interrupt and household noise would be the background soundtrack for many meetings. As we have adapted and started to work longterm from home, the quality of meetings has become more important.
This is important from an equality perspective, and also for productivity when we work from home.
One of the best products for working from home includes this new software by IRIS Audio Technologies. IRIS Clarity is an innovative solution that eliminates background noise and distractions and helps bring the focus back to the conversation. The voice isolation technology utilises AI to remove unwanted background noise and interference from both sides of audio calls and video conferencing.
With an improved quality of sound you’re more likely to have better engagement and absorption of information.
IRIS Clarity is compatible with desktop and telephony platforms. The software is available as a simple, secure desktop download and can work with platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
Price: £7.99 per user, per month with discounts available for people who pay upfront for an annual
license and bespoke quotes for enterprise companies.
The ergonomic mouse
Aching fingers and wrists can be a common problem for desk workers but mouse technology has come a long way over the years.
This Humanscale x Razer™ Pro Click Mouse from Posturite is an elegant and ergonomic wireless mouse with a range of features to help you work more comfortably.
Complete with a 30-degree tilt and added palm support to prevent your wrist from pressing into your desk. The scroll wheel has also been carefully positioned to limit your need to extend your thumb to lower the risk of RSI.
Designed in collaboration with award-winning gaming brand Razer, an advanced optical sensor tracks the smallest movements, giving you an acute level of precision to maximise your productivity and efficiency as you work.
As an added bonus, the mouse has 40,000 hours battery life and is a stylish addition to any desk.
Price: £113.92
Humanscale x Razer™ Pro Click Mouse from Posturite
•SEE MORE Work From Home items in our SHOP
The wellbeing aid
Workplace wellbeing has become a huge industry. The Global Wellness Institute predicts the global wellness economy will have a value of around $7 trillion by 2025. Corporate wellness is also predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 7% until 2028 from a value of nearly $53 billion in 2020.
With a renewed focus on wellbeing at home and at work, dnömr (pron: nor-ma) have created a digital wellness platform to help counteract workplace stress and instil healthy habits to improve resilience. It sends non-intrusive notifications throughout the day on a laptop or PC.
From mood tracking to prompts to hydrate, stretch, and take a break, the platform empowers workers to take better care of their mental and physical health. There are tips to cope if you’re feeling stressed as well as more fun elements such as jokes, brain teasers and puzzles.
• Download our mini self-care guide for working from home in our Subscribers lounge – subscribe here.
Outdoor working
With warmer weather and sunnier skies, getting outside with your laptop can seem very inviting. The challenges are often poor visibility due to sun glare, and overheating. One of the best products for working from home has to be the new PROHOOD® laptop case.
This is a splash-proof, water repellent, quick drying, shock absorbing laptop case. Magnetic fasteners let you attach the canopy which blocks direct sunlight. The hood also acts as a privacy shield (ideal if you work with confidential material), covers from germs and protects from spills. Add a cold drink and sunscreen and you’re ready to get out working in the sunshine.
Price: £39.99 – £49.99
Use code to get 20% off: HWM20
For more reviews, book recommendations, apps, and features, subscribe to The Homeworker magazine where we feature products for the desk and home office in every issue.
Dedicated to helping you thrive when you work from home, The Homeworker publishes articles that are designed to keep you healthy, happy, and more productive in work and life.
