6 Work-from-Home Essentials for Every Remote Employee

Categories: Advice for Start-ups and Entrepreneurs, Remote Hiring and Virtual Staffing
6 Work-from-Home Essentials for Every Remote Employee

Remote work is not a new concept, but since the outbreak of the coronavirus last year, many see it as a game-changer as they transition into new norms. As most offices close due to lockdown restrictions, telecommuting became an effective alternative to keep businesses up and running.

In fact, according to a study conducted by Gartner, 88% of organizations around the world green-lit the work-from-home (WFH) setup immediately after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. This is done to accommodate the safety of their employees. 

While every nation is making notable progress in dealing with this crisis, 74% of professionals believe that remote work will be the standard moving forward.

If that’s the case, you might want to start piecing together and investing in your very own home office. If you’re looking to work remotely or upgrade your current workspace, consider this a checklist of must-haves to make your 8-hour hustle pleasant and worthwhile.

1. A Comfortable Work Corner

Have a dedicated workstation at home. With this remote setup, you want to draw visible boundaries between home and work to avoid burnout. If possible, decide on an area where you can get little to no disturbance in the household. Go for a spot that can give you major office vibes to help boost your productivity and relieve stress during your shift.

As far as furniture goes, you only need a desk and a chair, to begin with. Pick a desk that’s spacious enough to host all your essentials at work, and go for an office chair that’s going to give you the right amount of cushion and back support that you need for the rest of the day.

2. A Reliable Internet Connection

Remote management is online management. A steady and strong internet connection is now a job requirement, so make sure you’re signed up with a reliable provider. Do your research before picking an internet partner, and be wise about monitoring your data consumption when your Wi-Fi is running.

3. A Dependable Computer

Your computer will be your best friend throughout this WFH period, so take the time to find the right one that will help you get the job done. The ideal unit varies, as that would depend on the work that you do

If you run simple tasks and software daily, a computer that features an Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, or AMD Ryzen 5 chip processor should do the trick! However, if your work requires heavy graphics, video editing, and rendering, you may want to check out a unit with higher specs—perhaps an Intel Core i7 chip and 8 to 32 GB of RAM—to ensure smooth work performance.

4. A Pair of Quality Headphones

If you can’t find peace and quiet, make it! Noise cancellation earphones are essential when you want to cut all possible distractions—the dog’s barking, the construction hammering away, even the city noise. If you function best with music in the background, you can also listen to your favorite tunes with it and get in the zone.

5. A Backup Plan

There’s plenty of room for mishaps when you’re telecommuting or working remotely, so you have to be ready with a contingency plan. Think about your responses to power interruptions or internet disconnections. Make sure you have an extra device in case your computer acts up, and secure any crucial work files by saving backups to an external hard drive or the cloud.

6. Your Favorite Things

Again, you want to make your workstation at home as office-like and as “you” as possible. Feel free to put a plant on your desk, decorate your computer with stickers and cards, or pull out a small toy that you can play with every now and then. Build the atmosphere you want to work in and enhance your space however you like!

Settling in this Setup

While it is still uncertain if businesses will go back to how they operated before this crisis, there is no denying that working from home served more good than harm. This is backed up by 75% of people in the U.S. stating that they are just as productive, perhaps even more, when working remotely.

If you’re a business on the lookout for skilled and efficient talents who are comfortable operating on a WFH setup, team up with a recruitment agency in the Philippines to help expand your workforce. Find the right recruitment and staffing service that matches your needs, and contact Manila Recruitment to learn more!