Remote work is here to stay. If you ask yourself: what to buy remote staff to empower these workers, you are in the right place.
If you want to empower your employees when they work from home, you likely will want to help them to procure and use the most useful products on the market so that they can do their best work. This includes even the basics that many employees don’t have, such as a metal desk. And we also included items that are important to smaller populations of workers such as a sublimation printer
Many companies have corporate issued laptops to conduct work. This article does not focus on computers, as we assume you have supplied these to your staff.
Rather, this article covers the most important products that remote workers need to conduct business from home.
If you are unsure what to buy your staff, you can use the list that follows to think through the most important (and commonly expensed) office supplies that remote workers need at home.
When setting the scope of your WFH policy ensure that your remote staff can do their best work. This list has essential products only (for IT equipment and Furniture).
If you have a specific need due to the nature of your role or business that you support, feel free to add to this list, which is not exhaustive.
We have reviewed transaction data from remote workers and aggregated their procurement behavior so that you can learn from it, use it, and ensure the best outcomes for your staff.
If employees are unable to transport office equipment from their work location, consider buying the following for your staff or giving them the option to order these items online. This list has three options per category and includes:
- Top Product: best overall relative to quality and durability.
- Premium Choice: expensive but the result is the best quality product.
- Best Value: really good and most affordable.
You are free to set up whatever WFH procurement policy you want and we have included an FAQ to help you address issues that might arise that you will likely need to answer.
If you want to know what to buy remote staff, this guide is for you.
The Must Haves
WFH – Monitors Built For Remote Staff
Top Product: LG 32MA70HY-P 32-Inch Full HD IPS Monitor with Display Port and HDMI Inputs
Premium Choice: Dell U-Series 32-Inch Screen LED-Lit Monitor
Best Value: Philips 27″ Frameless Monitor
WFH – Keyboards for Remote Workers
Top Product: Logitech MX Keys Advanced Wireless Illuminated Keyboard
Premium Choice: Kinesis Freestyle2 Ergonomic Keyboard
Best Value: Manhattan Black Wired Keyboard
WFH – Headsets for Staff at Home
Top Product: Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
Premium Choice: Jabra Evolve 40 MS Professional Wired Headset
Best Value: USB Headset with Microphone Noise Cancelling & Mic
WFH – Docking Stations for the Remote Worker
Top Product: StarTech Dual 4K Docking Station
Premium Choice: Kensington SD4900P Triple 4k Display Docking Station
Best Value: TOTU USB C Hub 8 in 2 USB Type C Adapter Docking Station
WFH – Monitor Mounts for Remote Staff
Top Product: ErGear 17”-34” Single Monitor Desk Mount Stand Kit
Premium Choice: HUANUO Single Monitor Stand
Best Value: Huanuo Dual Monitor Stand
WFH – Webcams so remote staff can appear on video
Top Product: Each Full HD Webcam 1080P
Premium Choice: Razer Kiyo 1080p
Best Value: Logitech C920e
WFH – Printers for staff to print at home
Top Product: HP OfficeJet Pro 8035
Premium Choice: HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Wireless Printer
Best Value: HP DeskJet Plus 4155 Wireless All-in-One Printer
WFH – Chairs to keep remote workers comfortable
Top Product: Sadie Task Chair-Fixed Arm Computer Chair
Premium Choice: Hbada Office Task Desk Chair
Best Value: Devoko Office Chair Ergonomic Mid Back Swivel Mesh Chair
WFH – Desks so your staff can work from home
Top Product: Bestier Computer Desk
Premium Choice: HSH Industrial Home Office Desk
Best Value: Viewee Computer Desk
Here is also an FAQ that you can share with your staff to help them understand why you are buying (or supporting the purchase of these products).
Q: Do I have to return WFH equipment when we go back to the office?
A: For most companies, IT Asset equipment may be kept at home while employed, but must be returned at the end of employment. This is true for devices including printer stands and portable printers.
Q: What happens if I leave my job, who owns expensed equipment?
A: Any equipment purchased and reimbursed by the firm is considered property of the firm. This equipment, such as a vertical monitor, dual monitor stand, or even an HDMI adapter will need to be returned at the end of employment.
Q: I have been advised to WFH and need to take meetings through Zoom but don’t have a headset, what should I do?
A: There are many types of headsets available to meet your needs. To find a pair of headphones that is right for you, check out this review article.
