A standing desk with a wireless charger? The need to adapt workstations

20 April 2021

The future of the workplace is changing every day.  From the office to the home workplace, technology has made it possible to be virtually in any place on Earth. People are doing their work from the comfort of their homes not because they chose to but due to the global pandemic that is raging right now. Getting to the real score on how technology employees work efficiently will provide employers the means to find the best workplace productivity tools.

With all this technology, there is one thing that always remains the same. Where to power the devices? All these devices are useless without power. The cellphone is just a glorified paperweight if there is no power charging it. So having a charger near you while working at your standing desk is essential. But with charging wires scattered all over the table, an accident is bound to happen.

A standing table with a wireless charger is ideal to reduce the clutter on the desk. It is important that employees need the latest in workplace technology, and the standing desk is the best place to start. The evolution of workplace technology in the last 10 years has made the devices more portable and increase the need to charge them.



Cutting the Cord


Personal computing is not the only one that the modern workstation has changed. Phones have graduated at the workstation level from the landline to cellphones and broadband connections. Gone are the awkward old clunky rotary phones to make business phone calls. Everyone is connecting their laptops or computers to applications like Slack or Skype for Business to call other employees as instant messaging is available on these platforms.

With that in mind, standing desks should have wireless charging to remove the clutter on the surface. If employees are going to be using smartphones for work calls and checking emails, the workstations should have the right structure for charging.

Meaning a desk with wireless charging built that allows employees to charge their phones simply by placing it down on the desk. Since it is built in the standing desk installed, the top still remains free from clutter. This is important that the shrinking desk space will save costs in terms of space required.



What are the advantages of having a standing desk with wireless charging? Cost savings are achieved if desk sizes can be reduced, as less equipment is required on the desk itself. Smaller desk size means there will more workers for the company.




How Does Wireless Charging Work?


Wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to allow for the air around a device to hold an electromagnetic charge which the device can convert into electricity. 


Electromagnetic induction is made when a charging coil creates an electromagnetic field that the receiving coil in the device can pick up on when aligned and placed in close proximity to each other. Unlike magnetic resonance, electromagnetic induction doesn’t need the coils to be resonating at the same frequency as this is the standard way of wireless charging for mobile devices. 


Aside from electromagnetic induction, wireless charging also works through radio waves and magnetic resonance.


Radio Charging:


Used in wireless keyboards, watches, and earbuds. Designed for low power levels and close proximity between charger and device.


Magnetic Resonance:


This is used with larger devices like vacuums and cars. A copper coil is needed in both the charger and device to resonate at the same electromagnetic frequency.  When placed in close proximity to each other, there is a transfer of power through the air. More complicated, too much power level, and less efficient than radio charging but can pass through thick walls and is less sensitive to the physical alignment of the coils.



What is Electromagnetic Induction?


Electromagnetic induction is produced by two magnets opposing each other’s force. This occurs between electromagnetically charged coils located in charging devices and mobile electronics. It is worth noting that this energy travels through the air, allowing wireless charging to the phone’s battery without requiring a cable.

The advantage to wireless charging stands is the potential to create a universally compatible protocol that major tech companies around the world can adopt. iI you want the best standing desk to go with wireless charging, go to flexispot.com for the best deals.


Do All Phones Have Wireless Charging?

Most phone manufacturers don’t exactly label wireless compatibility on the phone itself. It can only work if the device supports it. 



Can it Charge Faster?


It depends on the wattage power when it comes to charging speed. Wireless charging usually provides 5, 7.5, or 10 watts of power   Some chargers can currently reach up to 15 watts. Generally speaking, a 5W wireless charger is a bit slower than a 5W cable charger. But a 15W wireless charger is faster than a 5W, or even a 10W cable charger.


Other factors in terms of charging speed will be the thickness of the protective case, uncertified off-brands with dubious power output specs, the phone’s current battery level, and the age of the battery.


Charging Speed with Multiple Devices


Electromagnetic induction requires the proper alignment of the phone on the wireless charging stand. It can be difficult to charge multiple devices at the same time with a single pad configuration.

Wireless charging standing desks that have two or more pads that can charge multiple devices. But if each pad is sharing a single circuit the charging will be limited for each device. 

In the long run, wireless charging is a good accessory to the stationary workspaces where the phone or other devices can rest on the pads and close by to reach. 


Is Wireless Charging Safe?


When it comes to discussing the safety of wireless charging and electromagnetic induction, there are two points:


  • The manufacturer’s quality standards and safety regulations


  • The amount of power being transmitted through the air


Manufacturer Quality Standards and Safety Regulations


Most of the wireless charging stands in the market won’t be UL or ETL listed and some cases might not have any label describing power rating. Unlicensed consumer electronics are a fire risk, property damage, personal injury, and come with gibberish warranties that even legal experts can’t interpret.



Is It Bad for the Battery?


Wireless charging is no more harmful to the battery than charging by cable. All batteries will lose their capacity over time and the rate at which they deteriorate depends on how often they are charged. Brands such as Apple phones claim to retain 80% of original battery health over 500 charging cycles.


Today’s devices are designed against overcharging.  However, overcharging a device would constitute the time spent at (or near) 100% charge.




Functional Improvements


Functional improvements of standing desks should support the type of work being completed in offices today. Things like sit-to-stand flexibility help the need for people to improve wellness or better ergonomic setups for laptops. Smartphones are the next big shift at the desk level in offices. Companies should equip the employees with proper wireless charging infrastructure. Go to Flexispot.com to find the perfect standing desk for your wireless charger.


Conclusion:

For companies to succeed even in the cyberworld, the need for wireless devices is needed more than ever. And with that in mind, the devices need to be charged at all times.