With the coronavirus tamed and the majority of the population vaccinated, life has begun to go back to its pre-pandemic routine. This means public spaces are opening, people are socializing, and offices are gearing up to welcome employees. While all of that is good news, there is a flip side to the changes happening around us.
After being cooped up at home and working remotely for so long, returning to the office seems a little daunting, which is understandable.
It is only fair for employees to take a minute to absorb this WFH-to-work-from-the-office transition and get a handle on things. While you will need your sweet time, you can make matters easier for yourself by equipping your workplace with essential office accessories. If you are unsure what to buy, here is a list of items that will guide you to the right products.
An Ergonomic Chairs
The first thing anyone needs to make their workplace productive is a comfortable, top-quality ergonomic chair because they have to spend quite some time in it. Sure, you can find standing desks or use desk risers and work in a standing position. Nevertheless, you will have to sit down eventually, so it's better to have a suitable seat at your office.
Desk Stands
A desk stand is a total game-changer for people who have to work at a desk for long hours as it allows them to fix their monitor at their eye level. This way, they don't have to hang their neck forward and ruin their posture. Simply put, a desk stand allows users to maintain the correct posture by bringing the screen up.
If you want to keep your back straight and not strain your neck, invest in a top-grade desk stand. The easiest way to find one is by looking up the best laptop stands to save your neck and back on the internet; you'll surely find exceptional models.
A Standing Desk
If you want to challenge yourself, you can even get a standing desk. Standing desks are useful furniture pieces that can become high or low as per the user's needs. As ironic as it may sound, sitting all day can be tiring, not to mention bad for our bodies. But with a standing desk, you can switch between sitting and standing as you like.
Let's say you remain seated for an hour, then change position and stand for the next. This back-and-forth between postures will keep your blood circulation going and save your body from unnecessary straining.
Planters
Are you surprised? Were you not expecting to see planters on our list of essential office accessories for 2024? Well, surprise! Having small shrubs in the office can really boost the productivity levels at a workstation.
Looking at nature is really soothing. It relaxes the mind, enabling an individual to singularly focus on the task at hand. Research has shown that keeping plants in the workplace positively impacts the well-being of employees. Simply put, you are more likely to perform well with greenery around you.
Portable Laptop Stand Docking Station
Nothing looks messier than a bunch of tangled-up chords on a desk. When people have exposed cables running from their laptops and other devices, they can come across as unprofessional. That's where docks can be immensely helpful.
They are smart apparatuses that don't take much space yet enable employees to organize chords immaculately. If you want a suitable one for your office, you might want to look up the best laptop docks and stands for use in small rooms; FlexiSpot will have quite some options for you to choose from.
Wireless Phone Charger
A wireless phone charger is an excellent feature to add to your workplace as it will allow you to keep your phone charged without adding to the cluster of cables.
We know what you are thinking; you are wondering why you should get a wireless phone charger when I am getting a dock. Well, one word: CONVENIENCE!
It's not only about the reduced number of wires on your desk; a wireless charger is easy to carry and store. You can conveniently take it with you without having to roll the chord around the plug. Make your life easier with this fantastic accessory perfect for office use; get one soon!
Drawers and Storage
If you are fed up with the clutter that gathers on your desk often despite your best efforts to keep it tidy? If so, you should look for a smart solution to contain all the extra things leaving your tabletop clutter-free. One such product is a mesh desk organizer.
With drawers and storage sitting in front of you, you can easily find the files or materials you might need unexpectedly. A superior asking for a document out of nowhere- such occurrences are common at workplaces. You can also be in such a situation, and when that happens, your mesh organizer will save you.
Since you can see through mesh and spot whatever you are looking for without rifling in drawers and wooden or metal filing cabinets.
Keyboard Cover
Are you a klutz? Are you always worried about spilling coffee all over your desk? Even if you are not constantly concerned about keeping your coffee mug right to avoid any spilling mishap, it remains a possibility.
It can happen to the best of us. While you cannot guarantee that no liquid will splatter on your desk, you can save your devices safe in case something happens. How? With keyboard covers.
Typically a keyboard is an accessory that becomes the victim of spillage. If you want to keep yours safe, you should buy a silicone keyboard cover. It's washable and doesn't get in the user's way, i.e., you can easily type with it on your keyboard.
LED Lamps
Light is an essential element for creating an ambiance in a room. If the light is harsh or too bright, so much so that it pierces through your eyes, it will not help you be more productive. In other words, how well-lit your workstation is can make a difference in your performance at work.
Imagine sitting under a painfully bright fluorescent light and having to work on a challenging project- how would you feel? Do you think the illumination will affect your work? Allow us to answer; yes, it will! When you have to work in a dull room lit with fluorescent bulbs, you'll notice that the ambiance seems gloomy. No one can work in such an atmosphere.
If you haven't paid attention to illumination in a room and its impact on your productivity, test it out. Try making a presentation or anything for that matter in a dreary place. Then do some other tasks in a space with soft lighting. You should feel a difference in your efficiency.
Long story short, lighting in a room is important, but sometimes you cannot control what fixtures are installed in your office. In that case, you can get an LED lamp and use it to better the ambiance around you.
Footrest
A footrest is another excellent feature a person can keep under their desk. It will give them a surface to rest their feet.
Sitting in a chair with legs dangling affects blood flow in the lower body, which is why people often complain that their feet fall asleep while working. To counter the said problem, you can put a footrest under your desk to keep your feet whenever you want.
You can find many models in the market, some of which are dual-purpose as they can also massage the user's feet. With your feet at ease, you can concentrate on your work better and give your 100% to the task at hand. Therefore, consider getting a footrest for your workstation.
Ending Note
There is no denying that going back to the office will be difficult for most people. But the good news is that with so many top-notch accessories and office equipment now available, you can make your WFH-to-back-to-the-office transition a bit better.
