9 Ideal Gadgets for a Hybrid Working Environment

Choosing the best devices for working between home and corporate offices

A hybrid work environment is a workplace arrangement that includes both work-at-home and in-office setups. The hybrid workplace model has gained popularity recently, as most organizations realize they don't need to have all their staff at the office to be successful. There are varying implementations of the hybrid work environment differentiated by whether an organization favors a fully remote workforce, mostly on-site work, or a mix of both. Some companies have their workforce take turns working remotely, while others assign certain employees to permanent remote work and others to always in the office.

Companies are choosing a hybrid work environment because remote work doesn't lower employees' productivity, as they once feared it might. In some cases, working remotely actually boosts productivity, as certain employees prefer the freedom of creating their own work environments and making up for time lost during long commutes of the past. Plus, there are many essentials that enable completing tasks and staying in touch with members of their teams. Read on to learn about the best office equipment for hybrid work.

1. Laptop computer

A laptop is often the most important piece of equipment for working remotely. While you need a computer for your home workspace to complete daily tasks and communicate with the central office, the heft of a desktop version prohibits you from transporting it between each location. Fortunately, many laptop computers are just as powerful as their desktop counterparts and can be used to attend virtual conferences, join webinars and view presentations. Key factors to keep in mind when selecting a laptop for your hybrid work environment include processing power, memory size, storage capacity, screen size and number of available ports.

For an even more portable computing option, a tablet is a great solution. Choose a Windows tablet if your work requires the same desktop apps that run on Windows computers. Alternatively, an iPad is the best option for creative professionals working with apps that are only available on Apple devices. Likewise, Chrome OS tablets are ideal for hybrid work environments that rely heavily on cloud apps.

If you work some hours at home and some in the office or like to get out and work from your local coffee shop, having a durable backpack or laptop bag to protect your device is essential. When shopping for the best backpack for hybrid work, be sure to find one with enough space to hold all your laptop accessories. If your hybrid work environment includes outdoor locations, look for a backpack made of waterproof and weather-resistant materials.

2. Portable monitor

Most laptops have limited screen space that can make it hard to view extensive spreadsheets or detailed graphic designs. For a larger, better quality display, you can connect your laptop to another computer monitor by using an HDMI cable. With an extended visual display, you’ll have plenty of space to look over documents and edit artwork. Plus, multitasking is easier when you can extend your laptop display to the secondary monitor and have a Zoom call on one screen and a project timeline on the other. Since you might be bringing your extra monitor to and from work and home, check out the weight amount in the product specifications. You can also read reviews to see what other people have found to be the best monitors for hybrid work in terms of portability.

3. Wireless keyboard and mouse

When frequently working on a laptop, you can save your neck and shoulders from pain by raising your screen to eye level. To do this, you will need to set your laptop on a raised surface, which means you will need other laptop peripherals, such as a wireless keyboard that you can keep at desk-level. Don’t forget a supportive mousepad for your wireless mouse, a gadget that gives you more range of motion. Before you decide which keyboard for hybrid work is best for you, read through the specifications to ensure it will fit in your work bag and to figure out if it’s lightweight enough to carry back and forth.

4. Laptop chargers and power adapters

Remember to include laptop chargers and power adapters for every piece of equipment needed for a remote office when making a list of what you need to work from home. There’s nothing worse than getting to the office and realizing that you left your charger at home. Do yourself a favor by keeping an extra charger at each location. Also, check to see whether you need a power adapter to connect to the printer and other essential office equipment. Although most modern offices use electronics with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

5. Wi-Fi router

A wireless router connects all the devices in your hybrid work environment to the internet. It's also useful when you need to download and upload files, communicate with team members and stream that curated productivity playlist that helps you focus. To find a fast Wi-Fi router for your home office, look for a tri-band model that divides the data load to avoid slow connection speeds caused by network congestion and wireless interference.

6 Docking station

Traveling back and forth between home and work can seem like a constant struggle with having to get things set up to where you’re comfortable. A key piece of equipment that makes switching between remote work and the corporate office more convenient is a docking station. Instead of having to disconnect each peripheral from your laptop when you sit down at your computer desk, you can simply connect them all with one cable going to the dock. These time-saving stations have ports for flash drives, HDMI cables, and Bluetooth accessories. If possible, having a laptop docking station at both locations can make your hybrid work life run more smoothly.

7. Headphones or headset

Microphones and computer headsets are useful in a hybrid work environment for taking teleconferencing calls. If you choose a headset with wireless capabilities, you don't have to be at your desk during calls; you can take walking breaks as long as you stay close to your computer and within your Wi-Fi range. Whether your workspace at home or at the office tends to include distracting background noise, look for a set of noise-cancelling headphones that can block out extra chatter and help you focus on the tasks at hand.

8. HD webcam

Webcams are must-have gadgets for working from home as they are useful for video calls. While most laptops have cameras already built in, some work scenarios require external webcams that support full high-definition (HD) or 1080p resolution. There are also 4K webcams that deliver better image quality than the standard laptop webcam. Other features to look for in a webcam include field of view, frame rate, autofocus capability and a built-in microphone. High-end models have stereo microphones with noise-canceling features. Choose one of these if you find headsets uncomfortable for long teleconferencing calls.

9. External storage devices

Portable storage devices make it easy to back up your work files and take them with you wherever you choose to work. This device is very useful for those working with large files in hybrid work environments requiring you to be in the office for part of the week. Choose between an affordable high-capacity external hard disk drive and a faster solid-state drive that's smaller and more reliable.

As hybrid work arrangements become the norm for many organizations, employees need to equip their remote work locations with essential devices required to keep them productive. You can help make the switch to remote work easier with these must-have gadgets for working from home.