The office has changed — stock up on these flexible workplace solutions
Flexible work arrangements aren’t going anywhere. As Canadian businesses and organizations continue to offer connected workspaces, flexibility remains a must. To successfully navigate this, managers have to stay equipped.
“When you have employees working part-time in the office and part-time remote, organization is paramount,” says Maggie Clark, Staples Professional Senior Manager of Business Essentials. Here are five products mid-to-large-size companies should have on hand to stay optimized for flexible work.
1. Tech and accessories
Providing team members with their own laptop and e-accessories is vital so work can take place anywhere. “Make sure each team member has a portable keyboard or mouse that they can port back and forth. They’re also going to need luggage such as laptop bags, backpacks, and file storage,” adds Clark.
2. RocketBook Smart Reusable Notebooks
As someone who has worked from home for many years, Clark knows the importance of replicating the office experience at home. She recommends the RocketBook Smart Reusable Notebook for anyone looking to consolidate meeting notes, brainstorm ideas, and other jottings to the cloud. This electronic notebook makes it a breeze: just take notes with the stylus, scan and upload your notes, and then access or share them wherever and whenever.
3. Data and device security
“We’re carrying our laptops and sensitive information everywhere but are we making sure that we’re keeping that secure?” asks Clark, who recommends encrypted USB keys and secured data storage for starters.
But flexible work also brings additional security needs: “Laptop locks are important since offices aren’t going to be as populated as they were before. If you leave your laptop on your desk and walk away, you’ll want to make sure it’s secured,” adds Clark.
Having connected spaces may also require businesses to assign paper shredders and lockable filing units to ensure corporate privacy among their offsite employees.
4. Office supplies for the office and for home
“We’ve seen a bump in sales of paper, photocopy paper, paper notebooks, and even binders,” notes Clark. Don’t forget to stock up on the following:
And for those working from home offices, prioritize ideation and collaboration tools like:
5. Packing and shipping supplies
“The world has gone to more of a shipping as opposed to walk-in retail business model,” notes Clark. Without having a steady supply of packaging supplies, organizations can be caught short when it matters most.
“Staples Professional can be the one-stop solution that provides your organization with the pack and ship products you need, such as boxes, mailers, fillers, inserts – plus office supplies, furniture, and technology,” notes Clark.
Want to learn more about how we can help your organization? Talk to Staples Professional today.