PERIPHERALS
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Better working environment But it isn’t just about physical wellbeing, it’s about how equipment fits into a home workspace too, says David Huggins, national account manager IT – UK & IRL – at Fellowes. He added that a key finding from Fellowes commissioned research into the ‘New Way of Working’ was that three quarters of respondents felt that a better home working environment would help them feel more motivated and productive. “The most desired items that can contribute to a better working environment, particularly for those spending more time working from home, are those that can easily blend into and complement the home environment, whether this be through desirable design language or the ease of packing away, for those that don’t have a ‘dedicated’ permanent workspace in their home,” he says. “We have seen an increase in demand for the Breyta™ range of portable ergonomic accessories which includes adjustable laptop risers, monitor stands and foot supports, designed with the hybrid worker in mind.” Changing demands But as hybrid working has become more established in the past few years, so customers’ demands have changed. “In the early days of hybrid working we saw a big rise in the sales of the basics – laptop riser, keyboards, mice – as people made do working from the sofa or kitchen table,” says Mark. “We ran a survey in 2023 as part of our ‘New World of Work’ whitepaper that revealed 36% of people working from home had only a couple of ergonomic items. Moving onto
2024 and we have seen a marked increase in the number of home workers looking for a more complete solution, seating, desks/ desk converters, monitor arms to support dual screen working etc as they build a permanent home working set up.” Mike Barron, managing director, SYNAXON UK, says the company has seen a lot of activity on peripherals through the SYNAXON Hub. “WiFi routers and access points, large-format displays, storage devices, audio headsets, keyboards and mice, and backup power supplies have all been popular,” he says. Ross Turner, peripherals director, UK, TD SYNNEX, says that the most in-demand items are large format and medium-sized displays and keyboard and mouse combos that enable users to work effectively at home. “That’s a huge and perpetual area of activity,” he says. Hybrid working has driven demand for equipment which enhances productivity. “With AI advancing in areas such as workflow scheduling, content creation and other communication tools, the industry is experiencing a shift towards virtual reality and augmented reality peripherals that offer enhanced wireless and ergonomic capabilities, alongside better integration for AI and IoT functionalities,” says Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair. Lawrence also points to a trend for people combining work and leisure time – so-called ‘workcations’ – is also influencing peripheral purchases. As employees look to take their work with them, they need appropriate kit. “This has been reflected in an uptake in demand for our Exacompta laptop sleeves and luggage, which offer the user to ability transport and protect their work peripherals efficiently and safely,” Lawrence says. Security Peripherals involving storage and connectivity are also growing in popularity. Jon Fielding, managing director, EMEA, for Apricorn, notes that the market for removable storage devices is growing as hybrid workers need to move data between locations. “Businesses are looking to provide solutions that ensure security and resilience is maintained when the employee is working remotely,” he says. “In that regard we are seeing companies researching, identifying and then mandating in policy – and quite often enforced in technology – hardware encrypted, removable media. “This enables the employee to move data
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Moving onto 2024 and we have seen a marked increase in the number of home workers looking for a more complete solution, seating, desks/ desk converters, monitor arms to support dual screen working etc as they build a permanent home working set up.
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Mark Wilkinson regional, VP, UK & Ireland
David Huggins national account manager, UK & IRL
Mike Barron managing director
accobrands.com
fellowesbrands.com
synaxon-services.com
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