Innovative Office Gadgets & Equipment You Need in 2019
With the holidays upon us and the new year right around the corner, you might be considering a few upgrades for the office. With new technology coming out every day that promises to make our lives and jobs easier, it’s important to know what’s worth it and what might just take up space. Here are a few office gadgets and equipment that have shown to improve office atmosphere, productivity and budgeting.
Smart Thermostats
It’s amazing how much money we spend just on energy costs, especially throughout the long winter months in Northern Michigan. However, we can sure be a lot smarter about managing our energy costs.
Brands like Nest and Ecobee have the led the way in reducing energy consumption and saving people and businesses major bucks on their monthly energy bills.
These wifi and app-enabled thermostats rely on special algorithms, geofencing and/or motion sensors to determine how to help you monitor your thermostat 24-hours a day. They also give you the ability to adjust or schedule your thermostat from the ease of a mobile device.
Do you find that you or one of your employees often forgets to turn the thermostat down at the end of the day? It may be time to go smart.
Multi-Functional Printers
Multi-functional printers (MFPs) are all-in-one copiers, printers, scanners and fax machines. Gone are the days when you had to have a separate, expensive machine to do each of those jobs; now you can accomplish any document process you need with one high-tech machine.
What makes these machines an even more valuable addition to your office is their ability to integrate apps and third-party software, turning what looks like a compact machine into one of the smartest gadgets in the office.
Find out why offices are turning in their legacy machines for these sleek, smart tools.
Motorized Sit-Stand Desks
News outlets and talk shows are always touching on the topic of workplace health and safety, and it’s no secret by now that many experts are getting behind the idea that sitting all day long is causing major health problems and even shortening our lifespans.
But the good news is you have a lot more control than you may think, even if you’re one that has a job which requires you to sit a majority of the day. Sit-stand transition desks are a game-changer for office dwellers (just like us). They allow you to easily transition between sitting and standing, all while maintaining your computer and keyboard set up.
While there are numerous researched benefits to standing while you work, getting one of these workstation gadgets is the first step in taking control of your health this coming year.
Interactive Smart Boards
Take your presentations and collaborative work to the next level with a smart board. These are interactive displays that can function as whiteboards, computer screens and televisions all-in-one.
Robot Vacuums
Do you get a lot of foot traffic throughout the day? Or are you and the staff responsible for keeping the office tidy?
Let me introduce you to your newest employee: the robot vacuum.
This wireless, self-cleaning vacuum will not only do the hard work for you, but you can schedule it to clean while the office is closed, and it’ll return itself to the docking station to recharge when it’s done. Some of the best-rated robot vacuums this year fall under the iRobot and Eufy brands.
Split-Design, Ergonomic Keyboards
Working on a computer all day long can take a major toll on your entire body. For years, we’ve been talking about all the ways to make your office space more economic., and if there’s ever a time to take the ergonomic leap, it’s now!
A great place to start is updating your office keyboard with one that actually supports your body instead of contorting it. This Fellowes Ergonomic, Split-Design Keyboard is a keyboard that conforms to your natural arm and hand positions to reduce strain as you’re working those long hours. Plus, the added Microban® antimicrobial protection layer helps you to ward off your coworker’s 2-week old cold. We’ll call that a double-win!
Temperature-Controlled Coffee Mugs
You just got your day started and one of your coworkers asks you to help them with a few tasks. By the time you finally make it back to your office, your coffee is cold. Yuck… And everyone knows that microwaved coffee is just not the same.
Enter: the temperature controlled mug.
Ember, LEXO and SmartShow Cups have taken coffee lovers by storm. These smart coffee mugs allow you to regulate and control the temperature of your drink by adjusting the temperature on the mug or through your mobile device.
So if you find yourself stuck in a meeting knowing that your coffee is waiting for you back on your desk, turn the heat up on your phone so that you can enjoy it like a freshly-brewed cup when you get done!