The whole world is following the progress of the novel corona virus, which has quickly developed into a global pandemic. Politicians are reacting with drastic demands and measures to curb the exponential growth of the pandemic. Companies that are able to shift their activities to the digital world are increasingly resorting to the most important tool currently available, which is the home office.
Here you can find out how home working works best and what you should be aware of. We also face the challenge of working from home to keep the Covid 19 sickness rate as low as possible - because the global goal is to "flatten the curve". For this reason we will be taking you through the tools that can be used to make working from home productive.
We provide you with tools that enable ergonomic working, link devices together, simplify video conferencing, and support your workflow. We will also reveal important rules of conduct to help you make the move into the home office a success.
The home office basically is a computer workstation set up by the employer in the private sphere of the employees. A common means of communication in the home office include, for example, PC, notebook or smartphone. However, it is even better if you also have a height-adjustable table or, alternatively, table attachments. These help to protect you from remaining in a seated position for too long - which happens too quickly when we concentrate on the tasks in the new working environment. Ideally, the desk should be adjustable in height between 68 and 76 cm. Our DIGITUS® desk frames are even continuously adjustable from 62 to 128 cm.
Monitor holders or monitor elevations are a more cost-effective alternative that can be implemented at short notice. Because a display that can be flexibly adjusted in height is just as useful as an adaptable desk. DIGITUS® offers various models for every need. The portfolio also includes mobile notebook stands. A special highlight: The integrated USB-C™ docking station 11-in-1 in the aluminium monitor extension.
Ergonomics is the keyword. The optimal, individual and mutual adaptation between people and work equipment is indispensable. This already includes the position of the desk. It is recommended not to place the desk directly in front of or behind a window, so that neither direct sunlight nor reflections on the screen can have a negative effect on your eyes and health. A height-adjustable desk chair is also recommended for the home office - especially if you work from home for long periods of time. You can remember this rule of thumb: In a sitting position, your body should form a 90-degree angle. Nevertheless, pay attention to variety and get up regularly during breaks and move around the room; this ensures better circulation and relieves the intervertebral discs, which are so often strained too one-sidedly and thus cause pain.
For a fluid Internet connection anywhere in your home, we recommend the Wlan Dual- Band Extender Mesh Kit. Using two external, omni-directional W-LAN antennas, you ensure first-class reception and can flexibly extend the range of your home network. The system can also be used as an access point or router.
Power strips and practical charging adapters are essential to ensure a reliable power supply and to connect several devices to the mains at the same time. The 4-way office socket strip with two USB connections from DIGITUS® is particularly useful in the home office. Because it allows you to charge your smartphone, tablet or other mobile devices at the same time. The socket has a built-in parental lock and an illuminated safety switch. If you need more USB ports to charge your devices, the 4-port Universal USB Charging Adapter is the ideal solution. Ultra-compact - with a total output of max. 72 W - this universal charger is perfect for home or on the road.
Suitable input devices must not be missing, of course. These make work easier - especially if you only have a laptop, notebook or similar at your disposal. The ergonomic wireless mouse from DIGITUS® allows you to work wirelessly while maintaining a natural arm and hand position. A mouse pad with palm rest provides additional comfort.
Many devices often provide numerous cables, which can be cleverly hidden with the help of DIGITUS®. With our cable management boxes, you can stow away power supply units, plugs and cables, including socket strips, in no time at all. In addition to the study and living area, the cable storage box can also be used in the kitchen, dining room, children's room or office to keep cables tidy and dust-free.
Handling sensitive data and documents is not easy, especially in the home office. Some of them must not be disposed of with the household waste. That is why DIGITUS® offers practical document shredders in various sizes.
Cable Management Box, S
Whether universal docking stations for notebooks to turn them into a fully functional desktop system with 11 additional connections, or USB Type-C™ 4K DisplayPort™ Graphics adapter for high-resolution images and the best sound quality with Dolby Surround - DIGITUS® offers you a wide range of products so that nothing is missing at your home office.
These components help you to call up 100 percent of your performance at home:
The dangerous thing about a virus is its invisibility. Therefore it is often very abstract for us and especially in our own four walls we do not suspect any threat. Accordingly, it is important to pay attention to the recommended hygiene rules when working at home.
Cleaning of the devices: Especially on our mobile phones we carry many health-endangering pathogens with us and therefore come into contact with them again and again when using our devices. With these cleaning products you can ensure a clean working environment:
Wash your hands regularly: Pay particular attention to thorough hand washing (20 to 30 seconds is recommended) when preparing food, before eating and after other situations such as sneezing, blowing your nose and going to the toilet.
Don't touch your face: Despite regular hand washing, it is recommended to avoid contact with mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and eyes, as these are very susceptible to infection. Practicing at home helps to keep it outside your own four walls - because, as so often, it is a matter of habit.
Airing: Provide fresh air regularly, for example by airing the room in a bumpy way. This ensures a rapid exchange of oxygen and reduces the risk of mould growth, which can have a negative effect on your immune system. And especially in times of corona, a good immune system is essential.
Basic hygiene in the household: The usual house cleaning with common cleaning agents creates a good basis to protect yourself and other people living in the household from germs. On some surfaces with which we frequently come into contact, such as door handles or window handles, sars-CoV-2 viruses can survive up to 6 days, according to the Robert Koch Institute. It is therefore advisable to disinfect them thoroughly more often.
Many will certainly miss the social contact with colleagues. Just clarify a question or brainstorm together. These interactions must now take place digitally and it is precisely for these meeting situations that there are useful accessories from DIGITUS®, such as Wireless Video Extenders.
Whether in full HD quality or 4K resolution, via network cable or wireless: you will find the right equipment for every application.
To the assortment
With our multimedia headset you can hold video conferences with the best sound and experience the best wearing comfort due to the light construction and soft ear pads. Especially in the home office, hands-free telephoning is indispensable. Would you like to get up during the meeting? Then you can easily extend the length of the headset by 2 m to 3.8 m using an extension cable.
Depending on the living situation, one is more or less confronted with distractions in the home office. Either by people in the household, neighbours or even by the need to do something at home. Just being able to run a machine with laundry running or put something away - many things are on offer.
A precise schedule helps us in the home office not to lose sight of the essentials. Structure your working day and organise your breaks well. Think about what you want to do after work in the morning and set priorities. Make a note of exactly what you want to do during working hours - because not only discipline but also good planning is important to get the desired performance from your home office.
Without the routine daily routine in the office, we often forget to take regular breaks and move around. The little walk after the break or coffee together is no longer necessary. Therefore it is advisable to set a timer. Health experts recommend interrupting work briefly every 90 minutes so that the brain can process the information and recover accordingly. Also, get up and move around the room to get your circulation going again - this is especially useful during an "afternoon low".
Maintain the usual culture of communication: greet your colleagues in chat or via collaboration software. This not only keeps up the team spirit, but also sends a mental signal to start, pause or finish work. In the same way, you communicate transparently whether you are currently within reach for the team.