Slowly, but surely, American businesses are increasingly allowing their employees to work from home. As of late 2019, it was reported that 43% of workers worked from home on occasion. Over the last five years, the number of remote workers grew by 44%. And over the last 10 years, they grew by 91%.
The benefits of working from home are clear for both the employees and the businesses they support:
Whether your business is considering an all-in approach or just wants to be prepared should the occasional need arise, you’ll need to have the basics covered to ensure your employees can capably work from home.
For the business…
- Reduction of office space costs
- Less risk and liability
- Less environmental impact
- Reduced turnover
- Access to better talent
- Fewer sick & vacation days used
- Longer hours worked
And for
at-home worker…
- Less stress
- Higher morale
- Increased productivity
- Less time commuting
- More time producing
Covering the Basics
Ensure you have these key areas covered before further instituting your business’ work from home policy.
Hardware and software
Lenovo has a decades-long reputation for supporting business of all types with the latest tech, such as business laptops, mobile workstations and workstation towers, ThinkVision business monitors, servers, and computer accessories that cover every home office need.
The path to successfully working from home starts with the right technology for your home. And Lenovo has you covered.
Lenovo has a decades-long reputation for supporting business of all types with the latest tech, such as business laptops, mobile workstations and workstation towers, ThinkVision business monitors, servers, and computer accessories that cover every home office need.
Communication tools
Collaboration is one of the most important aspects of a successful business, so you’ll want to ensure that all necessary engagements are possible, either over phone lines or the web. Video conferencing software is a great way to encourage face-to-face interaction amongst your employees no matter where they are. Here are some of the top options available to businesses:
To support web conferencing, there may be a few hardware considerations. Get your webcams, computer speakers, and headsets direct from Lenovo
Reliable and secure internet
Most employees are going to have reliable home internet already, but it’s something you’ll want to confirm with anyone you may plan to have work from home.
Perhaps just as important is ensuring the security of your business as employees utilize their personal connections to conduct, message, or store potentially sensitive business materials. A VPN can help encrypt all employee communications at scale, but there may be other considerations depending on your specific business.
Technical support services
If your employees are working remotely and encounter debilitating hardware or software failures, the results can be catastrophic. Ensure you minimize downtime by having a support staff that’s easily reached by phone or chat.
With LenovoPRO premier support, you can get quick access and 1:1 support from a Lenovo Solution Specialist in the event you encounter any issues with your Think-brand Lenovo products. LenovoPRO specialists can even assist with most general tech issues you may encounter, such as issues connecting to your VPN.
Work From Home Frequently Asked Questions
A Work from Home Guide is a comprehensive resource that provides information and tips on how to effectively work from home. It covers topics such as hardware, software, communication tools, and productivity. This guide helps you navigate the transition to remote work, ensuring you have the right setup to maintain efficiency and stay connected with your team.
Choosing the right technology is crucial because it directly impacts your productivity and ability to communicate effectively. High-quality laptops, monitors, and accessories ensure smooth operations, while reliable software tools facilitate collaboration and security. Investing in the right tech can prevent disruptions and enhance your overall remote work experience.
To set up an effective home office, start by selecting a quiet, well-lit space. Invest in ergonomic furniture to maintain comfort during long work hours. Use high-quality technology, like Lenovo’s ThinkVision displays and efficient docking stations, to create a productive environment. Organizing your workspace with the necessary accessories will help streamline your workflow.
Essential software tools for remote work include video conferencing apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, project management platforms like Asana or Trello, and cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox. These tools enable seamless communication, collaboration, and file sharing, which are critical for maintaining productivity and team cohesion.
Absolutely. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts your internet connection, providing a secure tunnel for your data. This protects sensitive information from cyber threats, especially when using public or home networks. VPNs are essential for ensuring that business communications and confidential documents remain secure.
Many companies, including Lenovo, offer robust technical support services. This includes troubleshooting via phone or chat, remote diagnostics, and sometimes even on-site assistance. Having access to these services ensures that any technical issues can be resolved quickly, minimizing downtime and keeping your workflow uninterrupted.
LenovoPRO assists businesses in managing remote teams by offering a comprehensive suite of tools and services designed to optimize remote work productivity and collaboration. Through its robust portfolio of devices and solutions, LenovoPRO provides high-performance laptops and desktop PCs equipped with advanced security features, ensuring data protection regardless of where employees are located. Additionally, LenovoPRO includes access to cloud-based software and IT management solutions that streamline workflows and allow for seamless communication among team members. With personalized support and exclusive business-grade services, LenovoPRO empowers organizations to maintain connectivity, enhance efficiency, and adapt quickly to the remote work challenges, turning distance into a strategic advantage.
Effective management of a remote team involves ensuring that everyone has the necessary technology and support. Regular check-ins via video calls, clear communication of expectations, and the use of collaboration tools are vital. Providing access to technical support and resources ensures that employees can perform their tasks efficiently.
Staying productive involves setting a daily routine, creating a dedicated workspace, and using productivity tools like task managers and time trackers. Taking regular breaks and avoiding multitasking can also help maintain focus. Utilizing technologies provided in Lenovo's Work from Home Guide can further enhance your efficiency.
Windows OS offers intelligent security features, simplified updates, and flexible device management. These elements ensure that your system remains secure and up to date without interrupting your workflow. Additionally, integration with tools like Microsoft Teams provides seamless remote work experience. Be sure to stay upgraded to the latest versions for security and functionality.
Improving your video conferencing experience involves using a high-quality webcam and microphone, ensuring good lighting, and choosing a quiet location. Familiarize yourself with the conferencing software to utilize its features effectively. Proper preparation and setting up can make your virtual meetings more professional and productive.
Cybersecurity is critical because remote work often involves accessing company data over personal or less secure networks. Implementing strong security measures like using VPNs, enabling two-factor authentication, and keeping software updated protects against data breaches and other cyber threats, ensuring your work remains confidential and secure.
Popular communication tools for remote work include Slack for instant messaging, Zoom for video conferencing, and Microsoft Teams for integrated chat and meeting functions. These tools facilitate real-time communication and collaboration, making it easier to stay connected with your team regardless of physical distance.
Effective time management involves setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, and creating a structured schedule. Using digital planners or project management tools can help track your progress. It’s also important to establish boundaries between work and personal time to avoid burnout and maintain productivity.
Seamless collaboration can be achieved by using shared project management tools like Trello or Asana, which keep everyone on the same page. Regular virtual meetings and consistent communication through platforms like Slack ensure that team members are aligned and can collaborate effectively.
Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive allow you to store and access files from anywhere. They facilitate real-time collaboration on documents, ensuring that all team members can work on the latest versions simultaneously. This accessibility is vital for maintaining productivity in a remote work environment.
Keeping your remote work setup sustainable involves choosing energy-efficient devices, reducing paper use by going digital, and properly recycling old electronics. Lenovo’s sustainability solutions emphasize eco-friendly practices across the IT lifecycle, ensuring that your remote work setup minimizes environmental impact.
Lenovo laptops offer features like dual far-field microphones for clear audio during calls, Dolby Audio™ for enhanced sound quality, and intelligent cooling systems to maintain performance levels. These features ensure that remote workers have a seamless and efficient user experience.
Staying motivated requires setting clear, achievable goals and rewarding yourself for meeting them. Engaging in regular virtual social interactions with colleagues and taking short breaks can also help maintain your motivation. Keeping a positive mindset and focusing on your accomplishments can drive sustained productivity.
Microsoft Teams integrates workplace chat, video meetings, and file storage into a single platform, streamlining communication and collaboration. Its features facilitate real-time interaction, making it easier to coordinate projects and share important updates, thereby enhancing the efficiency of remote teams.
Work from home made easier with Lenovo tech
At Lenovo, we don’t consider it our job to encourage your business to increase its remote workforce. Instead, ours is to support you with the latest tech and services whichever way you lean in the work-from-home debate.
To that end, we’ve put together a collection of critical work-from-home tools you’ll need to outfit any employee’s home office setup. With the right equipment, you’ll ensure your workers are able to conduct their business from home as efficiently as they would at the office.
Many of Lenovo’s top products keep the home office user in mind with innovative technologies such as dual far-field microphones, found in select ThinkPad X and ThinkPad T series laptops, that allow a more phone-like audio experience utilizing just your laptop’s onboard microphone. And the onboard audio in our latest models has been enhanced with Dolby Dual Audio for crystal-clear clarity.
Other features such as automatic intelligent cooling help to keep tech support at bay – meaning you can worry less about critical failures and how you’ll address them when that support isn’t just a few steps away.
Remote work certainly has its advantages – it can minimize health risks, lower costs for employers and increase convenience for employees – but many households are not as well-equipped as today’s office spaces.
This presents a challenge for telecommuting employees who want, or are required to, maintain in-office efficiencies while working remotely. Employees must carefully consider what they’ll need in their home office setup.
Luckily, Lenovo has all the business laptops and computer accessories you’ll need to flourish in the most comfortable environment – your own home.
Want to know even more about how to work from home? Review our Lenovo FAQ that includes tips for how to get started working from home and additional product recommendations, such as the best work from home laptop and essential accessories you’ll need for your home office.
Lightweight computer options
Want to be more mobile around the house? Maybe an ultra-sleek and incredibly light ThinkPad X series laptop, such as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, is the right home office computer choice for you. And, don’t worry about those mishaps that happen from time to time – whether you’re spilling a drink on it or dropping it on the table a bit too hard, Lenovo ThinkPads will keep on kicking.
Want something that’s as much for play as for serious business? With the right Lenovo laptop, you can have both! The 2 in 1 ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 adapts to any situation and offers a brilliant display for all the entertainment possibilities you’ll consider when a hard day’s work is behind you.
Business desktop computers
Looking for something a bit more stationary? Lenovo ThinkCentre desktop PCs and small form factor computers may be your best bet. Also, consider a ThinkCentre all in one PC model to free up even more space in your office!
The right operating system
The heart of any PC laptop or desktop PC is its operating system, and Windows 10 delivers. Windows 10 is the most widely used OS in business today, with more that 60% of companies around the globe relying on it for seamless operations. Windows 10 offers intelligent security, simplified updates and flexible device management for users both at the office and at home. In addition, the Windows-as-a-service model means users will always have the latest Windows 10 features for a consistent, outstanding user experience.
Windows 10 enables businesses to get more done.
And pairing Windows 10 with the Office 365 office productivity suite gives users some of the most powerful and commonly used tools employees need. The suite includes Microsoft Teams, a unified communication and collaboration platform that combines workplace chat, video meetings, file storage and more into a single application.
Remote workforce management
As an employer, you may be managing from a different position than your predecessors. With workforces shifting their duties to the home, those in charge must manage and delegate from a distance. And what many employers will consider a top priority is ensuring their workers have the technology they need to be proficient in their responsibilities while working from their home office.
If you’re managing a remote team, look to LenovoPRO, your small business source for the latest business laptops, desktops, computer accessories, and other tech. With LenovoPRO you’ll get up to an additional 5% off Think products – our ultra-reliable business PCs – exclusive business financing, technical support, solutions and much more. And don’t forget, LenovoPRO is FREE to join.
Home office accessories
When working from home, you’ll definitely need all the right home office accessories, and Lenovo has them. Our offerings include vivid ThinkVision displays and Lenovo professional mouse and keyboard sets as well as ThinkPad laptop docks that let you connect and disconnect all your devices with a single plugin, reliable home office printer options, and so much more. We’ve even got powerful computer speakers (because at home you can blast your work tunes out loud), and crystal clear headsets for all those conference calls. We even have home office furniture options to get your home business space built from the ground-up!
Remote learning
Working from home isn’t relegated to just the business world. Students are also increasingly learning (and working) from home rather than on campus or in classrooms. If you need tips on how to make your distance learning efforts more successful, Lenovo has them. Review our Lenovo FAQ for general tips on remote learning, as well as recommendations on the technology you’ll need for remote learning, such as the best student laptops & essential accessories for your home learning environment.
Read More
Work from home made easier with Lenovo tech
At Lenovo, we don’t consider it our job to encourage your business to increase its remote workforce. Instead, ours is to support you with the latest tech and services whichever way you lean in the work-from-home debate.
To that end, we’ve put together a collection of critical work-from-home tools you’ll need to outfit any employee’s home office setup. With the right equipment, you’ll ensure your workers are able to conduct their business from home as efficiently as they would at the office.
Many of Lenovo’s top products keep the home office user in mind with innovative technologies such as dual far-field microphones, found in select ThinkPad X and ThinkPad T series laptops, that allow a more phone-like audio experience utilizing just your laptop’s onboard microphone. And the onboard audio in our latest models has been enhanced with Dolby Dual Audio for crystal-clear clarity.
Other features such as automatic intelligent cooling help to keep tech support at bay – meaning you can worry less about critical failures and how you’ll address them when that support isn’t just a few steps away.
Remote work certainly has its advantages – it can minimize health risks, lower costs for employers and increase convenience for employees – but many households are not as well-equipped as today’s office spaces.
This presents a challenge for telecommuting employees who want, or are required to, maintain in-office efficiencies while working remotely. Employees must carefully consider what they’ll need in their home office setup.
Luckily, Lenovo has all the business laptops and computer accessories you’ll need to flourish in the most comfortable environment – your own home.
Want to know even more about how to work from home? Review our Lenovo FAQ that includes tips for how to get started working from home and additional product recommendations, such as the best work from home laptop and essential accessories you’ll need for your home office.
Lightweight computer options
Want to be more mobile around the house? Maybe an ultra-sleek and incredibly light ThinkPad X series laptop, such as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, is the right home office computer choice for you. And, don’t worry about those mishaps that happen from time to time – whether you’re spilling a drink on it or dropping it on the table a bit too hard, Lenovo ThinkPads will keep on kicking.
Want something that’s as much for play as for serious business? With the right Lenovo laptop, you can have both! The 2 in 1 ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 adapts to any situation and offers a brilliant display for all the entertainment possibilities you’ll consider when a hard day’s work is behind you.
Business desktop computers
Looking for something a bit more stationary? Lenovo ThinkCentre desktop PCs and small form factor computers may be your best bet. Also, consider a ThinkCentre all in one PC model to free up even more space in your office!
The right operating system
The heart of any PC laptop or desktop PC is its operating system, and Windows 10 delivers. Windows 10 is the most widely used OS in business today, with more that 60% of companies around the globe relying on it for seamless operations. Windows 10 offers intelligent security, simplified updates and flexible device management for users both at the office and at home. In addition, the Windows-as-a-service model means users will always have the latest Windows 10 features for a consistent, outstanding user experience.
Windows 10 enables businesses to get more done.
And pairing Windows 10 with the Office 365 office productivity suite gives users some of the most powerful and commonly used tools employees need. The suite includes Microsoft Teams, a unified communication and collaboration platform that combines workplace chat, video meetings, file storage and more into a single application.
Remote workforce management
As an employer, you may be managing from a different position than your predecessors. With workforces shifting their duties to the home, those in charge must manage and delegate from a distance. And what many employers will consider a top priority is ensuring their workers have the technology they need to be proficient in their responsibilities while working from their home office.
If you’re managing a remote team, look to LenovoPRO, your small business source for the latest business laptops, desktops, computer accessories, and other tech. With LenovoPRO you’ll get up to an additional 5% off Think products – our ultra-reliable business PCs – exclusive business financing, technical support, solutions and much more. And don’t forget, LenovoPRO is FREE to join.
Home office accessories
When working from home, you’ll definitely need all the right home office accessories, and Lenovo has them. Our offerings include vivid ThinkVision displays and Lenovo professional mouse and keyboard sets as well as ThinkPad laptop docks that let you connect and disconnect all your devices with a single plugin, reliable home office printer options, and so much more. We’ve even got powerful computer speakers (because at home you can blast your work tunes out loud), and crystal clear headsets for all those conference calls. We even have home office furniture options to get your home business space built from the ground-up!
Remote learning
Working from home isn’t relegated to just the business world. Students are also increasingly learning (and working) from home rather than on campus or in classrooms. If you need tips on how to make your distance learning efforts more successful, Lenovo has them. Review our Lenovo FAQ for general tips on remote learning, as well as recommendations on the technology you’ll need for remote learning, such as the best student laptops & essential accessories for your home learning environment.
