Technology has risen to the challenge of a difficult year, in which mental wellbeing has been a critical concern for employers. Users have rapidly had to adjust to new working patterns, while embracing technologies such as video calling and digital collaboration tools that may not have been essential for them in the office. As things move on, there is a still a legacy of old ways of working and making do with inadequate technology that needs to be dealt with. In this blog we take a look at the simple improvements that can transform the user experience, improve wellbeing, and reduce routine frustrations, now and way beyond the time of lockdown.
Mental and physical health as one
The pandemic has seen a rise in mental health problems, which are now reported to be the primary cause of disability, and the overall disease burden. It is now estimated that one in four adults will experience some form of mental health issue at some point in their lives.
The technology we use has a vital part to play, and not only in the monitoring and treatment of these kinds of problems. Tech manufacturers need to make sure their “solutions” are not also part of the problem. Especially as the lines between work and home life begin to dissolve.
A day in the life of stressful technology
To give this some everyday context, in a situation where a parent has spent their morning stressfully preparing their children for school, the last thing they need is to open a noisy, sluggish laptop with a flickering screen. Even if the display is stable, if there is no blue light filter it can cause headaches, eye strain and difficulty sleeping.
It all adds to the general stress and frustration, with a significant impact on productivity. Throw some poor broadband connectivity into the mix, causing them to drop in and out of online meetings, and even the most positive employee will be left struggling to focus on their work.
When solutions are part of the solution
Lockdown has highlighted some chronic problems in the world’s fleet of laptops and PCs. When you have an IT expert and a stack of spare machines close by, it’s easy to cope with temporary fixes and running repairs.
But with everyone working remotely, it’s vital that the tech they are using is fit for purpose, reliable and inherently secure. Users need flexible, on-board storage, to give a quick boot-up, fast data retrieval, and more capacity.
At the same time, home-working comes with its own set of dangers, with children, pets and partners be managed. Tech needs to be able to protect itself against any hazards such as being knocked, dropped or even having drinks spilt over it.
The difference is in the detail
For example, the Lenovo ThinkBook range is MIL-SPEC certified, so it’s ready for the routine rigours of life in the office, at home or in transit. Details like Modern Standby, where the power button also reads the user’s fingerprint, are subtle differences in the user experience that make life easier.
High-quality sound and vision have suddenly become priorities, making video calls and general audio and visual activity easier on the ears and eyes. These are essential considerations when the device is the primary point of contact for the user with the outside world.
Getting the job done
We’ve all been working with computers for so long now it’s easy to overlook the stresses and strains they create when they are not up to the jobs we are asking them to do. We’ve got used to making little allowances and finding workarounds that allow us to work as productively as we can.
Now, the ask of our technology is much greater, and getting help is not as easy. Equipping people with the right tools for the work they need to do has always been a basic principle of successful businesses. As we enter a new era of work, investing in technology purpose-built for the next generation of motivated and productive workers must be priority for every organization.
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