Technology choices for businesses have gone beyond requirements and specifications. Now, it’s as much a status symbol or a tribal choice as anything else. Deciding if your company uses or says a lot about your business. Likewise for companies choosing to go open source with Linux or similar platforms. Technology can also be used as a lure to attract prospective employees with the promise of the latest shiny devices. While it can be easy to get caught up in a spending spree – particularly for heavily-funded companies – not all of these spending choices are essential. If you want to invest in the best technology for your business, consider the following purchases…
The Laptop
Arming your employees with laptops is a great way to encourage them to enjoy a flexible work/life balance. Unlike desktop computers, laptops can be used anywhere, which means your employees can take them to meetings or work from a coffee shop. This flexibility might be essential in the early days of a startup when you don’t yet have a fixed office space and are relying on hot desking. When things are looking more established, invest in large monitors to allow your workers to expand their workspace without tying them to their desks.
The Smartphone
The landline is slowly disappearing as more and more people opt for the convenience of a mobile device. Smartphones with larger screens are also perfect for working on the go, as most are now equipped with stripped down versions of our favourite applications. No workplace would be complete without a healthy supply for smartphones for its employees, and offering a work phone can be a great company perk to help attract the right staff.
The E-Reader
If you want to encourage your employees to learn new things, offering them a company eReader is a great way to do this. Not only will your employees be able to enjoy the latest releases, but they will also be able to keep up with industry news in trade publications, and learn new skills that will be essential to their jobs using self-help books. It’s just another perk that can help to attract the right people to join your company.
The Fitness Tracker
People who sit at their desk all day sometimes need a little nudge to get up and move around. What better way to encourage your staff to move around than with a fitness tracker? There are all sorts of trackers available, and some will just keep track of their daily step count, while others might offer more in-depth health tracking analysis. This is just another perk that can help to encourage people to join your company, and then stay fit and healthy while they are working for you.
Rebecca Harper is a freelance tech journalist based in London. She writes about the latest tech trends, and how small businesses can make the most of tech investment. She is currently working alongside BCN Group to investigate technology adoption in the public sector.