Long gone are the days when your employees can complete their workday sitting at a desktop computer all day. The modern workplace is changing and employees are more mobile than ever before.
In fact, 18 percent of workers work remotely full time, while more than half work remotely sometimes. Whether they are working from home, a coffee shop, or in your office’s communal areas, your employees need reliable business laptops.
Wondering how to choose a laptop for your employees? It’s a big question with a lot of possible answers.
You’ll need to evaluate your employee’s needs; is it one-size-fits-all or do different departments have different computing needs?
If you’re in the market for employee laptops and are wondering what the best business laptops are, keep reading to determine your best options.
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Why Your Employees Need Quality Laptops
Even if your company doesn’t offer too much remote work, employees benefit from mobility. With many companies favoring an open-office layout, it gives your team the freedom to move about a bit.
They might still have their own desk, but many employees enjoy the freedom of working on the couch, in the lunchroom, or at communal tables. A laptop allows your employees to find the most productive work scenario for them.
While some prefer the same workstation for the entirety of the workday, some find it helpful to their productivity to spend a couple of hours working in a handful of different settings.
But if you are like most companies in 2021, you offer your employees to work remotely at least part of the time. If you don’t offer remote work yet, it’s time to consider it.
Studies have shown that a company can save up to $11,000 per employee who works from home at least half the time. On top of that, employees get to enjoy savings as well, as time spent commuting, and money spent on gas and auto repairs goes down.
It’s a better situation for employers and employees. But in order to make this arrangement successful for both parties, your team needs quality computers. And most are going to want a laptop.
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How to Choose a Laptop for Employees; Features to Look For
The first thing to consider is the type of employees you have. If you run an architectural or engineering firm, for example, you’re going to have very different needs than a telemarketing company.
Are the bulk of your employees made up of a single type of employee, such as mainly customer support employees, or mainly designers, or mainly writers?
Or are your employees evenly split among various departments, such as tech, design, marketing, sales, and so forth? If the latter, you’ll probably need different computers for different teams.
If the former, then you’re in luck since everyone can use the same computer.
Also, consider your budget. Are you able to spend $1,000 or more per laptop? Or are you limited to between $300 and $500?
Then consider your needs. What do your employees do? If they only utilize basic computer functions, such as Microsoft Office or Google Docs, or browse the web, lower-end computers may work.
But if your team needs to use hefty software, such as design tools, sales or inventory platforms, or other programs, you’ll need a more robust computer.
Also, does your team have a preferred operating system? Do you want everyone to use Apple OS X, Windows 10, or Chrome OS? When there is a lot of collaboration, it’s best to ensure everyone is using the same operating system.
The Best Laptops for Most Employees
Again, every business and every individual team will have different needs when it comes to computers. But in general, here are three options that are great for most employees.
- Lenovo ThinkPad X Series
Want to equip your team with the most popular and most recommended business laptop? The Lenovo X Series is the professional recommendation.
These 13-inch laptops are thin, lightweight, and sleek. Your employees will love the portability of these amazing machines, whether they are getting on a plane or walking to a coffee shop.
The ThinkPad X Series comes equipped with some of the most robust security features in the industry, such as a fingerprint reader, keeping your companies information private and secure.
These are highly functional, as the screens can rotate 360 degrees around the hinge, as opposed to most laptops. Some models even come with detachable screens.
They are equipped with a powerful 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10510U processor. With up to 16 GB RAM and up to a 512 GB hard drive, these computers can do what you need them to.
What professionals really love about the Lenovo business laptop is its long-lasting battery life. With models ranging from 15 to 18 hours on a single charge, your team will always be productive, wherever they are, thanks to the best laptop for small business.
Check out Lenovo.com for current specials, as well as to qualify for financing on your team’s computer needs.
- Apple Macbook Pro
Anyone who says they don’t love Apple products is lying. Their MacBook Pro is one of the top choices for both businesses and personal use.
With a smooth operating system that people are used to, your employees can stay connected by linking their iPhones and work computers together. With screen sizes ranging from 13 to 17 inches, there is something for everyone.
Memory ranges from 16 GB to 64 GB with up to an 8TB SSD hard drive. The 6GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 processor makes it a breeze to run most software or web-based applications without a hitch.
And the screen resolution is crisp and clear, making it a favorite for many. Give your employees a choice, and you’ll find most are probably raising their hands for a MacBook.
- Samsung Chromebook 3
On a budget? You can still provide quality equipment for your team. The Samsung Chromebook 3 is a great budget-friendly laptop for employees that don’t need heavy-duty software.
With a lighter-duty Intel Celeron N3060, 1.6 GHz processer, and only 4GB RAM, you get less power but save a lot of money. These computers are suited to team members who spend most of their time on the web, such as managing social media sites or responding to email.
They are compact and easy-to-use thanks to their familiar Google operating system.
To Buy or Credit Your Employees
Some companies have strict standards when it comes to employee computers, buying each team member the exact same computer. But other companies offer a little more flexibility.
They might give their employees a home office credit to buy whichever computer they want. They could choose to buy a cheaper computer, and use the leftover budget to outfit their office in other ways.
Or, they can choose to buy a more expensive computer, which might suit their personal needs as well as their work needs.
If you opt to provide your employees with credits, consider offering guidelines. This could include requiring the computer to be an Apple computer or one that runs on Windows 10.
Also, make sure to outline who owns the computer and what will happen once the employee leaves your company. Is it theirs to keep after a certain amount of time working for your company? Or does it need to be returned?
Working From Home? Other Tools You Should Provide to Employees
Most of your employees can work sufficiently with nothing but a laptop. But going above and beyond is always appreciated. Your employees (and their productivity levels) would benefit from a few additional tools, whether you buy it for them or offer a home-office credit.
External Monitor and Stand
Most people would prefer to have an external monitor alongside their laptop if they were working from home. They boost productivity by allowing more applications or web pages to be open and in view.
When getting an external monitor, it’s helpful to also get an inexpensive monitor stand, ensuring the screen is at eye-level to prevent eye-strain.
Laptop Stand
Once your employees try using a laptop with a laptop stand, they’ll never go back. Perfect for travel and remote offices, a laptop stand elevates your computer to eye level for more comfortable work sessions.
Bluetooth Mouse and Keyboard
In order to make the most of a laptop stand, it’s helpful to also have a wireless keyboard and mouse setup. That way, you can sit back and work without having your face too close to your laptop.
Tech Pouch
If your employees move around, such as working at coffee shops or occasionally coming into the office, a tech organizer pouch is one of the most helpful gifts you can get them.
With these, they’ll always have their computer charger, phone charger, mouse, headphones, notepads, and anything else they need for a productive workday.
Bluetooth Ear Buds and Noise Cancelling Headphones
Your team needs to stay connected, which means virtual meeting software on the daily. To improve sound quality and efficiency during virtual meetings, make sure everyone has headphones designed for digital meetings.
And those who have kids or pets at home will benefit from the use of noise-canceling headphones to help drown out distractions.
WiFi Range Extender
Do you have that team member whose connection drops them from every Zoom call? If so, they might need a WiFi extender. These can boost a home’s WiFi signal so that whichever room they have to work from, they get an adequate signal.
Equip Your Team With the Best
Without the best equipment, your team will never be able to perform at their best. This includes the laptop itself, but also all the other tools necessary for focus and efficiency.
Wondering how to choose a laptop? It’s not hard. Ask your team what their specific needs are when it comes to a computer.
Thanks to the current variety of computer manufacturers today, you’ll be able to find a computer that can handle your team’s workload at a budget your comfortable with.
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