Skip to main content

New Study Reveals Why Not Investing in the Work-From-Home Office of Hybrid Employees Has Dire Consequences

learn more about Gleb Tsipursky

By Gleb Tsipursky •

A new study by Logitech of 3,000 employees and 1,000 IT hardware decision-makers in large organizations found that 89% struggle with video and 85% with audio in their work-from-home office. Less than 40% received accessories other than mice and keyboards from their organizations.

While these results are concerning, I didn't find them surprising. When working with client organizations to help them figure out the best hybrid work arrangements, I invariably get pushback when I bring up investing in hybrid worker home offices. CFOs don't want to "waste" money on employee home offices after already paying for a set-up at the office; in turn, IT and facilities directors express reluctance to stretch their already-thin resources to support the tech and ergonomic needs of staff working from home.

After all, these leaders say, we already gave in to employee demands for flexibility and allowed them to work from home part of the time. They can pay for their own equipment and furniture.

Related: They Say Remote Work Is Bad For Employees, But Most Research Suggests Otherwise — A Behavioral Economist Explains.

The reality of work from home office setups for hybrid employees

In reality, the large majority of workers don't pay to equip their home offices. When I ask about this issue in focus groups for my clients, employees tell me it's the company's job to fund their work-from-home needs. They feel it would be unfair for them to buy whatever they need for their home office just for the sake of doing work for the company. Indeed, in a survey I ran on LinkedIn with over 200 respondents, over two-thirds of respondents believe companies should cover the costs of equipment.

So they end up struggling with technology and ergonomic challenges. Doing so harms their productivity since they can't work as effectively. It undermines their wellbeing, due to physical discomfort from lack of ergonomic furniture and mental discomfort from concerns about how they appear on camera. It undercuts retention because employees feel frustrated and resentful over not having the equipment they need to do their job well.

And it hurts their collaboration and communication: poor video and audio quality are a bigger problem for those the employee is communicating with rather than for the employee themselves. That involves other employees, but also external stakeholders, such as clients, vendors and investors.

Related: Avoid These 3 Tempting Habits For Remote Work Productivity

All of that harms a company's bottom lines: as I tell leaders with whom I work, do they really want to lose a sale because they didn't get a good microphone for their sales staff? That's not an exaggeration: the Logitech study found that 37% of respondents hold video calls with clients.

With 79% of companies switching to a hybrid work modality, according to the EY Work Reimagined Employer Survey, a large portion of the work employees do for a company will be done from home offices going forward. Given that, I tell my clients that it's imperative to invest in equipping staff for work from home.

Work from home office funding: A case study

I asked Dudley to give feedback on how I helped my consulting clients determine how to support the home offices of their workers, using the example of the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute.

First, we surveyed staff to determine their needs  - Read the Complete article HERE

Comments

Post a Comment

Please no profanity or political comments.

Popular posts from this blog

Why Auto Lending Is Starting To Stand Out As A Real Threat To CUs

  By Ray Birch MILWAUKEE—Auto lending is emerging as one of the biggest areas of risk for credit unions, even as the broader U.S. economy continues to perform better than many expected, according to Bill Handel, chief economist at Raddon, a Fiserv company. Delinquency trends in auto portfolios are now approaching levels last seen during the Great Financial Crisis, Handel said, driven by a combination of high vehicle prices, elevated interest rates and increasing financial pressure on lower-income consumers. “There’s probably still a lot of risk in the auto portfolios,” Handel said. “Our numbers in terms of delinquency behavior in the United States are now rivaling what they were during the Great Financial Crisis.” Economy Holding Up Better Than Expected Despite those pockets of risk, Handel said the broader economy remains surprisingly resilient. “If you look at the U.S. economy, it’s actually performing quite well—probably better than most people would have anticipated,” he said. ...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

When Cooperation Turns To Competition: A Turning Point For The Firefighter Credit Union Movement

  By Grant Sheehan For decades, firefighter credit unions have stood as a model of what cooperative finance is meant to be—institutions built not to compete ruthlessly, but to serve a shared mission: supporting the financial well-being of those who risk their lives in service to others. That’s what makes the recent actions of Firefighter First Credit Union so concerning. Firefighter First FCU was not just another participant; it was a founding member of the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions (NCOFCU). It helped shape the very principles of collaboration, mutual respect, and non-encroachment that have long defined our community. Those principles weren’t accidental; they were intentional safeguards to ensure that firefighter-focused credit unions could grow together, not at each other’s expense. But something has changed. Firefighter First FCU’s decision to pursue a nationwide charter marks a clear shift in direction—from cooperation to direct competition. This isn’t simpl...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Small Credit Unions Don’t Lack Representation—They Lack Board Education

  By Grant Sheehan Let’s be clear— representation  for small credit unions is not something new that suddenly needs to be invented. For more than 150 years in Europe and 115 years in the U.S., many of us—along with numerous trade groups representing postal workers, schools, hospitals, the military, first responders, electricians, welders, auto workers, and many other sponsor employee groups—have been actively representing and supporting small credit unions. The mission has always been the same: protect these institutions and ensure they have a voice. The real challenge facing small credit unions has never been a lack of organizations claiming to represent them. The challenge has been engagement and education. Many small credit unions operate with extremely limited resources. Their boards are made up of volunteers who already have full-time careers. Even when scholarships, training opportunities, and conferences are offered, the realities of travel costs, staffing shortages, op...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

With Graham Signaling New Budget Bill, Credit Unions Brace For Tax Debate

By Ray Birch WASHINGTON— Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham’s comments Wednesday that Republicans will “expeditiously move toward creating a second budget reconciliation bill” are giving new shape to what had been a speculative discussion in Washington—and prompting renewed attention within the credit union industry to whether the movement’s federal tax exemption could again surface as lawmakers look for possible offsets. In a post on X, Graham said that after consulting with President Trump, his team and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Senate Budget Committee will move quickly on a second reconciliation package focused on “adequate funding to secure our homeland” and support for the military. The remarks are notable because they offer one of the clearest indications yet that a second fast-track budget measure—previously discussed but far from certain—may now be gaining traction. CUToday.info on Wednesday reached out to House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arringto...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years

  In July, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary. The country’s last major milestone was 50 years ago, at its bicentennial on July 4, 1976. U.S. society has changed profoundly since then. Over the past five decades, the U.S. population has  aged significantly,  with the percentage of people 65 and older nearly doubling. The country has also become  more racially and ethnically diverse,  as growing shares of people identify as Asian or Hispanic. And following more than 70 million immigrant arrivals, the percentage of  foreign-born people  in the population has more than tripled.  Americans are also  less likely to be married  than ever before. Women – who now have far more options outside of the home than they did in 1976 – have contributed to a  boom in higher education  and helped  expand the workforce.  And even though many Americans are financially better off than they were 50 years ago,  econ...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Honoring Our Member Credit Unions Ranked Among the Top 100 in 2025

Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Our Member Credit Unions Ranked Among the Top 100 in 2025   Best-performing US credit unions of 2025 At NCOFCU, we take immense pride in the strength, resilience, and impact of our member credit unions. Today, we are thrilled to recognize and celebrate several of our members who have earned a place among the Top 100 Best Performing Credit Unions of 2025 —a testament to their unwavering commitment to service, financial stewardship, and community leadership. This achievement is not just about rankings—it reflects the daily dedication to members, the trust built within communities, and the innovation that continues to drive our movement forward. 🌟 Our Honored Members We proudly congratulate the following institutions for their outstanding performance: #7 – Long Beach Firemen's Credit Union A remarkable top-10 finish that highlights exceptional operational excellence and member value. Long Beach Firemen’s CU continues to set a high bar for perform...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Agencies Issue Exemption Order To Customer Identification Program (CIP) Requirements

WASHINGTON--The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, and NCUA, with the concurrence of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, issued an order Friday granting an exemption from a requirement of the Customer Identification Program (CIP) Rule implementing Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The CIP Rule requires a bank or credit union to obtain taxpayer identification number (TIN) information from its customer before opening an account, and the exemption permits a bank or credit union to use an alternative collection method to obtain TIN information from a third-party rather than from the customer, the agencies stated in a joint release. The order applies to accounts at all entities supervised by the agencies. "Since the CIP Rule was issued initially in 2003, there has been a significant evolution in the ways consumers access financial services, along with a rise in reported customer reluctance to provide their full TIN due, in part, to...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

IWS Acquisition Corporation Is 2015 Official Conference Sponsor of National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions Annual Meeting

  CONTACT: Margaret Blankers MJB Public Relations Group 866.714.7041 · margaret@mjbpr.com IWS Acquisition Corporation Is 2015 Official Conference Sponsor of National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions Annual Meeting Boca Raton, FL. (June 4, 2015) – IWS Acquisition Corporation (IWS) is pleased to announce it is the Official Conference Sponsor for The National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions (NCOFCU) 2015 Annual Conference. The Conference, “By Firefighters for Firefighters, will be held in Nashville Oct. 7-10. NCOFCU is the nation’s premier professional association of credit unions serving firefighters and their families. “We are thrilled to welcome IWS as this year’s Official Conference Sponsor,” said Grant J. Sheehan, Executive Director & CEO of NCOFCU. “I have firsthand experience with IWS’ dedication and commitment to our brotherhood of credit unions. For five years, we have been pleased to partner with and endorse IWS’ suite of vehicle protection products...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Michael Lozoff PA Speaks to Important Lessons from the CFPB-Navy Federal Consent Decree

Important Lessons from the CFPB-Navy Federal Consent Decree On October 11, 2016, the CFPB issued a consent order citing Navy Federal Credit Union for unfair and deceptive debt collection practices. Navy Federal was ordered to pay a $5.5 million civil penalty and to pay affected members $23 million. The CFPB found that the $77 billion Navy Federal violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (the “CFPAct”) in two principal respects. First, the CFPB said NavyFed made deceptive representations to members about its intent to take legal action against delinquent debtors, its intention to contact members’ military chains of command about their debts, and the effect of delinquency or repayment on consumers’ credit ratings. Second, the CFPB charged NavyFed with unfairly restricting members’ electronic account access—blocking debit cards, ATM usage, and online account functions—when the member had a delinquent credit account. Credit unions nationwide are won...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»