OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2016. Kensington®, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business and home office professionals, today announced the results of a survey conducted in March 2016, to see how home office professionals are using computing tools and accessories to increase their productivity and what challenges they face.

The survey revealed that smartphones have emerged as an indispensable productivity tool to help professionals manage their business tasks when they work from a home office. One key finding revealed just how dependent smartphone users have become on their devices for business tasks, with just under half (42%) of respondents picking up their smartphone at least 25 times during their workday. The constant switches between the user's smartphone and PC may become quite disruptive to work flow. The study also found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed send files or photos between their phone and their laptop daily or weekly. To transfer these files, smartphone users rely on both email (86%) and texting (45%). This could potentially create a problem for both the users and the business they work for, as relying on third-party services with important business file transfers may expose these files to unintended viewers.

Kensington's new study also showed the wide variety of tasks for which home office professionals rely on their smartphones. Respondents listed the following as the top 4 business tasks for which they use their smartphone:

  • Calls/emails/texts: 90%
  • Calendar: 79%
  • Maps/GPS: 70%
  • Photos: 67%

Respondents also provided details in the survey about challenges to productivity they face in their home offices. Surprisingly, almost three-quarters (74%) of home office users reported having limited space on their desktop, with 27% having no extra space at all. These users can benefit from space-saving technologies and products such as wireless trackballs and attachable docking stations that make the most of limited space. 

Smartphone users who work in home offices noted that specific accessories help them to maximize their productivity with their device. Approximately 90 percent of survey participants named the charger as the most essential desktop smartphone accessory. Accessories that combine charging and other productivity-oriented features may help users cut down on desktop clutter.

To see additional insights, visit Kensington's blog or download the full 2016 Kensington Home Office Productivity Trends Report and Infographic at http://www.kensington.com/DesktopProductivity.