Hate your work computer? So do nearly 60% of working Americans

Oh, technology! Most remote workers are so fed up with their faulty work laptops that they would rather throw them out the window.

A survey of 2,000 employed Americans found more than half (58%) describe their work devices as awful to work on — and two in three want to toss their devices out of frustration because of their poor performance.

While nearly three in five employers (58%) issue company laptops to employees, 62% of those employees said their devices prevent them from maximizing their productivity.

Commissioned by LG Electronics and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed 47% of employees believe having high-quality tech is the key to having a productive workspace.

Seventy-one percent said they would enjoy their jobs more if their tech devices were of higher quality.

Meanwhile, 59% noted that they’re most productive when working in a comfortable environment — and at the center of their comfy workspace is their desk.

Nearly nine in 10 (88%) working Americans have a desk at home — topped with a laptop (52%), monitor (32%), a cell phone (32%) and pens or pencils (28%).

More than half (55%) of those with a desk said it’s cluttered beyond recognition, prompting the average respondent to spend two hours cleaning the mess off their workspace.

People will also spend over five hours at their desk on a standard workday and more than half (56%) will only sit at their desk for important video calls.

And after an average of 32 minutes in their morning spot, remote workers are off to find a new location to work from.

At home, the most popular places to work from are the bedroom (13%), kitchen (6%) and from their vehicle (4%).

Some of the strangest places respondents have worked from at home include near the pool, a golf course, and even the bathroom.

“Comfort should be at the center of every work from home environment,” said Tim Alessi, LG’s senior director. “To achieve that, people need a laptop that is lightweight, has a long-lasting battery and delivers a flexible workspace experience allowing for maximum productivity.”

For 44% of respondents, the pandemic has inspired them to start up a new side gig in their off-time. More than four in five (83%) of those with side gigs admitted using their work devices for personal projects.

In fact, many Americans admit to using their work machines for all kinds of personal tasks. A third (34%) used them for personal communication.

Nearly as many use it for personal shopping (28%) and scrolling through social media (27%).
Respondents with side gigs reported several issues that slowed them down: poor internet connection (18%), poor-quality tech (15%) and a lack of funds (15%).

“As the results of the survey indicate, the quality of your technology can make or break your remote work experience. Consider upgrading to a laptop that offers a 16:10 display. Designed to boost productivity, a display with this aspect ratio allows for more time focusing and less time scrolling,” recommended Alessi.

WHAT IS ON AMERICA’S DESK?

• Laptop/computer - 52%
• Monitor - 32%
• Cellphone - 32%
• Pens/pencils - 28%
• Tablet - 27%
• Books - 25%
• Notepad - 24%
• Chargers - 22%
• Landline - 18%
• Bills - 17%