The pandemic has changed how we feel about many things. Including the use of technology at home.
Once upon a time, dual monitors were the domain of big open plan office spaces and NASA launch rooms. Okay and maybe the mysterious, underground hackers we saw on TV and in the movies.
However, the pandemic has changed everything.
Not only have people been working from home for the last two years, now we’re slowly making our way back into offices, many people are opting for remote work or hybrid working situations. And while they’re willing to give up their one minute commute and all day work pyjamas, the one thing they’re not prepared to give up are their dual monitors.
Just how indispensable are they? And can dual monitors really increase productivity?
Multi monitor use is on the rise
There’s no denying, once you get used to using two (or more) monitors, it’s pretty hard to go back to a single monitor.
For a start, there’s no endless toggling between browser windows, spreadsheets or Word documents. You can have your reference document open on one screen and the document you’re writing or working on open on the other. Once the monitors are connected, it’s easy to copy and paste information from one screen to the other, cutting down on the time spent toggling back and forth.
In fact, back in March 2020, just as Australians scrambled to set up or expand existing home offices at the start of the pandemic,The Age reported home office supplies were already in short supply or sold out. This included computer monitors, with the article noting ‘at an Officeworks store in the Melbourne CBD, customers were told there was only a single computer monitor left for sale in the entire store by Monday afternoon. Backorders were not expected to arrive until April.’
What we do all day has changed
The modern worker is expected to perform a number of tasks throughout the day. And most of these tasks involve the use of different apps. Email, presentation software, word processing apps and even social media. Employees using just a few of these on a single monitor will soon find themselves struggling to keep up.
Research can back it up
While the research is US based, Jon Peddie Research (JPR) found in a 2017 report that ‘information workers, designers, and engineers can realize up to a 42 percent increase in productivity through the use of multiple displays’
Not only was productivity up but, users reported an increase in enjoyment, not having to constantly scroll or toggling between minimised applications. And happy employees are more likely to be engaged and therefore, more productive. It really is a win/win.
It’s fair to say the use of technology in business has seen a seismic shift over the last few years with the use of dual monitors in home offices becoming the norm for many employees. Not to mention, when you’re working remotely and need to attend a meeting, you can have one screen open for the meeting and be taking notes on the other. No more awkward screen minimising during crucial meetings.
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