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Something we haven't talked about in a while is tech budgets — do you have a tech stipend through your job? What is your tech budget, and what have you spent it on in 2020? Has your office been supporting work from home in other ways, such as loaning out equipment or providing tech help?
When I was at my law firm, we had something like $1,000 tech stipend per year. Most people I know used it for bigger monitors, or better Blackberry models (and yes, I'm dating myself).
These days, I would probably put it toward some of the other stuff we've recommended here to help you set up a great home office, including things like:
- ergonomic keyboards (I love this one)
- bigger (or more!) monitors
- ways to improve your WiFi, such as through Orbi
- I'd probably put money towards a better laptop or desktop if you could fund a partial purchase, but if that wasn't an option I'd consider a Chromebook, particularly if you spend a lot of time on Zoom meetings or using web-based services (or, hey, if household members like your kids do). If you have a Surface I'd love to hear your experience! There was a lot of Lenova Yoga 2-in-1 love in our last discussion on favorite apps and gadgets, too..
{related: how to shop for a new PC}
But I'm curious to hear from you guys, particularly if your office is encouraging you to work from home — how are they supporting you during this time period? Do you have a specific budget for tech or home office, and what is your tech budget? What have you spent it on?
Stock photo via Stencil.
Anonyz
I had to BEG to expense a $25 keyboard cover and shell set for my new laptop.
In an ideal world, I would be able to expense a large monitor for WFH. I spend half the day editing photos on a tiny laptop screen.
Cat
lol at having a tech budget! My office went BYOD years ago… but at least we have an employee discount at Verizon?
I brought my Office Stuff home – two monitors, keyboard, and mouse. Best decision ever. I did have to buy my own docking station since the one at work was locked to the desk, but that $80 was one of the best quarantine purchases I’ve made!
anon
Most people at my work have laptops anyway, and we were told to take home any peripherals from our offices that we wanted. We’re a govt contractor, so there is no support for internet at home, and for a while they had a weird hangup about furniture. But apparently, now you can get office chairs and sit stand desks upon request(hundreds of which are just standing around at the office anyway). Not all of us can work remotely, but for the many who can, and most can do part of their work at home, so they are planning very reduces on-site staffing for the next year.
Marie
Just dropping off this handy state-by-state voting guide. Very user-friendly with simple instructions, guidelines, requirements, and information about how to vote depending on the state you are in. I know this board is usually on top of things like this, but it can’t hurt to have all the information in one place during these crazy pandemic times or to share with others who may be looking for information.
https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/plan-your-vote-state-by-state-guide-voting-by-mail-early-in-person-voting-election/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1GwczOODf9v7Bnb1UCMUG7O_JE7B6DF-OnUr_zLeKXR5BXoOG30G_Y1-U
Anon
My boutique firm gave us $500 back in…April? to buy whatever we needed to make WFH work for us. (I didn’t buy anything, so it was like a $500 bonus!) And they were squidgy about it at first, but they let us bring our monitors home if we wanted to. The firm upgraded 18 months ago? to really fantastic laptops, so we were already set there.
Sloan Sabbith
LOL My tech budget is zero. Nonprofit life.
JWalk
I’m a solo. So no tech budget, but thankfully my MacBook is holding up well, as I’m the only one that uses it. Though with kids at home all day, I may need to look at WiFi upgrades and improvements until they are all back in a school building
Sal Goodman
Solo practitioner here. My employer has a very generous tech budget! ; )
simiyalala
I bought an ergonomic chair- a refurbished Aeron. It is fabulous. My back and wrist pain disappeared after one month of working from home. Could do with an ergonomic keyboard and an extra monitor.
Anon
Big Law — non-partner billing employees were reimbursed for up to $750 for tech items for working from home (printers, monitors, keyboards, webcam, but not furniture) and got a $200 (I think?) one time bonus for internet. I was pleasantly surprised at the reimbursement — I figured we were well compensated enough to cover it on our own salary.
I believe staff got a more significant equipment allowance– which makes sense.
Anonymous
My large tech employer let us expense up to $1000.
anon
I just got a trump/pence banner ad on this site! Is that weird to anyone else?