Office Electronics 101: 4 Helpful Tools for Every Business

Find the equipment your teams count on

Productive workplaces don’t occur naturally. Business owners and office managers foster them by offering support, making connections and providing the right tools for your job. With the right combination of office electronics, supplies and peripherals, teams can become more productive and collaborative.

So where do you start? Let’s take a look at the best office electronics in the workplace and the accessories that help you get the most out of them.

1. Prioritize productivity with office electronics accessories

Choosing office computers and furniture is important, but managers should give some thought to accessories as well. Organizers and device chargers provide several ways to improve productivity while giving the workspace a little more personality as well.

• Cable management: Loose cables aren’t just forgivable clutter—when left unattended, they could increase the risk of trips, power outages and even fires. Cable management tools provide ways to organize loose cords and wires, tucking them out of sight under a desk or hiding them within a charming cable box.

• Docking stations: These accessories supercharge productivity by centralizing your work across multiple devices at once. For example, plugging a laptop into a docking station grants access to connected monitors, printers, keyboards, speaker systems and more. Some models also double as charging stations, letting anyone top up their smartphone or tablet at the same time.

• Noise-canceling headphones: Sometimes silence is what makes us the most productive, but that’s no guarantee in an office. Noise-canceling headphones can help by countering or blocking sound traveling toward your eardrum. With the right headset, you can enjoy the silence or turn on a podcast without fearing a noisy distraction.

Need your work environment to be organized and aesthetically pleasing? Read 5 of The Best Office Electronics Accessories for a Productive Workplace.

2. Cool the room (& your staff) with an office fan

On a blisteringly hot day, many people won’t work as productively as they could. Before you put cold air on full blast, however, the better solution might be an office fan. These appliances cool you down, improve airflow and even help air conditioners perform more efficiently for a fraction of the energy cost.

Most importantly, fans don’t just help on hot days. When a simple ceiling fan rotates counterclockwise, it scatters warm air accumulating on the ceiling. Redistributing hot and cold air can make rooms feel more comfortable by getting rid of hot spots and cold drafts. When paired with portable heaters, anyone can find a temperature range that helps them feel more productive.

For office managers, the challenge is determining which fan is the best fit for their workspace. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of options to choose from:

• Floor fans: These appliances use the same principles as the ceiling fan, pushing cold air toward the ceiling so warm air will circulate downwards. Unlike ceiling units, floor fans are portable and have customizable settings to maximize comfort.

• Table fans: The table or desktop fan sits on any elevated surface to cool down one person in the immediate area. What it lacks in power, it more than makes up for in affordability, portability and energy efficiency. Some models even include batteries, so you can take a fan with you anywhere.

• Tower fans: These obelisk-shaped fans sit at ground level, drawing in cool ground-level air and launching it across the entire room. Tower fans are known for their impressive performance, but it’s the aesthetically pleasing design that lets them fit into any room without feeling out of place.

Need more advice on choosing your greatest fan? Check out How to Pick the Best Office Fan for Your Workspace.

3. Secure sensitive information with office shredders

Many digital-first offices still generate lots of paperwork, which means they need ways to dispose of excess documents quickly. A document shredder does just that, destroying confidential information that could compromise customers’ privacy or your business. There are many models on the market today, ranging from bulk shredders to appliances that chew up DVDs, but most fall into three categories:

• Strip-cut: The most common office shredder, strip-cut models slice paper into long, thick strands. These appliances are ideal for personal paperwork, junk mail and records with little in the way of personally identifying information.

• Cross-cut: These shredders are similar to strip-cut versions, but include a secondary blade to cut along the paper’s width. The small square debris that’s left behind is incredibly difficult to read and even harder to reassemble.

• Micro-cut: Finally, micro-cut shredders slice paper into tiny fragments, the smallest of which could be mistaken as dust. These devices are designed for government agencies and highly sensitive documents, although they are on the market for other commercial uses.

Looking for more details on shredder security levels? Click here for How to Find the Best Office Shredder For Your Business.

4. Upgrade your audio/visual system

Having the right A/V equipment goes a long way in the modern work environment. That’s why many offices are investing in systems that make any setting feel dynamic and engaging. Before making any purchases, however, you’ll want to consider the finer details:

• Decibel level: There’s a fine balance to office speakers—the sound must be audible, but not so loud that it distracts or becomes dangerous. To that end, OSHA recommends a decibel level that doesn’t exceed 85 over eight hours, which sets 70 to 75 as a good baseline for most products.

• Speaker type: Search for speakers that suit your unique office environment. For example, if you have high ceilings, pendant speakers are highly effective at spreading sound.

• Weather resistance: Are you playing music at outdoor office functions like a company picnic? Take a look at weather-resistant models that protect against water, UV light and variable temperatures.

• Visual resolution: When it comes to video quality, higher resolution generally leads to crisper, cleaner images. Invest in high-resolution video screens wherever possible, particularly if they’re going to be used to give client-facing presentations.

Want to know more about the benefits of A/V systems in the office? Read the full article: What to Look for in an Office Audio/Video System.

Jumpstart your office shopping with Walmart Business

Office electronics should be easy to use and even easier to shop for. With Walmart Business, you’ll start your office shopping trip on the right foot while browsing a full selection of fans, shredders, docking stations and more. If you’re already a customer, signing up for a Walmart Business+ membership will grant access to free shipping,¹ free delivery from stores on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³ Sign up today and you’ll have the chance to save over $500 a year.⁴ Learn more here.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply.

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).