50 Singaporeans share their best and worst WFH investments

From grinding it out five days a week in an office to answering Zoom calls from our bedrooms, the ongoing pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way we work.

In the past two years, many of us were forced to double-up our homes as offices thanks to the need to work from home (WFH). And to make the environment more conducive, of course, we've had to make some necessary investments.

Curious to know what some people have purchased to enhance their WFH experience? AsiaOne has asked 50 Singaporeans about their best and worst WFH splurges so you can have an idea of what you should really spend your money on.

From ergonomic chairs and computer monitors to an air purifier, here are some of our readers' best investments.

Best WFH investments

Understandably, since many of us need to be online to be able to WFH, 42 per cent of respondents said that their best purchases included gadgets like monitors, headphones, keyboards and mouses.

Hui Xian, a 32-year-old photographer, tells us that her best WFH investment is a widescreen monitor, while assistant general manager Jaron, 36, tells us that his best buy is a Wi-Fi mesh router.

"I'm glad that I invested in a wifi mesh router at the start of my WFH situation. It has conveniently allowed me to have a steady internet connection at any part of the house," he adds.

Apart from computer-related gadgets, 19 per cent of the respondents say that they have chosen to invest in better tables and chairs to reduce those back and neck aches.

This includes senior manager Rainie, 36, who says that her best WFH investment to date is her ergonomic table.

"The table height is adjustable and I no longer feel the strain [I had previously] on my neck and shoulders," she tells us.

And of course, there are some investments that money can't buy, such as quality time. Twelve per cent of our respondents mentioned that the ability to WFH has given them more freedom to spend time with their loved ones.

This includes 58-year-old Kenneth. While he says that he still prefers working in the office, he admits that the WFH arrangement has given him more time to bond with his family.

WFH investments still on the top of our minds

While we've probably pulled the trigger on most of the WFH investments on our to-buy list, there are some purchases that are still on our wish lists.

Twenty-two per cent of the respondents, including 33-year-old analyst Edmund, tell us that they wished they had purchased a second monitor so that it'll be easier to multi-task.

And then, we have marketing executive Ashley, 29, who shares that her problem is being cooped up in a stuffy room for way too long. And to counter that, she's looking at an easy to maintain air purifier.

In these pandemic times, an air purifier is especially useful in helping to keep the air in our surroundings clean and fresh.

One you may consider is the Streamer Air Purifier from Japanese air conditioning manufacturing company Daikin.

Thanks to their patented Streamer technology, the Daikin Streamer Air Purifier is proven to remove up to 99.9 per cent of influenza viruses, bacteria, allergens and pollen.

The device is also equipped with Electrostatic HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorbing) filters, which are able to remove up to 99.97 per cent of fine particles with electrostatic forces and filter large volumes of air with a low risk of clogging.

If you're not keen on getting an air purifier but are still concerned about airborne viruses, you can always opt for Daikin's Bio-Antibody Filter instead.

This filter can be easily installed onto your air conditioners and when the virus comes into contact, 99.99 per cent of transmissible viruses will be effectively suppressed within a minute. Additionally, as there are no harmful chemicals or substances used to make the Bio-Antibody Filter, the product is safe for anyone to use.

And if you're also worried about mould and bacterial growth on your air conditioners, you can also consider trying Daikin's Anti-Mould and Bacterial Pre-filter, which is already commonly used in premises like hospitals, schools and workplaces.

By using the filter to suppress the growth of mould and bacteria, virus and mould propagation is prevented. This in turn helps to reduce the effects of pollen and allergens as well as suppress mould stains and odour from the inside of your air conditioner.

Worst WFH investments

But of course, not every investment turns out the way we want it to and some Singaporeans have made purchases that they unfortunately regret.

While it's easy to assume that gaming chairs would be one of the more popular investments during this period, surprisingly, 12 per cent of our respondents say it's one of their worst buys. 

For instance, we have 35-year-old software engineer Daniel who says "gaming chairs are not as ergonomic as they are marketed to be". 

Another respondent who has issues with their chair is manager Kendall, 27.

"I bought a chair to use for work but it ended up becoming my 'dirty clothes chair'," she shares.

Apart from that, Kendall adds that she also bought a laptop stand to work while standing at her desk instead of sitting all day. However, she ended up regretting this too as she hasn't really used it at all due to "the lack of willpower and discipline".

Work-related items aren't the only regrettable purchases some people have made. Professional communications manager Bijou shares that her worst investment thus far has been an exercise bike.

"I thought I would use it more, like at lunch, but it's just sitting there taking up space in the house," she laments.

So, are you ready to make full use of your WFH space and bring your productivity to the next level?

This article is brought to you in partnership with Daikin.

melissateo@asiaone.com