New survey highlights strategies for selling into home workplaces.

 

Nearly half of all new at-home workers have acquired a new print device since the advent of COVID-19 with the majority also personally paying for ink.

 

US research firm Keypoint Intelligence found that 57 per cent of new work from home individuals pay for their own ink or toner, either on an as-needed basis or as part of an auto-resupply plan. 

 

When the company covers the cost, in some instances, the worker pays upfront or at least initiates an auto resupply plan. Another option is that the company pays the cost under a resupply plan.

 

Keypoint’s survey also found that more than 70 per cent of remote workers paying for supplies say they’d print more for work if their employer covered this cost; the survey suggests that people receiving a printer from their company are most likely to be maintaining their levels of printing pre-working from home.

 

The findings have implications for print vendors, according to the research firm.

 

“If they can encourage clients to equip work from home staff with new devices, it appears their print habits could remain steady. It is not too late for these vendors to be thinking about strategies for selling into work from home environments.” the company said.

 

In fact, the research revealed that the majority of respondents desire to keep working from home once the COVID-19 threat has passed (at least part of the time) (58 per cent) and think their work will allow them to do so (80 per cent).

 

It is worth noting that the oldest of workers (50+ years old) are by far most likely to want to continue working from home going forward as well as believe their company will allow it part of the time. 

 

This could be related to concerns that COVID-19 has a more dangerous impact on older individuals as well as those with underlying health conditions. Or younger people may want to return to the office because they feel that they require mentoring to advance their still young careers.

 

While workers in the smallest of companies (1-49 employees) are most likely to want to continue working from home going forward, it is the largest of companies that are expected to allow at least some form of work from home post-COVID.