There’s a big difference between a job with the right tools and a job with no tools, or the wrong tools. Having the right tech stack, equipment and inspiration can easily make or break a position, team, department or organization.
As budgets get tighter, project deadlines grow heavier and holiday stress looms closer, the LenovoPRO Community team thought it was time to weigh-in on the conversation. With their hand-picked, favorite and most productive picks, the team is excited to share what tools have yielded the highest ROI – from a money, effort and time investment.
Hopefully these picks can inspire you and help you be more productive and excited for all the work to come, no matter what time of year it is.
So, without further ado, let’s meet the LenovoPRO team and their picks!
Monday.Com
"I’ve recently started using Monday.com to sync with various teams, both at a local and global level, and have to say it has been an ultimate game-changer! The platform is incredibly intuitive and makes tracking projects a dream. I've always loved adding a pop of color and visual queues to my notes (love a good highlighter moment) - monday.com has the functionality AND the aesthetics to keep me coming back. The seamless ability to import from other programs has been a real treat in converting a lot of static (and very plain) trackers into the bright and interactive dashboards monday.com has to offer.”
Sylvia Tran, LenovoPRO Community Manager, Australia
“At first I didn’t know what my colleague was recommending me but OpenComm Bone Conduction Stereo Bluetooth Headset is one of the best remote work items I have ever bought this year. It is a remote work, award-winning product in 2020/21 in Japan. The sound is great, I love the noise cancellation and it doesn’t even go inside or over the ears so it’s very comfortable. I also love my LenovoPRO community. And I appreciate that this headset helps me stay online and work on my community all day long with wearing it. I feel like I interact with people better with it, as well. It also helps during meetings and is incredibly smooth when switching to music .
Mari Babikova, LenovoPRO Community Manager, Japan
Adobe Creative Suite
"When it comes time to produce visual content, I (and the world) would be lost without Adobe Creative Suite. If you’re in a position where you need to develop graphics, edit video, or create animations, then you’re not only going to want these programs on hand (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects), but you will need familiarity with them to keep up in the modern production landscape. Even better, Adobe provides amazing training videos and support groups that allow you to get answers when you have issues. Plus, their social network for creatives called Behance is a great way to share what you’ve created – they even have a tool to create your own portfolio website! Overall, if you dive deep into Adobe Creative Suite, it might end up being the most valuable set of software your company works with!”
Sean O’Leary, Lenovo Communities Global Content Producer
Lenovo FHD Monitor
“Can you imagine working without one or more monitors? Me neither! Who wants to constantly change the tabs and documents when you can open everything at once? This makes my work much easier, because it simply saves me time. No more searching for information in already open windows and clicking back and forth between documents. In addition, a large screen makes it easier to work, which in turn increases my productivity. This in turn increases my performance (at least I hope so). In the office, this equipment is a standard, but for the home office I had to buy something first. My recommendation is the Lenovo L27m-28 27 Inch FHD LED Backlit LCD USB Type-C Monitor ! It's worth the money 😉”
Diana Lochli, LenovoPRO Community Manager, Germany
Microsoft 365 for Business
“I promise that our friends in Redmond aren’t making me say this, but I have become a huge proponent of Microsoft 365 for Business. BTW, the business version is only available to LenovoPRO members which I also promise Beth is not making me say. Anyway, being able to seamlessly collaborate with my colleagues has soothed so many headaches. No more version control nightmares or compiling PowerPoint slides as I’m sure many of you reading this will appreciate. Heck, this very article was put together with Word in Sharepoint and we didn’t have any endless email chain or 15 “alignment” phone calls. Plus, Teams makes a remote working environment feel less...remote. It has helped create a genuine feeling of comradery.”
Alex Leopold, Lenovo Content Strategist
“White wireless keyboard and mouse set just like this Lenovo 510 has changed my work life. It’s not super glamorous or expensive but the benefits to me are invaluable. The #1 thing I love about this combo set is the lack of wires. Wires can be stressful and messy, taking away valuable desk top space and clean lines. When I am working, the number #1 way (after good hydration and healthy snacks) I stay on-task is with a clean and inspiring space to get-in-the-zone. No wires, no interruptions and full control. Add in a few plants and some tea and we are groovin' right into the zone!”
Beth Knittel, LenovoPRO Community Manager, USA
Additional Spotlight ROI resources
Don’t forget to checkout our full week of extra coverage on how your small business can maximize its investments.
- Welcome to Spotlight ROI: Calendar of events
- Do you really need that?
- Small Business Tech Buying Guide (2021)
- Best Financial Advice from the Community
- ROI - Advice from the Community
- What to consider before financing your tech
- Caring for your PC: Tips & Best Practices
- Small Business Holiday Buying Guide
What’s your top pick? Share with the community in this thread and let us know if you want to see more staff picks and tips articles in the comments below!
For more on community suggestions and picks, you might enjoy What is your go-to WFH accessory? and What model do you have?