Instead of bringing employees back to the office full-time, many companies are expected to adopt a hybrid working model in the coming months, with staff splitting their time between the home and office.
The logic is that hybrid working will let us keep all the benefits of working from home, such as less time spent commuting and a healthier family life, while also allowing workers to collaborate in-person some of the time.
Before you make the transition to hybrid working, though, you’ll want to make sure you’re equipped with everything you need to support this new way of operating.
For example, you may well want to avoid sharing computer peripherals at the office, so a new wireless mouse and keyboard could be a sensible purchase. A portable SSD or USB flash drive could also prove useful for shipping data to and fro, so long as you’ve checked with the IT department first.
There’s more to consider than you might imagine, but our guide should help make the transition to hybrid working as smooth as possible. The most useful pieces of kit will combine portability with versatility, allowing you to switch between settings with ease.
Best wireless mouse for hybrid working
Why go for the mediocre when you can have a productivity mouse that’s both stunning, feature-rich and extremely functional? If macros are your life – whether you do a lot of video editing or heavily rely on graphics design – this is the best wireless mouse out there, with 8 fully programmable buttons at your disposal.
The Razer Pro Click also boasts a generous 16,000 DPI for the smoothest and fastest experience, and there's also multi-host connectivity for all the multi-taskers out there that use several devices at once.
Read the full review: Razer Pro Click
Best wireless keyboard for hybrid working
The Razer Pro Type is a wireless keyboard targeted at both business and home office settings and there's no question it's an excellent keyboard, with a lot of great features and an appealing design.
The keys themselves are a dream to type on and the mechanical clicks are more muted than the typical mechanical keyboard, making it more tolerable for coworkers in the close confines of an office.
With room to save three Bluetooth device profiles, switching the Razer Pro Type out between different computers is quick and easy, with a fourth device being accessible by using the standard 2.4GHz wireless connection. Predictably, it also pairs well with the Razer Pro Click.
Read the full review: Razer Pro Type review
Best laptop for hybrid working
Beyond the Acer Swift 3's modest exterior, you'll find an excellent laptop that boasts plenty of power. The Swift 3 is an inexpensive machine, but that plain chassis is all-aluminum and packed with beefy components.
In terms of performance, it gets surprisingly close to the far more expensive Microsoft Surface Laptop; its display is a little lower-res, but the two are otherwise strikingly similar.
This laptop is incredible to use as well, with its roomy trackpad and backlit keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience with decent travel. If you're going to be writing a lot as part of your day-to-day, this is a great choice.
Best tablet for hybrid working
While the Surface Pro 7 doesn't offer all that great an improvement on the previous model (beyond the addition of USB-C and a small power boost), it's still an excellent tablet.
It's got that gorgeous design and solid build quality, plus some of the latest mobile tech crammed into its body. However, the Type Cover nor Surface Pen stylus are not included, which is a bit mean considering the price.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Best portable monitor for hybrid working
The I1601P portable monitor from AOC is a fantastic little piece of kit, especially for someone looking to equip themselves for the new world of hybrid working.
This monitor is extremely slim and light and fits snugly into a laptop case or backpack sleeve. We also love the stand, which attaches to the front and back of the screen with magnets that anchor the I1601P in place - and it doubles as a screen cover too.
The 15.6-inch full HD IPS display is extremely easy on the eye, which means long working sessions don’t result in undue strain, despite the relatively small screen size. And the display boasts an impressively wide viewing angle too, so it can function well even on a crowded office desk.
AOC has prioritized portability and ease of use above all else, and the result is a display that anyone can set up and start using in a matter of seconds; it’s a case of plugging in a single cable and off you go.
Read the full review: AOC I1601P
Best portable SSD for hybrid working
Samsung has made some brilliant portable SSDs over the years, but the T5 is our absolute favorite. It builds on the brilliant design and performance of its predecessor, the Samsung T3 SSD, but brings it up to date with an incredibly fast USB Type-C connection that ekes out every last drop of performance from the solid state drive inside.
Of course, it's also backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 if your PC doesn't have USB Type-C.
Read the full review: Samsung Portable SSD T5
Best USB flash drive for hybrid working
If you need demand blazing fast speeds, the Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 could be the best USB flash drive around. Sure, the price is high, but we were blown away by the speed, which makes shifting large files a breeze.
It also comes with 128GB of storage space, which is a phenomenal amount to carry around in your pocket. Just make sure you don't lose it!
Best headset for hybrid working
The brilliant Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 is built from less expensive materials than the BackBeat Pro 2, but sounds nearly identical to its premium predecessor – and it sports an equally attractive design.
The BackBeat Go 810 is the best headset for anyone that needs wireless connectivity without the stomach-churning price tag.
Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Go 810
Best laptop bag for hybrid working
It's hard to go wrong with the tried and true JanSport Baughman. A full-canvas bag with nylon mesh inside, including a 15-inch laptop sleeve, this JanSport model comes in several colors for a variety of prices.
Included in the price is also a media pocket lined in fleece, as well as a removable storage pouch, making this an excellent business laptop backpack.
