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There’s an easy way to improve your staff’s productivity, and your employees will love it so much, they’ll never want to go back. The solution is to connect a second monitor to your employees’ computers.
A dual-monitor setup can transform your business. In fact, a report by graphics and multimedia consulting firm Jon Peddie Research found a 42 percent increase in productivity through the use of dual monitors.
With a dual-monitor setup, each employee has two computer monitors at their workstation, which makes it easier to work on multiple tasks simultaneously. It’s simple to set up and use, too.
“The majority of computers and laptops come preconfigured to support multiple monitors and do not require additional software to configure,” said Jamie Opalchuk, founder and CEO of HostPapa. “Using two displays is identical to using a single monitor. It’s as simple as moving a window or application from one display to the next.”
There’s no need for extensive tech knowledge to work with a dual-monitor setup. “Most applications remember which monitor you use so that after initial configuration, the computer knows which programs you wish to launch on each monitor,” Opalchuk said.
Dual-monitor setups can streamline work and boost productivity in several ways.
A second monitor increases productivity by decreasing the time it takes to complete specific tasks, such as data entry. A data-entry process can look something like this:
If you have three documents to compile into your report in this scenario, you’re switching between documents at least 13 times — and that’s if you need to pull only one number from each document.
A second monitor provides the following benefits for this data-entry process:
These time savings translate directly to cost savings, as employees can complete more projects in less time. Better still, frustration levels among staff are likely to diminish, and the accuracy of their work may increase, too.
A second screen can help you host productive online meetings by allowing you to track what you’re presenting while sharing your screen using a platform such as Zoom. [Read related article: Video Conferencing Etiquette Tips]
“According to my experience, presentations via Zoom often require you to share your screen with others, which makes referencing anything else on your screen difficult without allowing others in the meeting to view it as well,” said Kavin Patel, co-founder of Convrrt. “You have more control over which screen you want to share when you have a second monitor. A second screen that’s not visible to the attendees can be used for everything from meeting notes [to] email alerts.”
If you need to work on other tasks while attending a video meeting, you can have the meeting or presentation on one monitor while you do your work on another monitor. [Read related article: 10 Tips for Conducting an Effective Video Conference Call]
Maximize the effectiveness of remote video conferences by choosing a provider that can accommodate multiple employees, support messaging options and allow screen recording.
When you have ample space to arrange your tasks and streamline your work, you’ll likely be more comfortable and organized.
“Working on dual monitors has increased my workspace, and this has made working [at] my desk infinitely more comfortable,” said Sam Speller, founder of Kenko Matcha. “With this improved comfort, my productivity levels have soared. I’m able to divide my work tasks between the two screens, using one screen for referencing [and] the other for writing and inputting data into company systems.”
Because stress affects productivity, creating a more comfortable, organized workspace may reduce stress levels, boost focus and foster creativity.
You can use a laptop as a second monitor or add a second monitor to your laptop using various adapters.
“With my dual setup, the laptop is close by and kept on a stand behind the monitors, and only the two main monitors are ‘active,'” said John McGhee, managing partner at Webconsuls. “It will vary by computer, but you’ll need a couple of adapters. These adapters will use whatever port the laptop has and connect to the monitors.”
Older MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops released between 2016 and 2020 have a limited range of ports. Some have only two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, while others have up to four. Specs for more recent Apple products suggest that newer models have a wider selection of ports, but check before you buy a device.
With Windows PCs and laptops, you’ll likely need a cable to connect to an HDMI or a Mini DisplayPort; cables are widely available and inexpensive.
You have many options when adding a second monitor to your workstation to create a more productive workspace. Here are a few recommendations:
Mark Fairlie and Evonne Roman contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.