Working from home – plastics make it possible

Almost one in three employees worked from home during the pandemic. This was also made possible by a colourful array of applications made of plastics – whether in your laptop, office chair or desk lamp.

The material with nothing to hide

Let’s take a closer look at your laptop. It’s not only the keyboard and screen that are made of plastic, but also the casing or even the nubs on the underside that keep it from sliding across the table. And the power and Ethernet cables are clearly visible at the side, both also enclosed in plastic. Not to mention all the cables running behind the scenes to make sure your YouTube video doesn’t stutter.

Whether small or conspicuous, whether they illuminate your face just right for a web conference or simply illuminate your notes: most lamps and LEDs don’t work without plastic.

Sit back and work in comfort

However, plastics are also multi-talented materials that can be used in many other ways. They ensure that our backs are comfortable in ergonomic office chairs. We can lean back thanks to the soft and gentle cushioning that can be adjusted in almost any direction. Plastic also plays a part in our office chair’s polymer castors when we push off sideways to collect something from the printer. And anyone listening to music while working is sure to be using the latest headphones, which are almost certainly made of plastic, too.

This makes work fun

Speaking of practical – whether computer, printer or coffee machine, many plastic applications benefit from being versatile enough and compact enough to be used in the home. Whereas in the past, the professional coffee machine in the office was the preferred option, nowadays small fully automatic machines with housings made of plastic get us off to a relaxed start to the day in the comfort of our own homes. Is space limited for working from home? This is no longer a problem, because technical equipment of all kinds is now quite small thanks to plastics – with no compromise in terms of performance.

And your practical yoga mat will help you to relieve any tension caused by sitting for long periods of time after work.

Photo credit: iStock.com/asiandelight