Workers Paying for their own Laptops, Gadgets

In an interesting article by Gina Hughes, The Techie Diva, she states that a “recent study by In-Stat discovered that nearly 40% of the professionals surveyed admitted to buying their own work laptop, and it’s likely that countless others have used their personal PDAs, GPS, cameras and even cell phones for work-related projects because most companies aren’t willing to buy them one.”

Recently my boss bought me a laptop for travel. However, I have found it bulky compared to my personal gadget, an HTC Advantage. Would he have bought me an Advantage had I asked? Probably not. Yet I find it a very sufficient gadget for traveling. It stores all my contact information, has GPS, WiFi, all my product information, and is very portable. After using the Advantage I just can’t lug around a laptop.

Gina says, “Apparently, some employers feel electronics are too expensive and aren’t convinced that gadgets boost productivity. However, one In-Stat tech analyst says these companies are being ‘penny wise but pound foolish’ because electronics do add value and cost less than an employee’s time.”

My boss has been very generous, so I have no complaints. But I have spent lots of money on my own to increase my work productivity. It would be nice to be reimbursed for my digital camera, hundreds of dollars’ worth of Advantage software and the Advantage itself. Perhaps my increased productivity will yet pay off. I hope to see a raise and a bonus for my improved efforts. On the other hand, the economy is harsh, so I may be out of luck. But there’s always next year.

Written by Steve Laser · Filed Under Opinion 
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