Start with what the assessment identifies at your home and office workstations, rather than buying a bundle. For prolonged laptop use, Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describes a raised laptop with a separate keyboard and mouse, or a separate display; add a monitor or dock only if the task and your laptop’s connections call for one. Where a Great Britain DSE assessment identifies equipment that needs to be provided, HSE says the worker cannot be charged for it.
Regular hybrid work can involve two different workstations. HSE guidance for Great Britain says that, where workers use display screen equipment at home and in the office, the assessment should cover both situations.
If you regularly work on a laptop in both places, compare the screen and input positions at each desk before deciding whether to raise the laptop or use another display. HSE’s guidance on prolonged laptop use describes separate input devices alongside a raised screen.
If your assessment identifies an action at home, record the finding and discuss provision with your employer. Great Britain’s HSE says workers cannot be charged where a DSE workstation assessment indicates action such as providing equipment.
If the assessed arrangement calls for a monitor or peripherals, establish which connections the work laptop, cables and employer IT policy permit before choosing a display or dock. StarTech.com’s USB-C guidance notes that DisplayPort Alt Mode video depends on support throughout the connection path.
Decide what needs to change at each workstation, then check whether the proposed equipment works with the laptop and the way it will be used. A stand, separate inputs, a display and a dock address different parts of that decision; they need not be bought together.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Screen and inputs | Compare screen and input positions at both desks. For prolonged laptop use, Great Britain’s HSE describes a raised laptop with a separate keyboard and mouse, or a separate display; check a stand’s fit if retaining the laptop screen. | I use my laptop for long stretches and need to position the screen without leaving its keyboard and mouse in an awkward place. |
| Assessed need | Record what the home-and-office assessment identifies and which existing equipment is suitable. In Great Britain, HSE says workers cannot be charged when the DSE assessment indicates action such as providing equipment; the finding does not prescribe a particular model. | Before I arrange another piece of equipment, I want to know what action the assessment calls for and how my employer will provide it. |
| Display connection | Match the laptop’s video output to the display input and check the cable. StarTech.com says USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode video requires support from the host port, cable and connected device; a USB-C-shaped socket alone is not enough. | A separate screen would help with my assessed work, but I need to know how this laptop will drive it. |
| Dock and charging | List the connections the workstation needs, then check the exact dock, laptop and power requirements. Dell UK specifies 130 W power delivery for Dell systems and 96 W for non-Dell systems on its WD25TB4; those figures do not establish suitability for every host. | I connect several peripherals and want a repeatable setup, provided the dock supports my laptop and employer IT policy. |
| Input permissions | Check keyboard layout, available ports or Bluetooth support, and approval for receivers or configuration software. Logitech lists Bluetooth Low Energy and a Logi Bolt receiver for its Signature MK650 Combo for Business; confirm the permitted method on the work laptop. | Separate inputs make sense for my raised screen, but I need a connection method I can actually use at work. |
Extra equipment is not automatically needed at home. Great Britain’s HSE directs employers to use the DSE assessment to identify any action required at the workstation.
Record the task, equipment and finding for each work location, then ask the employer or assessor which change is required.
Raising the laptop also raises its built-in keyboard. For prolonged laptop use, HSE’s setup guidance pairs an elevated laptop screen with a separate keyboard and mouse.
Plan the screen and input positions together, and check that the stand fits the laptop and allows the assessed screen position.
StarTech.com says DisplayPort Alt Mode video requires support from the host port, cable and connected device. Charging capability also needs to be checked against the particular laptop and accessory.
Confirm the planned video path, cable, power requirements and employer IT permissions before selecting a monitor or dock.
A different compatible cable or connection method may be needed if the planned path does not work.
These manufacturer examples help frame model-specific checks; a brand’s inclusion does not establish that a particular accessory suits your laptop or assessment.
Dell UK lists a USB-C hub monitor and a Thunderbolt dock that illustrate different ways to connect an assessed display setup.
The Easy Riser K52788WW is a stand option when the assessed arrangement keeps the laptop as its display.
The Signature MK650 Combo for Business is a keyboard-and-mouse example for a raised-laptop or separate-display arrangement.
The GW2790E is an external-display reference where the assessment calls for another screen rather than additional docking connections.
Its USB-C technical guidance is useful when checking a proposed video connection.
These Joybuy options cover separate displays and a keyboard-and-mouse set for workstations where the assessment points to those types of equipment. Check the exact connection and employer requirements before choosing a model.
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Consider this IPS WQHD monitor if your assessed workstation needs a separate display. Confirm its inputs, the laptop’s video output and any required charging arrangement before planning a single-cable connection.
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A separate keyboard and mouse can accompany a raised laptop screen or an external display, as described in HSE’s prolonged laptop-use guidance. Check the connection method and keyboard layout against your work laptop; using programmable-key customisation may require software approval.
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This 32-inch display is an option when the assessment calls for a separate screen and there is room for it at the workstation. Its named configuration includes a height-adjustable stand; confirm video, charging and operating-system compatibility with the exact laptop before relying on USB-C for the setup.
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Consider this IPS USB-C display where the assessed work calls for another screen and the proposed mounting arrangement suits the desk. Check the intended mount, laptop video connection and charging requirements; the stated 60 W power delivery may not meet every laptop’s requirements.
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This 24.0-inch monitor is an option if the assessment identifies a need for a separate display. Confirm its refresh rate and whether the exact unit has the USB-C video connection your setup requires before relying on either feature.
Check how often and for how long you use display screen equipment, as well as your home-working arrangement. Great Britain’s HSE says employers must assess workers who use DSE daily as part of their normal work for continuous periods of an hour or more; Northern Ireland’s HSENI publishes separate guidance that also addresses routine hybrid work. Working from home sometimes does not, by itself, settle whether the rules apply to you.
Record the home and office setups, the work involved, the equipment and positioning, and the finding or proposed action through your employer’s assessment process. Great Britain’s HSE says a trained assessor should review user assessment results and make sure problems are addressed.
A stand alone does not provide separate inputs. For prolonged laptop use, Great Britain’s HSE describes elevating the laptop screen with a separate keyboard and mouse, or using a separate display. Choose the arrangement that addresses the screen and input positions identified in your assessment.
No: for DisplayPort Alt Mode video, StarTech.com says the laptop’s host port, cable and connected device must all support that mode. Check the exact video output, intended displays, charging requirements and employer IT permissions before selecting a connection.
Great Britain’s HSE says workers cannot be charged where a DSE workstation assessment indicates action such as providing equipment. Discuss the recorded finding and how it will be addressed with your employer; an assessment does not automatically specify a particular accessory. For a Northern Ireland arrangement, check the applicable HSENI guidance and your employer’s assessment rather than applying the Great Britain guidance as though it covered both jurisdictions.