FlexScan Series: Both Elegant and Practical

The Japanese IT company RAKUS Co., Ltd. is a leader in fair work practices, with a thorough labor management system that encourages employees to leave the office on time. With the aim of creating an even greater work environment, the company decided to install several monitors from the modern and high-performance FlexScan Series into their office and meeting rooms. Let’s take a look at how useful this installation was.

This is a translation from Japanese of an article published by ITmedia PC USER on March 25, 2019. Copyright 2019 ITmedia Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The FlexScan Series of monitors are stylish, high-performance monitors manufactured by EIZO, whose headquarters resides in Hakusan, Japan. They boast a bright white design that encompasses not only the front, but also the rear, and they include features to reduce eye fatigue.  

The series is geared toward business enterprises, and with USB Type-C power delivery for notebook PCs, features to prevent eye fatigue, and the ability to neatly arrange cables, they are not only elegant in their aesthetic, but practical for the workplace as well.

To create the ideal work environment, the monitor can be adjusted to suit the user, with -5 to 35 degrees tilt and 344 degrees swivel. This flexible adjustment allows them to be used at individual workstations or installed in meeting rooms where multiple people can view the screen clearly, whether standing or sitting.

EIZO’s High-Performance FlexScan Series

Welcome to the Bright and Friendly RAKUS

Several months after publishing an article about FlexScan monitors, we (ITmedia) received comments from various companies expressing their desire to try FlexScan. After reviewing these comments, we decided to let RAKUS (Shibuya, Tokyo) – a business that provides cloud services for small and medium enterprises – try out the FlexScan series.

RAKUS homepage displaying their IT business solutions.

RAKUS boasts a bright working environment, focusing on the welfare of its employees. Using 10 different kinds of management software, such as the transport fees and expenses settlement system ‘Rakuraku Seisan’ which currently boasts a high share, and the mailing and management system ‘Mail Dealer’, the company thoroughly manages their labor requirements, encouraging employees to leave on time without working past business hours.

The company further promotes this bright environment with a wide range of facilities for employees such as stylish furnishings and colorful wallpapers in their free-space area. In this room table tennis is available to play, with plenty of tables and chairs to create a warm and inviting family restaurant vibe for meeting with coworkers.

RAKUS free-space room with table tennis.

In cooperation with EIZO, RAKUS installed eleven white FlexScan monitors. This includes eight 24.1-inch EV2457 monitors (1920 x 1200 resolution) in the general affairs and HR department, one 31.5-inch 4K EV3285 in an 8-person meeting room, and one 27-inch 4K EV2785 and EV2457 in a 3-person meeting room.

Not All Monitors Need to be Black

When asked about her impression upon receiving the monitor, Human Resources Officer Okuyama Mizuki replied “When I first saw the white display, I thought it was so fresh. I had never even considered this color! It completely removed my preconception that a monitor must be black.”

The general affairs and HR departments were unified with the white EIZO monitors. “Because everyone’s monitors are white, the heavy feeling in the office was lifted. The room became much lighter. We gained a lot of interest from passing coworkers from other departments,” commented Ms. Okuyama.

Before installing EIZO’s white monitors.

Unified with all white monitors.

Ms. Okuyama typically works with a desktop PC and monitor. Here she reviews applicant resumes and working history, exchanges emails, and works with agents and recruitment companies. Additionally, she analyzes data regarding which application routes have the most traffic. “I’m constantly viewing large amounts of text,” she says.

During this trial, the employees’ monitors were replaced with EIZO’s FlexScan EV2457 for roughly one week. “The monitor’s screen had the perfect balance – not  too bright or too dark. As a result, I was able to look at the screen all day and didn’t experience any eye fatigue,” said Ms. Okuyama.
Also, thanks to the highly immersive four-sided frameless model, “it felt like the information on the screen was jumping directly into my eyes.”

The FlexScan Series of monitors has a function that automatically adjusts the screen brightness to match ambient brightness. In addition to this sensor, the monitor also contains a ‘Paper Mode’ which makes the screen appear more like paper. Ms. Okuyama felt that her eye fatigue decreased thanks to these functions commenting further, “I was impressed by how easy it was to switch between modes.”

Improved Corporate Image and More Convenience in Meeting Rooms

The 31.5-inch 4K resolution EV3285 has a function that allows two inputs to be displayed side-by-side on the screen. “After installing this in the meeting room, I was able to easily compare materials during meetings, or view materials while video chatting,” said Public Relations Officer Eri Hayakawa.

Displays from two PCs can be viewed side-by-side.

“It’s great that with USB Type-C you can power your laptop while displaying information on screen. I was also impressed by how flexibly the screen height and angle can be adjusted. I was able to easily adjust the screen so that all members could see clearly.”

“We also use the meeting rooms when meeting with other companies. This high-performance monitor made it easy to view materials brought in by guest companies, which helped them feel appreciated. Our guests went home knowing that we payed attention to every detail.”

HR officer Mizuki Okuyama (left), and public relations officer Eri Hayakawa (right).

The IT Equipment that a Bright Office Needs

To allow employees to focus on their work without needing to multitask, RAKUS employs a labor division system that manages marketing work, sales and orders, and customer leads. 

Furthermore, emails from outside the company can be checked by all members, meaning that even if the receiver is not present, other members can provide their support. By helping each other in this way, the company has created a culture where employees can easily take vacations.

For this company which strives to innovate work practices, EIZO’s monitors fit right in. “It’s typical to offer each employee the same equipment, but through this experience I realized that by lending equipment that suits each employee’s individual needs, you can raise employee satisfaction. This is really important,” said Ms. Hayakawa.

The 27-inch 4K resolution EV2785 was installed in this 3-person meeting room.

Ms. Hayakawa said that EIZO monitors are likely to be useful in other divisions as well. “For desk work, the monitors would be suitable for people working in the creative and design departments, as well as human resources, general affairs, administration, and sales, where a lot of spreadsheets and documents are read throughout the day. In meeting rooms, they would be great for advertising and sales agencies when meeting with customers.”

“The style of the displays really livens up the office. Furthermore, their high performance gives the message that our company cares about its employees. I really want people in the business world, such as general affairs and IT departments, to give a lot of thought into the products they purchase.”

Recommended monitors

FlexScan EV3285: 31.5-inch 4K resolution monitor with USB Type-C

FlexScan EV2785: 27-inch 4K resolution monitor with USB Type-C

• FlexScan EV2457: 24.1-inch 1920 x 1200 resolution monitor with DisplayPort daisy chain
  (successor model EV2495)