Five reasons to invest in a coffee machine for the office

in

Your employees work hard during the day so it’s important to create a space within the office that they can feel comfortable in, and what better way is there to relax than sitting comfortably with a nice, fresh hot cup of coffee?

In our latest blog, we’ve explored some of the top reasons why adding a coffee machine to your workplace is a positive move and explain the different machines available.

Boost your employee morale

Employers have a duty of care to ensure that their employees are happy in the office and we all know how important those first few cups of tea and coffee are to kick start your day. After all, a happy employee equals a productive one! Andrew Sykes Ltd recently found that 48% of companies do not offer free tea or coffee to their employees yet over 59% of workers said that free coffee and tea is the most appealing perk a workplace can offer.

Make your clients will also feel welcome

It’s not just your employees that will benefit from a coffee machine, your clients will also be impressed and see that not only do you care about looking after your employees, you also want to create the right the first impression.

Reduce the amount of time spent on the daily ‘tea round’

A fresh hot drink always goes down a treat at work and at Quills, we particularly love a good cup of tea or coffee in the morning and afternoon. But how much time do your employees waste when making 15 different drinks and waiting for the kettle to boil? Let your new automated machine reduce the time spent in the kitchen and have instant, delicious tasting drinks within seconds. We all smile and feel happy when we’re about to take that first sip of our hot drink and even more so if it’s a speciality coffee (mmmm).

Get through those Monday morning blues

Even the dullest Monday mornings can be improved with a delicious cup of coffee. Need we say anymore?

Improve mental health

Various studies have shown that coffee doesn’t just improve physical health, it also has a positive impact on our mental health. This is because coffee releases dopamine (the hormone that makes us feel happy) so it’s good for your employees if they’re having a bad day and it’s good for everyone else that they work with.  Happy employees, happy office!

 

Which machine is right for our office?

There are a number of coffee machines available that are suitable for offices of all sizes, whether you have three or 300 employees. But all that coffee jargon surrounding bean to cup coffee and filter machines doesn’t make the selection process an easy one. So, we’ve simplified the process for you and here are our top recommendations:

1. Compare the features, style and size

Key things to consider include:

  • Coffee preference: Would you prefer fresh filter coffee or bean to cup coffee?
  • Quantity/staff headcount: Will you be making five cups a day or 200 cups a day?
  • Location: How much space is available in your staff room?
  • Plumbed or unplumbed?
  • Fresh milk or powdered? Do you know the advantages of these options?
  • What type of bean would you like? Mild roast or medium, Fairtrade or triple certified?

Our coffee experts can visit you to talk through your option and recommend some suitable machines and once you’ve decided on a machine, we can provide a free site survey to ensure the environment and plumbing will be suitable.

2. How much do you want to spend?

The price of coffee machines vary and a quote can be tailored for your desired machine upon your request. We’d suggest having a pre-determined budget in mind so that you can see what is available at that price before you buy. Also, take into consideration the cost of extra optional accessories that can assist the machine such as heated cup storage or a milk fridge.

 Start exploring?

Quills provide a range of coffee machines and other beverage solutions including juice dispensers, hot chocolate machines, hot water boilers and much more for you to explore. Our extensive range means that there is something for every office and every budget.

Simply click here to explore our full range or get in touch for your free quote today!

Warrior Games Charity Event for Cystic Fibrosis

in
Read more

Top tips for staying cool in the office

in ,

Summer has officially started and the MET office has already announced some scorching hot days ahead this June. So why not beat the heat and be prepared with these top tips to help you stay cool in the office…

 

Keep the blinds down

It may sound obvious but lower the blinds in the office before the sun rises as the piercing sun will only heat up the office. Having the sunlight shining through the office all day will cause what is known as the ‘Greenhouse Effect’.

 

Workwear

Wardrobe choices are essential when it’s a hot summer’s day. Whilst some outfit choices may be restricted due to the office dress code, carefully consider what you’re going to wear and opt for clothes which are made of a looser material e.g. cotton to help you stay comfortable throughout the day as well as lighter colours which will reflect the suns radiation. Thick and heavy clothes such as woolly skirts or fully lined suits are a definite no-no!

 

Stay hydrated

This sounds like an obvious one, but many people don’t realise that you can quickly dehydrate even if you’re just sitting at a desk all day. It’s essential to drink plenty of water, approximately around 2 litres minimum a day. Also, keep your water in the fridge or freezer so that it stays nice and cool for when you come to drink it.

 

Should I drink hot drinks?

Yes! It’s a common myth that drinking caffeine dehydrates you, so don’t worry, you can still enjoy that morning cup of tea or coffee to help get your day started.

 

Apply water on your wrists

You may look slightly bonkers carrying out this tip, but if you’re in the office kitchen or bathroom, it’s most certainly worth it. Run cool water over your wrists every couple of hours for approximately 5 seconds. This will help cool down the main veins running through them as well as your pulse points and will ultimately help to lower your blood flow temperature. Try it!

 

Invest in a personal fan

One of the best investments you’ll make this year…we promise! Having your own personal fan enables you to have a constant fresh breeze without having to share with other employees and all cramp into one corner where there’s air con in the office. Luckily, there is a huge range of fans available at great prices including personal clip-on fans and desktop fans; both which are ideal for the office and for travelling.

 

To get yourself and the office ready for those long, hot summer days ahead, if you have an account why not head over to the Quills website where we have a huge supply of fans including office fans, personal clip-on fans, floor standing fans, air con units and much more. We also have great prices available and bulk offer discounts. Simply click here to find out more or get in touch today to see where you can start saving!

 

How can Managed Print Services (MPS) benefit my business?

in

For the majority of businesses, printing is an essential function. However, what most businesses probably don’t know is that the approach you take towards printing can heavily impact the overall costs, productivity levels, ROI, workflow and much more within your organisation.

What is Managed Print Services?

Managed Print Services is the active management and optimisation of document output devices and related business processes.  Sounds technical right? Don’t worry, that’s where a print business partner can help to guide you through the options available.

In summary, MPS solutions are designed to streamline your print and post processes as well as reduce downtime so that your business can work more effectively.

What is the process involved?

Our handy diagram below illustrates how the MPS process works and ultimately, how each stage of the process can benefit your business:

How will MPS benefit my business?

  • Reduce ‘Local’ printers

Your multi-function printer may already be able to print, copy, scan and fax but adding Document Management Solutions will not only multiply your productivity but could save you as much as 30% on your total document costs. But not only that, having an effective print solution in place can simplify and automate your everyday tasks, improve document security, enable new revenue and so much more.

Most multi-function printers also require unique cartridges which are more costly and have inventory tracking challenges. Eliminating these traditional printer frustrations will not only reduce time, but it will help you meet your environmental goals.

  • Analyse your printing needs

Is your IT Department spending time analysing your printer fleet?  This probably isn’t the best use of their time and FREE audits are available to help you with this.

MPS providers are experts in this field and can conduct a fully comprehensive evaluation of your print environment, document infrastructure and workflows to develop a road map for your future ideal state, including cost savings and projections. Providers such as Quills Limpio will also support you through the transition process and securely connect everything to your IT environment.

  • Manage remote printing

An easy to view dashboard can provide a snapshot of historical data, current and new status events. Your print partner would monitor your printer fleet for you, notifying you of any maintenance issues and email you when ink cartridges are running low. Automatic discovery of network printers (no manual entry required) and this monitoring can be applied onto secure networks.

  • Added levels of security

With legislation such as GDPR in full swing, it’s important not to overlook your printers and printer network within the office as this is where a huge amount of personal data is produced. Your MPS partner will walk you through how to ensure print jobs are secure.  Print jobs can be activated by card or by a unique pin number, can be produced with a file name, date, time and watermarks meaning a document is never lost and can be traced back to the author. Documents and personal data are kept secure and GDPR safe as they aren’t printed until you’ve entered your unique password.

 

Have you considered Eco Printing?

However big or small your printing needs may be, eco printing can take the headache out of managing your printing as well as eliminate traditional printer frustrations. It involves Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) technology which uses super-high-yield ink supply units for printing up to 84,000 pages between ink charges. The benefits of this include:

  • 96% less energy than laser printers
  • 94% less waste than laser printers
  • 92% less Co2 emissions than laser printers

 

MPS can come in a variety of forms and can be completely tailored to suit your businesses requirements. Quills Limpio has flexibility at the heart of its service and are not tied to one manufacturer meaning that we can work with you and make unbiased recommendations to provide the best results and return on investment for your business. With flexibility at the heart of our service, we are able to tailor packages to your exact requirements for your photocopier, multi-functional devices and/or franking machines, ultimately helping you to achieve your GDPR compliant business objectives.

Why not take a look at our new 2019 brochure or get in touch for more information?

Get prepared for Stationery Shop Saturday

in

So, it’s day 6 of National Stationery Week 2019 and this year we’re celebrating Stationery Shop Saturday! Let’s face it, most of us have a favourite pen, a beloved battered notebook or even a well chewed pencil that we always have close at hand at our workplace.

In honour of Stationery Shop Saturday, why not celebrate and give those old friends a rest and try out some of the fab alternatives that are available over at Quills? If you haven’t got an account, simply send us a message on Live Chat or email sales@quillsuk.co.uk and we’ll set one up for you.

Here are some of our top tips on great 2019 stationery trends to look out for:

COLOURFUL
You don’t need to limit yourself to black or blue ink: using highlighters or coloured ball pens is a known and proven way of managing projects (‘Bullet Journaling’ to give it its proper name), allowing you to visually track jobs as you progress them.

HANDWRITTEN
Agreed, the heyday of letter writing may be long over, but that’s no reason to abandon it altogether! Why not make an employee or customer feel special by sending them a written card congratulating them on a piece of work rather than just lazily sending a mass text or email to everyone on your smartphone?

MAKE A STATEMENT
On the subject of envelopes don’t limit yourself to white or manila – why not choose a brightly coloured one instead? This is great for personal mail, but it’s also a proven hit for business mail as well and is far less likely to be binned-without-opening – could you resist the lure of a silver envelope?

LABEL LOVE
Keeping on the mailing theme, don’t just bung on a bog standard label – give it some love by adding your company logo, a graphic or 2, and use a legible but more personal looking scripted font – ‘Angelina’ is one of our favourites! The DYMO label machine, for example, is extremely quick and easy to use!

10 Interesting Stationery Facts That You Probably Never Knew!

in

Office essentials can be more interesting than they seem, trust us! A huge number of the UK’s workforce are using stationery day in and day out, but how much do they really know about the world of office supplies? In honour of #NationalStationeryWeek, we’ve explored some awesome facts about stationery that you probably never knew!

 

  • Post it notes were not invented, they were created by accident

Spencer Silver was working away back in 1968 trying to create a strong adhesive but could only come up with a very weak adhesive that could be removed without leaving behind any marks and the world of post-it notes was born!

 

  • Pencils have proven mightier than pens

The average lead pencil can draw a continuous line for approx. 35 miles. However, if you would like to test this, we would suggest bringing along a handful of sharpeners too and film it as we’d love to see it!

 

  • Yellow highlighters account for around 85% of all sales

As yellow is in the middle spectrum of visible light, yellow ink highlighters work really well for people with colour blindness and this is one of the biggest reasons for the high quantities of yellow highlighters ordered.

 

  • The world’s most expensive pen sold for 8 million dollars

Back in 2010, the ‘Fulgor Nocturnus’ pen sold for 8 million dollars at a Shanghai auction and was decorated with 945 black diamonds and 123 rubies. What we want to know is, did the owner actually use it or simply just admire it!

 

  •  45 million ink cartridges are sent to landfill sites in the UK

In summary, to help you visualise this fact, it would cover the Manchester’s United football ground at Old Trafford, 17 times.

 

  • One pine tree can make just over 80,000 sheets of paper

 

  •  Pen lids cause an average of 100 deaths a year

How many times have you been told off by a teacher or employee for chewing on a pen-lid? Here’s why! To help people breathe, many pen manufacturers now put holes in the pen lids to help prevent choking.

  • Before rubbers were created, stale bread was used!

This works, honest we’re not pulling your leg! Why not try it out for yourself next time you leave a loaf in the cupboard for too long?

 

  • Pencils can also write underwater

Yes, it’s true a pencil will also work in water although, we’re not sure how well the paper will fare. What’s more, pencils can also write in zero gravity!

 

  • Staplers were originally called ‘Hotchkiss’

The stapler was initially named after the company, E.H. Hotchkiss of Norwalk who invented it.

 

  • Quills Office Supplies for UK businesses

So now we’ve enlightened you to a few fun facts about the world of stationery you can tell all your friends what you’ve learned!  One other key fact is that some Office Supplies providers like Quills can simplify the ordering process as your one-stop shop for all your office services. Take a look at all our services.

How to make the office more festive this Easter

in

Time and time again studies have shown that happy employees are more productive and there’s nothing that will get your employees happier than some Easter Treats and maybe even a festively themed office! In our latest blog, we explore some quick and easy ways to get the office prepped in time for the long weekend.

Arrange an Easter egg hunt (with a twist!)

Admit it, you’re never too old to enjoy an Easter egg hunt! Arranging an internal Easter egg hunt in the office is really easy and it’s also a great opportunity to get the entire team working together. Personalise your hunt to suit your office and even consider more appealing prizes such as vouchers or personalised gift sets to really get your employees in the festive spirit.

Quills can supply a range of promotional gifts that would make great prizes for any Easter activities including chocolate, hampers, mugs, stress toys, keychains, pens, bags and much more. Take a look at our promotional site here to get some inspiration and view our full range!

 

Bring more spring plants into the office (add living wall images perhaps?)

Easter is the time in which all the spring plants start to bloom and the office is guaranteed to look lovely and festive covered in tulips, daffodils and bluebells or why not consider a living wall! Alternatively, if you would like a display just as beautiful but doesn’t require the same level of maintenance, explore our extensive range of living logos! Our living logos are signs made of real plants that are no longer growing so require no aftercare or maintenance, they’re fully custom made so there are limitless creative options! Find out more here.

 

Decorate Easter Eggs

Decorating Easter eggs is so simple yet so effective, not only will it get your employees in the festive spirit, but it will also create a fun and competitive atmosphere! Give each of your employees an Easter egg and free rein to decorate it and then offer prizes for the first, second and third best-designed eggs! Determine rewards based on creativity or even consider branding the eggs with your own logo. Some great egg designs to consider include:

  1. Paper Punch eggs
  2. Confetti eggs
  3. Baby Bird Nests

But don’t worry, the cost of purchasing arts and crafts for the office doesn’t have to ruin Easter! Head over to Quills where we supply all the necessary arts, crafts and stationery needed to design your Easter eggs…

No matter how you plan on celebrating Easter in the office, make it personal and get all the team involved. From all the team at Quills, have a great Easter and long weekend!

Job satisfaction and happiness in the workplace

in

As we spend an average of 35% of our adult life at work, we all strive to find a company where we can be happy and have a good work-life balance.

So what makes an employee happy?  Take a look at our infographic below for tips on how to achieve job satisfaction and happiness at work.

Global Recycling Day: Key Facts and Top Tips

in

#GlobalRecyclingDay is held annually on the 18th March and it supports the promotion of recycling across the world. To encourage the theme for 2019 which is ‘Recycling Into The Future’, we’ve put together a list of all our recycling and energy saving top tips and some ‘Did you know’ facts on recycling…take a look below.

Did you know…

Recycling combats climate change:
• The recycling industry reduces CO2 emissions by 700 million tons per year
• This is the equivalent of offsetting the total CO2 emissions of the aviation industry each year
• By collecting just 1kg of used clothing, we can reduce 3.6kg of CO2 emissions; 6000l of water consumption; 0.3k of the use of fertilizers and 0.2kg of the use of pesticides

Recycling boosts local employment:
• 1.6 million people worldwide are active in the recycling industry
• Each year $20 million is invested by the industry into job creation
• The recycling industry has an annual turnover of $200 billion; 10% of this figure is reinvested in new technologies, R&D and in creating new skilled jobs to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of recycling

Recycling conserves primary resources:
• Recycling materials provide at least 40% of the global raw material needs
• Over 63% of aluminium cans are recycled worldwide
• A typical electrical appliance is usually made of 75% recycled steel
• Steel cans consist of at least 25% recycled steel
• An average stainless-steel object is composed of about 60% of recycled materials

 

Recycling Top Tips

Recycling Paper
• Paper is usually the greatest waste in the office, try and use digital formats for writing notes and sending communications
• Think before you print. Add this to your email signatures to remind everyone!
• Request online invoices and order products online
• Re-use envelopes for international communications
• Send out an email campaign to all staff boasting the benefits of recycling and word it in such a way that your employees will respect the businesses behavioural changes and support it

Saving Energy
• Turn off heating in empty rooms, making sure they are well ventilated
• Manage heating and cooling with timers and sensor controls
• Investigate taking all, or a percentage of your energy from renewable resources or ‘green tariffs’

Recycling
• Recycle your office furniture by using local council schemes or call Quills on 0845 078 0324 and we will investigate the costs to recycle your furniture and help you reach your environmental targets
• Install different bins so that waste can be separated into plastics, paper and card, food waste and general waste
• Recycle your toner cartridges via Quills
• Recycle your batteries via Quills
• Get rid of personal bins at desks and encourage staff to use bins which allow for separated waste
• Purchase refillable pens via Quills to reduce plastic waste through stationery usage

Reduce your carbon footprint
• Home-working
• Car sharing
• Encourage the use of public transport and provide incentives to do so such as interest-free loans for public transport season tickets

It’s clear that there are a number of quick and easy ways to improve our recycling habits both at home and at work. Quills can offer you a Total Waste Management Program which incorporates all or some of the waste streams within your business. Get in touch today to see how we can help you.

CONTACT US