Posts

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!

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!

 

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.