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greener-washroom-services

Greener washroom services that are a breath of fresh air!

Not many of us think about what’s required to keep a washroom functioning and ensure we don’t go running for the hills after entering. Truth be told, there are many items that need to be serviced to ensure these facilities run smoothly. When numerous people are using the facilities on a daily basis, it’s vital that key items are serviced regularly and ensure that the place smells great too!

If you believe the only green link with washrooms is the colour you go whenever you think about them, it’s time to think again!

One topic which is being talked about more openly is waste management, although probably not hygiene waste. Quills love finding sustainable solutions for our clients to help them with their environmental commitments so we can’t wait to tell you more. Take a look below.

Zero sanitary waste to landfill

We agree, this is an unpleasant topic but, this isn’t a time to be squeamish. Sadly, sanitary products cause more than 200,000 tonnes of waste a year. And when it comes to nappies, it’s estimated that in the UK, around three billion disposable nappies end up in landfill every year. Yuck! What’s worse is that sanitary products and disposable nappies will take more than 500 years to decompose. This means we could make a huge impact on the environment by choosing a provider who doesn’t send sanitary waste to landfill.

This is exactly what happens with Quills’ washroom services and sustainable solutions. Here’s how it works.

We’ll collect your sanitary waste on a regular basis and at a time that suits your business – if doing this outside of working hours is preferred this is not a problem. We’ll clean the sanitary bins and change the liners. We use antimicrobial liners in our feminine hygiene units which significantly reduce bacterial growth and combat odours. The waste is then taken away to plants specialising in Energy from Waste (EfW). The waste is then turned into renewable energy, and any residual waste from the EfW process is used as an aggregate in the construction industry. Absolutely nothing goes to landfill, which we love!

And as an additional green bonus, our feminine hygiene units are recyclable at the end of their working lives.

So, if you’re looking for ways to make your company more sustainable and you’d like to discuss greener solutions for workplace hygiene waste management and washroom services, send us an enquiry or give us a call on 0845 078 0324.

Zero Sanitary Waste

Energy efficient hand dryers

If you haven’t done so already, why not consider switching to energy-efficient hand dryers? This will help save your business money and reduce your energy usage too. Depending on the size of the unit and frequency of use, we have dryers that typically cost between £13 to £32 per year to run. We can install your chosen hand dryers and we can service them too.

Energy Efficient Hand Dryers

Reducing your water usage

We tend to think that because it rains so much in the UK, we don’t have to worry about saving water. But the sad fact is that climate change is having a massive impact on our water supply. Our summers are becoming hotter and drier, which will result in water shortages at certain times of the year, especially in the south which is more densely populated. By doing whatever you can to save water, you’ll not only reduce your water bills, you’ll also be helping to ensure every business and every person has access to enough clean water for their needs all year round.

In your company’s washrooms, you can install technology that will help your business save water without having to compromise on hygiene. Our Sensaflush and Autoflush units will help you reduce water consumption by up to 90%. And when your premises are vacant, such as at weekends, over the Christmas break or – and we really hope it won’t come to this – during another lockdown, the units will automatically flush every 12 hours, which will keep your water system flowing. This is important because stagnant water can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as Legionella (which is the cause of the potentially fatal Legionnaires’ disease).

Air quality and ventilation

Without being too graphic, we all know the importance of having fresh air in the washroom! However, many washrooms have no access to an outside wall for ventilation and even if there is a window that can be opened, you probably won’t want them open in the winter. To help avoid wasting energy in the winter through heat loss, you can consider installing Air Cleaners. Covid-19 has shown us the importance of ventilation. By installing air purification systems in your washroom and in other parts of the building – you’ll control odours as well as destroying bacteria, viruses, mould and fungi. This is done through a process called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). UVGI uses ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms, improving the air quality by ensuring it is clean and hygienic. What’s more, this process will be happening 24/7, not just when you remember to open a window.

Air quality and ventilation

Even our journeys are greener

Saving petrol plays a key part in making our services more sustainable. That’s why we use route-planning software to plot the most fuel-efficient routes. We also have fuel analytic technology fitted in our service fleet which helps us to optimise our fuel consumption even further.

If you’d like to find out more about making your company washrooms greener and cleaner, feel free to get in touch.

What colours increase employee productivity

What colours increase employee productivity, well-being and satisfaction

Different colours affect employees in different ways, learn how interior design can impact office behaviour

The psychology of colour is relevant in all areas of interior design, however, it becomes especially relevant when looking to increase employee productivity, well-being, and satisfaction in an office. Every colour evokes a different reaction or emotion in a person, learning which reaction or emotion comes along with each colour can ultimately create a better work environment. Here is a list of colours that will benefit your office overall:

Blue

Blue, especially light blue, is often associated with feelings of calmness and ease. Painting an office blue, and using blue decorations or floor coverings, will allow the employees to feel relaxed and less anxious about their daily tasks. Similarly, blue is associated with productivity because it is known to stimulate the mind.

Different shades of blue around an office have been proven to induce creativity; this is especially true in conference rooms where creative ideas are being talked about and passed around with other employees.

Red

Red is proven to increase energy in a room. Though not recommended to paint an entire office red, because the use of too much red creates feelings of anxiety, the use of red accent walls or red decorations can wake the mind up. Red also motivates people which will increase not only productivity levels but also wellbeing. According to an expert at Goldleaf Designs, custom home builders, simply by painting an office can change the entire overall mood of a workspace.

The combination of light blue and red around an office can also provide a creativity boost for employees. Combining a classic warm colour with a classic blue colour creates a visually pleasing balance for employees, making them more productive.

A popular trend in office interior design has been the use of red seating and wall hangings surrounded by an otherwise white or neutral background. This trend diverts attention to different areas of a workspace which will constantly stimulate the brain, creating new and productive ideas.

Yellow

Associated with the sun, yellow creates feelings of optimism and happiness in a work environment; thus, employee well-being and satisfaction. Yellow can also create creativity in the work environment because it stimulates the mind and creates feelings of self-assurance.

However, be careful of too much yellow. Yellow, like red and orange, is a warm colour and too much of it can create feelings of anxiety and even anger. If you are using yellow as a paint colour, make sure it is a pale yellow. Neutral walls with yellow accent decorations and accent wall may be a good choice to prevent the risk of overstimulation.

Green

Green, similar to the feelings associated with light blue, is associated with tranquillity and calmness. Different shades of green around the office can even create feelings or thoughts of nature which in turn, creates emotions of ease and satisfaction. Green also adds a sense of balance in a room which will help the well-being of employees.

Adding plants is an easy way to add green to an office space in addition to decorations and paint.

Green is often used in workspaces that work with money and finances a great deal because it constantly evokes the memory and thought of money to the employees as they work.

White

White is great for offices because it makes space feel bigger, cleaner, and even happier. White is practically a good choice for smaller offices because it will maximize the space. White also coordinates well with almost all other colours so it can be used as an accent wall in a room, a base, or on all walls. With the various ways in which white can be used in an office, it always adds to employee well-being by increasing overall happiness.

If white is used on all walls, it’s recommended that the walls have a fair amount of wall hangings and decorations in order to keep employees visually stimulated. Too much white can give off a “doctor’s office feel.”

A common colour theme in offices is the use of white and blue. The combination of white and blue, emulating a blue sky with clouds, makes employees optimistic and productive in addition to keeping the space lively. White walls accompanied by blue furniture is a popular way to create this colour theme.

 

Experimenting with colour and different colour combinations will affect employee productivity in a positive way while keeping employees happy and motivated to keep working. With proper research and planning, getting the right colour scheme for your office will be easy and beneficial. The possibilities are endless when redesigning your office space. For inspiration or to start discussing your design projects, get in touch with one of our interior experts today.

5 Ways to Reduce your Business’ Carbon Footprint

In June, the UK became the first major economy to pass a law requiring net-zero emissions by 2050.

So, what steps can be taken to do this effectively?

No matter what size your business is, there are big and small changes that can be implemented to help the UK reaches its 2050 target.

Here are 5 ways to reduce your Business’ carbon footprint:

1. Waste Management

Zero waste is more than just a buzzword nowadays, instead, it’s become something a lot of people strive towards. Ultimately, it’s clear that cutting out waste would definitely go a long way in helping the environment, and there are a number of things that can be put in place to begin doing this. Bear in mind it’s not feasible to go completely zero waste all in one go, but businesses can gradually reduce their production of landfill rubbish by dealing with waste in a more environmentally responsible way.

Recycling is a great green initiative, but it’s only really effective when there’s a good scheme and system in place. Starting with basic paper and card rubbish, arguably the most visible of office waste, and then moving into other materials, is more effective than dealing with everything in one go. With this in place, it’s simply a question of having well labelled and visible bins.

However, reducing and reusing are ultimately the most effective steps for a business who wants to become zero waste. Plastic waste often finds itself at the forefront of discussions surrounding climate change, and for good reason. The confusion and difficulties surrounding plastic recycling means we often fail to do it, and consequently, only 9% of plastic is recycled. This is why we’re seeing more initiatives encouraging the ban (or at least the severe reduction) of single-use plastic – something businesses can easily support too. If your office has a canteen, phasing out the use of plastic cutlery and straws in favour of metal ones is a simple but effective way to reduce landfill waste. Likewise, encouraging staff to replace disposable plastic bottles with reusable ones is another small but important way of reducing your carbon footprint.

Quills Secure Data Destruction service can support your businesses recycling and waste management strategies. We can review your current arrangements and propose a tailored compliant solution to match your budget, needs and most importantly, environmental targets. Simply click here to find out more.

2. Travel & Transport

Travel and transport are the most talked-about carbon footprint contributors. Travelling for business, particularly flying, is well established to have a substantial impact on the environment. But the good news is, we live in a society with a number of great alternatives available to ensure your business isn’t hindered by distance. Of course, utilising public transport for closer trips is always a good option, but you should also consider video conferencing in place of flying long distances. Not only will this cut down emissions, but you’ll also find it cuts down your company’s travel costs.

That said, when it comes to company transport, there’s quite a lot to consider. Not only are the commutes of your employees an important factor, but it’s also worth looking at the fuel consumption related to the transportation of your company’s goods and services. Green initiatives like cycle-to-work schemes can inspire more eco-friendly methods of staff commuting. At Quills, for example, we use new vans which are all low emission and comply with ULEZ standards. We also plan our delivery routes every day to ensure the lowest cumulative mileage and maximum fuel efficiency.  For your outsourcing needs, courier services such as Gophr offer a greener choice with their optimised system of pairing vehicles to deliveries depending on the size and weight of the consignment. A programme like this ensures a large van isn’t used when a bicycle will do, and as such, provides a much eco-friendlier service.

3. Energy

It’s an inconvenient fact, but energy consumption is one of the biggest environmental impactors, particularly for business. Lighting, heating, powering appliances, web hosting – these are all fossil fuel burning activities that can be easily overlooked when it comes to accounting for a company’s carbon footprint. The solution to this doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul in office operations. As the days get darker, proper lighting becomes even more important. Simply switching to more energy-efficient lights with an automatic shutdown or dimmer option is a great solution that will have a lasting impact on your office’s carbon footprint, as well as on your energy bill.

There’s no need for your efforts to stop at lighting changes. In the future, you’ll find increasingly more companies migrating to green web hosting services, like GreenGeeks or DreamHost, who consciously make use of eco-friendly initiatives to lessen their overall environmental impact. By utilising these sorts of options for your web hosting needs, you can start to combat the CO2 emissions of your internet use.

4. Sustainable Supply Chain 

A proportion of a business’ carbon emissions is found within its supply chain. Any goods a company purchases – stationery, paper, computers, food etc – all come with a carbon footprint associated with their respective production and delivery. There is no easy way of accounting for the CO2 emissions at every step in the supply chain of every item bought for your office, but more often than not, a business can become greener simply by being eco-conscious and opting for overall more sustainable suppliers.

As a stationery and office supplies supplier, we continuously look for eco-friendly alternative products to provide for our customers. We have recently launched a new environmentally friendly promotional merchandise range which enables businesses to provide exciting and unique branded gifts such as pencils made from recycled money, pens made from CD cases and sustainable cups made from bamboo plant fibres – see the full range here.

5. Plan and Engage

The best way of ensuring the successful implementation of eco-friendly initiatives is by having a comprehensive and feasible plan in place. In order to do this, however, it’s important to know which areas are in need of the biggest improvement. The most logical starting point is to understand how substantial your business’ carbon footprint is right now. By combing through your latest energy and water bills, you should be able to gather a fair picture of your biggest areas of consumption, enabling the setting of realistic targets.

However, a business can only effectively reduce its carbon footprint if it has support from both above and below. This is why engagement is also important. After all, these recommended steps can only be successfully implemented if employees adhere to them. Introducing eco-friendly measures alongside an explanation to your staff as to why these changes are happening, will make them more likely to be effective. Likewise, actually getting your employees involved with going green through competitions or incentives will work wonders in ensuring any green initiatives are respected and followed.  It’s important to remember, there’s no need to bombard your company with hundreds of go-green schemes. When properly implemented, even small changes will result in worthwhile reductions to your business’ carbon footprint. For more environmentally friendly tips, head over to Quills eco-tips page.

If you have any questions about Quills recycling or waste management service or would like to receive a free consultation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@quillsuk.co.uk.

Find Quills in the Evening Standard & win a £50 Love2Shop voucher

Are you going to be in London on Tuesday 24th September? Pick up your copy of the Evening Standard and look out for Quills feature in the ‘Be Your Own Boss’ article (psst…it’s just past the middle pages!).

We’ve snuck a hashtag in the article and your job is to tag us in a post on Twitter or Facebook and comment what the hashtag was we used for your chance to win a £50 Love2Shop voucher!

You must also be following the account you used to submit your entry.

Entries are open until Sunday 29th September 2019 and the winner will be announced on Monday 30th September.

Good luck!

 

Terms and conditions:

  1. Entries should be based in the UK&I and must not be a Quills employee
  2. Closing date for entries is 11.59 pm on the 29/09/19
  3. Only one entry per person can be submitted on Twitter and Facebook
  4. A winner will be selected at random on the 30/09/2019 and the winner will be notified via the relevant social media channel that their entry was submitted on
  5. Entries must be submitted via Quills UK Facebook or Quills UK Twitter and the participant must be following the social media account used to qualify
  6. A £50 Love2Shop voucher will be sent to the winner by post and no cash alternative or prize will be provided
  7. Quills Group is a trading name for Quills Office Supplies Ltd and our registered address is Unit 2 Spitfire Business Park, 1 Hawker Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4WD

How to keep your employees happy and motivated at work

As a business owner, it’s easy to focus solely on your customers, your reputation and profit. However, one of the keys to a successful business is ensuring that your employees are well-taken care off and are happy in their workplace. Here are a few simple tips for keeping your employees happy and motivated at work… 

Do you have the right tools to succeed?

Employees must be equipped with the right tools in order to succeed, regardless of their industry. This includes the correct IT equipment (such as computers or laptops, smartphones etc) and the right knowledge to be able to communicate effectively. If your employees can talk about your business confidently, and operate efficiently; your customers may be more likely to trust and use your business in the future.

Invest in your employees through training programs

Employees naturally want to develop their skills and it’s important to provide training facilities to enable them to grow. There are plenty of free educational training courses available online so take a look at what they’d like to do and how this will benefit them and the business.

Thank your employees and recognise good work

Saying ‘thank you’ goes a long way – it’s easy and most importantly, costs nothing. By simply saying thanks to your employees, it will make them feel that their hard work has been recognised and appreciated. Different companies operate different ‘Reward Schemes’ where you can tailor and personalise your thank you to the employee. The key for a good Manager is not to forget to do this as in the long run you will probably retain your staff for longer.

Implement a reward scheme (it doesn’t have to break the bank!)

Recognition schemes are a great way to keep your employees motivated and will also encourage some friendly competition in the office. Reward schemes don’t have to break the bank, set a budget and let your employees choose what kind of rewards they would like to win to ensure that any money spent isn’t wasted. Keep your businesses culture in mind – what do your employees like doing in their personal time? Where do your employees like to go for social events? If your team often go for dinner, reserve a table at a local restaurant. If your team like to go to the pub, book a cocktail making class or something similar at a local bar. Having rewards your employees actually value, will give them something to aim for and achieve.

Be open and available

Your employee’s mindset and mental health is something that is often overlooked, but this should most certainly be a priority for business owners and managers. Having a friendly managerial team can change the entire dynamic of an office and your employees will feel that they can approach you with any issues or concerns they may be facing. As well as the managerial team, encourage an ‘open office’ dynamic where the entire team can liaise with each other and in turn encourage team working ‘one goal’ and all pulling together.

Set a good work-home life balance

Whilst it’s important to ensure that your employees are being productive throughout the day, it’s equally important to encourage a good work and home life balance. Scheduling or calling your employees in the evenings or over the weekend can cause them to feel demotivated and overworked. You have full control over how your employees work out of hours and can even set up policies that stop employees checking their emails whilst on holiday!

Keep it fresh

Getting into a routine at work is very easy, especially when you have to do the same tasks or checks over and over again! Be creative and switch up the routine frequently to keep your employees engaged and productive. For example: go out for meetings, mix it up between team brainstorming sessions and private thinking time or even let your employees work from home for a change of scenery.

Meeting booths are also a great solution for creating an alternative space for your employees to work. Meeting booths can come in all shapes and sizes, from telephone booths suitable for one person or large closed-off areas which can accommodate groups. Head over to our interiors site here to find out more about our range.

Offer responsibility and new challenges

It’s unlikely that you’ll find an employee who wants to stay in the same role, doing the same tasks day in day out for life. Don’t be scared to give your employees new challenges and responsibilities. It’s good to get them out of their comfort zone and try new things and develop in new areas. As long as they’re supported, they’ll make valuable contributions to the business and bring new, fresh ideas. You may also find the following article on How to Ensure Your Office Space Promotes Mental Wellness useful.

In summary, when people are engaged in their roles and in the business, they’re working for, it means better morale, a better atmosphere, less staff absence and greater productivity levels.

Croydon Business Awards

Quills are finalists for the SME Business Excellence Award!

We are delighted to share that Quills has made it to the finals for the Croydon Business Awards, SME Business Excellence category.

After a very busy five years with four acquisitions, a full rebrand and various other challenging internal projects we decided to enter the Croydon Business Awards for the first time. We answered the five questions which formed ‘round one’ and were delighted to find out that we’d successfully made it through to ‘round two’ as a finalist and answered a further six questions supplying supporting documentation.  We also attended a face to face interview on Friday 6th September at Croydon College to complete the final stage of the competition.

Jerry Irving, independent adjudicator and business consultant praised the high quality of submissions and said “2019 has seen more entries than ever and the overall standard was excellent. Deciding who should go through to the next round was very tough as several categories were hotly contested, including SME Excellence, Women in Business, Customer Service and Digital, Data and Technology.” Read the full Croydon Business Excellence shortlist article here.

Quills supports the community and will always looks to use a variety of local suppliers including Square Mile Insurance Brokers, The Studio (design company), VOW (wholesale), Step Ahead Recruitment, Wallington Couriers and The Hilton Hotel to name but a few. We also support the future of tomorrow by taking on work experience students and recently recruited a local Croydon digital marketing professional who had just completed an apprenticeship and was looking for her next challenge.

The winners from each of the 14 categories will be announced on Thursday 3rd October at the Gala Dinner & Charity Ball being held at the Grand Sapphire Hotel.

Good luck to everyone who has entered and Quills have everything crossed for our category and a positive outcome!

Warrior Games Charity Event for Cystic Fibrosis

William West Ltd Aquisition 1st May 2018

Quills Group Acquires William West Ltd – 1st May 2018

We are pleased to announce the acquisition of William West Ltd on 1st May 2018.  The acquisition is for the Office Supplies and Office Interiors divisions of William West (excluding the Print business).

Andy Efstathiou, Managing Director of Quills said “For William West customers the acquisition will mean the same high level of service with the additional benefit of our internal infrastructure, additional customer services and features like Live Chat to provide answers quickly to any queries or questions.”

The existing William West team will be moving across to Quills (Management, Account Management and Sales) which will ensure a smooth and seamless transfer.

We look forward to working with William West employees and customers and extending a warm welcome to all.

 

Keeping cool in the office

So how does the heat affect the productivity in the workplace?

Take a look at this info graphic to find out.

Keep cool with our range of fans this Summer.