It’s not easy to keep your staff happy and working to the best of their ability. As an employer you must not only manage your staff and be an excellent communicator, but you must also be able to keep your team driven and feeling valued. One of the best ways to keep your office motivated is to take part in seasonal celebrations. Let’s face it; it’s not easy going into work over the Christmas season and as Christmas day draws nearer and nearer, we all tend to want to be with our families and friends celebrating. However if you bring a little Christmas into the office, your staff we feel as though they are celebrating the moment too. Have you ever worked in an office where the decorations where adequate for such an occasion? More often than not, offices are decorated with very little in the way of holiday decorations; however we can help you make a tree which will be sure to impress even the most demanding of Christmas enthusiasts.

You Will Need

• Christmas tree – artificial is best
• Paper clips
• Various other office supplies
• CD’s
• Shredded Paper

Firstly you will need to put together your tree using the instructions provided. Remember, the best time to add lights on any Christmas tree is now. It is pretty much impossible to add lights in an effective way when you have already loaded the tree with decorations.

Next you will need to decide on an object to go on top of the tree which is symbolic to your office, some kind of mascot maybe. This would have been hopeless in the case of one of my previous jobs; our office mascot was my 2 year old daughter! Take a look around the office, maybe there’s a teddy that you all believe brings you luck, a stapler which has been lost and found a ridiculous amount of times and has become some kind of a joke, or maybe there’s a giant rubber band ball which everyone has been adding too. Whatever seems appropriate for your office, use it. You may need to use paper clips to help secure your object to the top of the tree.

Your next stage would be to decorate your tree with a tinsel substitute, remember, this is an office Christmas tree. You could link paper clips to make shiny silver chains or join CD’s using rubber bands to make a giant shiny length of tinsel. Alternatively, cut sticky strips from Post-it Notes to make paper chains (this works best with various different coloured Post-it Notes). Drape your tinsel substitutes around the tree making sure to evenly cover the tree.

Using paper clips or tape, hang various office products from your tree as bauble substitutes. Use items such as staple removers, pens, staple strips, rubber stamps, glue sticks, you get the idea. You could even go all out there and throw on some shredded paper or hole punch confetti as artificial snow.

Last but not least stick some pressies under the tree. Maybe you could organise some kind of secret Santa where everyone picks a name out of a hat and buys a present (up to a certain value) for that person. Your tree is now complete – enjoy!

I have just seen possibly the best desk organisational tool ever! It is such a great idea and kicks the old desk cup into touch! This ingenious, space saving and dividing tool will safely store all your desktop accessories close to hand, while keeping them within arm’s reach and organising them into their individual categories. But what makes it so fun is it’s unique Post-it note dispenser facility AND it’s Scotch Tape dispenser! I’m really liking this, I just need to come up with a way to re-organise my office so that I can have an under desk pedestal with drawers. Hmmm…

So with great excitement and pleasure I’d like to introduce you to the 3M C71 Post-it Drawer Tray featured below. Convenience reaches a new level with this clutter reducing organiser! Dispensing Post-it® Notes, Post-it® Flags and Scotch® tape, this tray will enable you to keep your office essentials within easy reach in a very funky way!

• Adjusts to fit most standard desk drawers
• Dispenses Post-it notes 655, Z-notes R330, Index (two colours) and Scotch Magic tape 19mm x 33m (all supplied)
• WxDxH: 253-405 x 297 x 40mm
• Black

It really is the ideal solution for drawer organisation and can hold a variety of office supplies, even expanding to fit most standard drawers. How accommodating! What’s more, the tray is made using 100% pre-consumer recycled content. Keep on top of your desk tidy drawer supplies with our product refill finder here;

• Post-it Notes Refills
• Post-it Z Notes Refills
• Post-it Index Notes Refills
• Scotch Magic Tape Refills

The Green Bit

3M, the makers of Post-it, is a company committed to sustainability. This isn’t a new initiative or a recently introduced strategy. For more than 30 years, it’s the way they’ve done business. All Post-it notes and easel pads are made with paper from well managed forests where trees are re-planted, plus recycled Post-it notes and easel pads are made from 100% recycled paper and contains 30% postconsumer content. Post-it promise to;

• Solve their own environmental pollution and conservation problems
• Prevent pollution at the source, whenever and wherever possible
• Develop products that will have a minimum effect on the environment
• Conserve natural resources through the use of reclamation and other useful methods
• Assure that their facilities and products meet and sustain the regulations of all federal, state and local environmental agencies
• Assist wherever possible, governmental agencies and other official organisations engaged in environmental activities

3M have conducted recycling trials on Post-it® Notes at recycled paper mills. The adhesive on the paper does not interfere with paper recycling because the adhesive is substantially removed in the paper deinking process. The dyes in the paper are removed in the deinking process. The 100% recycled content notes contains 70% preconsumer and 30% postconsumer fiber. Post-it® Easel Pads are also available with 30% postconsumer content paper.

A visitor’s book is often the first and most influential thing your customers and clients will come across when they enter your business. A good quality book will effectively give that professional and organised first impression which is so important to a business’s reputation. Visitors books are used to gain insight into what guests really think of the service and products provided and of the company overall. From this we can adapt and change the way things are done to better suit  customers needs and equally as important, we can understand what customer do like and then use this in other areas. It is also an important tool in understanding your staffs strengths and weaknesses, which will allow for better training where required and positive feedback in areas where they excel – a fantastic motivational aid!

Visitor books are also a valuable theft preventative measure. Did you know that on average 72’000 laptops are stolen every year in the UK with the medium to large corporations loosing on average 11 each year!  Using a visitors book is an extremely simple and efficient way of preventing such criminal activity as each guest into your premises will – as a matter of course – be authorised and recorded and there for identifiable. Should there be any ‘light fingered’ visitors, you’ll know who to question! Another beneficial aspect to the visitor’s book is safety. Should there be a fire or evacuation to your premises, you’ll be able to keep track of who has left the building and who is still inside!

To your right you will see our Durable Leather Look Visitors Book.

• Practical visitors book contained in a stylish ‘leather look’ padded cover
• Contains 100 easy to complete badge inserts which can be used with the 60x90mm Durable Visitors Badge
• Perforated top copy tears out for insertion into a security badge
• Duplicate details are retained as a permanent visitor record
• A security sheet ensures complete visitor confidentiality
• A simple ‘time out’ sheet ensures keeping track of visitor departures is easy

This book not only enables you to give that lasting impression, gain feedback, prevent theft and keep your visitors safe, but also provides useful name badges for your guests so that you won’t forget their name! We’re offering a very tempting 32% off this book (while stocks last), making our price just £21.54!

The Green Bit

DURABLE products are particularly eco-friendly thanks to their durability. The plastic materials they use are robust, have excellent recycling properties and can be disposed of together with normal refuse with no problem at all.

In accordance with its guiding principles, Durable continuously aim to further optimise their ecology-oriented management. Their aim is to develop products that are largely recyclable (of course they should also be produced at low cost and yield a reasonable profit!). To meet this ideal as closely as possible, Durable continuously carry out critical analyses of the environmental impact of their products and production processes. Thus the material thicknesses of their products and above all, their packaging are constantly reviewed for possible enhancements. Through packaging modifications developed in-house, Durable have been able to achieve significant material savings and reductions in volume. Durable also demonstrate their responsibility towards the environment through their purchasing policies. Important decisions in favour of ecologically sustainable production are being made in regular project meetings between their purchasing department and suppliers. Careful selection of optimal materials is one way to protect the environment.  The right choice of suppliers is also as important to Durable. They never fail to check whether the manufacturers and their suppliers are certified, and how they are being regulated. These questions must always be answered before they decide on any purchase.

The notebook is a useful aid in the home and office, used for taking notes during meetings and phone calls, school work, shopping lists and so much more; the list is endless. However, one of the greatest advances in notebook and pad development was the introduction of wire binding. One of the main advantages of a wire bound notepad is its ability to open completely flat and even fold back on itself. This provides ease of reading and note taking where laying flat is often essential. Plus of course, photocopying becomes a simple chore.

The most popular notepad is the A4 Spiral Note Books option which is a favourite to office workers and home makers alike. We particularly like the Black ‘n’ Red range, not just for its sophisticated appearance, but for its credentials as well. They are a brand brought to us by Hamelin Paper Brands and are known as the best choice of notebooks for executives! Durable and strong, a Black n’ Red notebook provides a practical, reliable tool for meeting notes, creative ideas, research or even recipes. In February 2008, Black n’ Red, the number one branded notebook range; was named as a leading business brand in the Business Superbrands 2008 list!

To your right you’ll see our favourite option, the Black ‘n’ Red Polypropylene Project Book. Featuring;

• Wirebound project books featuring protective, wipe clean, clear polypropylene covers
• 3x Repositionable dividers to help organise your notes and a handy integrated pocket ideal for storing loose notes, CDs and business cards
• 200 Pages and strong twin-wire binding
• Made with quality 90gsm paper
• Size: A4

These Black ‘n’ Red wirebound hardback books come with glossy, laminated covers and strong twinwire binding to enable them to fold fully back. Featuring a modern variation to the classic notebook is the useful, wipe-clean polypropylene cover and a handy elasticated closure. This makes the ideal choice for outdoor professionals who need to keep their notes and site records safe, or anyone who wants to protect against spills in the home. All these fantastic features strangely DO NOT cost the earth! We’re offering these fantastic pad’s with a generous 45% off while stocks last. So for the featured pack of 3x notebooks, you will pay as little as £18.23!

Note pads, in particular spiral note pads, have to be the most used stationery item there is. They are used for a number of purposes, including writing, drawing, and scrapbooking. For example, in the office, every member of staff will have a note book for use during phone calls, meetings and desk work so that they can take notes for later reference. A student will use a notebook for note taking during lessons, lectures and research (and sometimes doodling), whereas at home they are used for everything from taking messages to shopping lists. In all these scenarios, the spiral note pad is the most popular. Spiral bound note pads have the ability to open flat on a desk or table and offer 360 degree rotation for easy note taking. The best we’ve found is a note pad by NPad.

NPad Spiral Note Books such as the one featured below, are a funky range of vibrantly designed notebooks which combine fashion and function to meet the everyday needs of students and office workers. Their collection includes a selection of products including A4 and A5 notebooks, ‘green’ recycled pads and project books with colour coded pages, removable dividers and handy document pockets. Each book features premium 90 gsm paper and yes, that even includes the recycled ones! The product featured is our NPad A5 Recycled Wirebound Note Book which comes in packs of 3 and is friendlier to the environment whilst brightening up the office. The ruled, 100% recycled sheets of 90 gsm paper allows no show-through and features a useful margin. With its strong backboard and twin-wire binding, the item is perfect for on the go. You can open it flat or fold it right over for ease of use and when you have no surface to rest on, the heavy-duty backboard will provide the support you need. Each of its 200 pages is punched and perforated so that when you’re done, you can simply tear it out (neatly) and file it in your binder. NPad’s innovative concepts and Office 365 fair prising combined, means that you can grab yourself a bargain today. With 44% off, this pack of pads is now available for just £8.09!

Npad are a brand by Oxford who fall under the Hamelin Paper Brands Group. Hamelin Paperbrands Ltd are the largest supplier of branded envelopes, notebooks, pads, diaries, personal stationery and paper-based education supplies in the UK and home of the Oxford stationery brand. Oxford are the creators of many well known book and pad brands such as; Black n’ Red, Easybook, International, Notebooks, Npad, Office, Paper Show, Pink n’ Black, Diaries and Education (an exorcise book brand). Oxford are renowned for anticipating end users expectations and demands, plus their continuous effort in creating new and unique innovations. They are a brand we have all come to know and trust, which is why NPad have taken us all by storm.

A popular item in today’s world of business is the duplicate book. Duplicate books, otherwise known as copy books, are a real must have for every business. They are normally available in carbon or carbonless options; however the less messy carbonless option is always the most popular. Carbonless copy paper consists of sheets of paper that are coated on the bottom and/or the top with micro-encapsulated dye or ink and/or a reactive clay. The back of the first sheet is coated with micro-encapsulated dye. The top of the middle sheet is coated with a clay that quickly reacts with the dye to form the permanent mark. The back of the middle sheet is also coated with the dye, whilst the lowermost sheet is coated on the top surface with the clay with no coating applied to the back side. So when someone writes on the top sheet, the pressure from the pen causes the micro-capsules to break, spilling their dye. It is due to the tiny size of the capsules that the print obtained is very accurate.

Our best selling duplicate book is the Invoice option. All of our Duplicate Invoice Books are made by Challenge and consist of this wondeful almost magic carbonless paper. Pack sizes vary between 3 and 5 and you can also choose between sizes 216 x 130mm or 248 x 187mm. Each book is pre printed and available in ruled, plain and including VAT/Tax. Each book has colour coded copy sheets which are numbered in sets 1-100. Take the Challenge Invoice Carbonless Duplicate Book featured to your right for example. 

• Traditional duplicate invoice book
• Pre-printed for particular usage
• Colour-coded copy sheets
• Comes with carbonless paper
• Without VAT/Tax column
• Numbered in sets 1-100
• Size: 210x130mm
• Packed 5

This pack of 5 books is available with a fantastic (and may I add, generous) 46% off! You can save yourself £12.54 when purchasing this pack (while stocks last), as they are now available for just £15.02! Plus, with challenge, you know you’re buying quality. Each book is casebound with sturdy hardback, PVC coated covers providing long lasting protection of notes. The pages are section sewn for tamper resistant durability, plus their 192 page formats contain quality 90 gsm paper for minimal show through of notes. As a Hamelin Paper Brands company, Challenges products undergo rigorous testing before they can approved. With vast levels of importance placed on their product quality, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement, the company have achieved accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001:2000.

It’s true that whilst everyone seems to be interested in creating or using high-tech computer generated presentations and equipment, the flip chart still continues to be the most effective presentation media that exists. It isn’t always essential to invest a lot of money in high tech visual aids & equipment; in fact the best visual aids are the simplest. It is important to remember that the purpose of using a visual aid is to enhance your presentation, not to upstage it. We’ve found there are several advantages to using a flip chart, for example; you don’t need to worry if the bulb burns out or worry that you forgot an extension lead plus, they do not require that you use any special films or printers. All that is needed when using flipchart pads is an in-expensive box of flip chart markers to allow you to do all the creativity you need to get your presentation across the way you want.

Try this one for size; the Nobo Flipchart Pad featured below is ideal for all meetings and presentations. It has 100 pages of bleed resistant paper in size A1 (813 x 584mm). As I’m sure you’re all aware by now, we at Office 365 are a very generous firm and give you only the best discounts and offers available on the net today. You will find savings of more 50% off on RRP’s and a price match policy to complement our confident pricings. The flipchart featured for example is actually a Pack of x2 and is only £14.24, making a saving of £30.74, that’s 68% off! The pads are great for;

• All kinds of presentations or training
• Capturing information during group discussions
• Use on an easel as a display and information board where other methods prove too expensive or information is likely to change frequently
• Use during teaching, in schools, colleges or universities
• Tracking targets and goals in sales and manufacturing plants
• Displaying menu’s or special in cafes and restaurants
• Childs play and learning in nurseries and pre schools
• Art classes and artists
• Use as a coaching tool in schools, offices and sports teams

Before purchasing your flipchart, make sure it will fit the stand you will be using. Some have different spaced holes at the top. If you’ve selected this pad, good choice; Nobo are easily one of our most successful brands and highest achievers, an Acco brand. Their so good in fact that they made it into our best suppliers list for top quality at No: 3! They are probably THE most popular brand at Office 365, no other company in this area of the market even comes close to competing.

Challenge are our popular brand who manufacture high quality business books for long lasting records, each with the distinctive blue marble cover design. We’ve mentioned them many times, but here they are again; Hamelin Paper Brands are the makers of the Challenge brand of books which due to the size a popularity of the company, we find very appealing. With vast levels of  importance placed on their product quality, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement, Hamelin Paperbrands have also achieved accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001:2000.

Featured to your right are our Challenge Duplicate Invoice Books carbonless. This traditional duplicate invoice book is pre-printed for particular usage and has colour coded copy sheets. It is numbered in sets of 1-100 and does not have a TAX/VAT column.

With many Challenge products available here at Office 365, you will have no problems in finding the business book you are looking for. Each book is casebound books with sturdy hardback, PVC coated covers providing long lasting protection of notes. The pages are section sewn for tamper resistant durability. Their 192 page formats contain quality 90 gsm paper for minimal show through of notes. Their administrative books offer a clear and accurate solution for recording different daily tasks. They are available in a variety of pre-printed layouts; telephone messages,  petty cash and Duplicate Receipt Books.  These books are also carbonless (apart from Thing to do Today) with colour coded duplicate pages, for the easy identification of original and copies. Duplicate books all contain carbonless paper for constant copy quality throughout, without the mess of carbon. Pre-printed layouts include ruled, invoice, order and delivery with colour coded sheets. Sequentially numbered in sets of 1-100 in taped format or 1-50 in wire format. Receipt books are available in three different sizes and layouts, all featuring gummed top copies. Two tape bound with carbon supplied and one  in wirebound carbonless format.

The Green Bit

We are big fans of Hamelin Paper Brands at Office 365. Their portfolio seems never ending and so many of our products seems to stem back to Hamelin Paper Brands. This is something we find very pleasing to know as the ethical beliefs and morals of the company are something we aspire to and are proud to be part of. The company pride themselves on their use of ethically sourced raw materials and strives to reduce the impact of their products on the environment. This is something which can be seen in the ongoing development of their product portfolio. The Hamelin Paper Brands always use paper from sustainable sources and they are increasingly manufacturing options from quality recycled papers. Plus, on some of their other brands, namely the envelope brands, they are able to show EU Eco-label accreditation for the paper from which they were made. This is not only guaranteeing the sustainability of the source but also a reduction in emissions during the manufacturing process.

The Books & Pads division of Hamlin Paper Brands has always favoured long term development rather than short term results. It was therefore a very natural step for them to incorporate sustainable development into all its decision-making, and signing the Global Compact with the support of the UN at the beginning of 2003. In practical terms, their product specifications are continuously reassessed to ensure conformity with the most stringent ecological demands, from demanding the highest environmental-friendly specifications of raw materials to manufacturing processes and beyond, with waste material treatment and personnel training. The brand will only use suppliers that can guarantee traceable supplies and that have a policy for sustainable management of forest resources, not use paper made from tropical wood and will refuse paper made from primary forests or from wood taken from sensitive areas or areas sheltering threatened species. Hamelin Paper Brands only dream that in doing this, they will be encouraging other companies to share these critical values.

No matter what business you’re in, you will always have the need for a ‘never ending’ supply of business and office books. You’d be surprised at the amount of times we’ve heard how people swap and change brands, purchasing some items from one brand and others by another, all in search of a company who can provide the stationery they are after, the quality which is essential and the right price. Challenge have put a smile on many faces, providing the solution for all of these needs. They are a brand who manufacture high quality business books for long lasting records, featuring the distinctive blue marble cover design. Challenge are brought to us by Hamelin Paper Brands who are a company that are fully committed to the ongoing training and development of their employees. The Hamelin Paper Brands Group uphold a strong reputation for quality and due to the vast levels of  importance they place on this renowned product quality, Hamelin Paper Brands have also achieved accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001:2000.

Our most popular Challenge stationery includes the Challenge Duplicate Books which all contain carbonless paper for constant copy quality throughout, without the mess of carbon. The pre-printed layouts include ruled, invoice, order and delivery with colour coded sheets. Sequentially numbered in sets of 1-100 in taped format or 1-50 in wire format.

Another Popular range from this brand is the Challenge Message Pads. These administrative books offer a clear and accurate solution for recording different daily tasks. They are available in a variety of pre-printed layouts; telephone messages, while you were out, etc.  These books are also carbonless and are headbound so that messages can be torn out easily.

The Green Bit

We are big fans of Hamelin Paper Brands at Office 365. Their portfolio appears never ending and so many of our products seem to stem back to Hamelin Paper Brands. This is something we find very pleasing to know as the ethical beliefs and morals of the company are something we aspire to and are proud to be part of. The company pride themselves on their use of ethically sourced raw materials and strives to reduce the impact of their products on the environment. This is something which can be seen in the ongoing development of their product portfolio. The Hamelin Paper Brands always use paper from sustainable sources and they are increasingly manufacturing options from quality recycled papers. Plus, on some of their other brands, namely the envelope brands, they are able to show EU Eco-label accreditation for the paper from which they were made. This is not only guaranteeing the sustainability of the source but also a reduction in emissions during the manufacturing process.

The Books & Pads division of Hamlin Paper Brands has always favoured long term development rather than short term results. It was therefore a very natural step for them to incorporate sustainable development into all its decision-making, and signing the Global Compact with the support of the UN at the beginning of 2003. In practical terms, their product specifications are continuously reassessed to ensure conformity with the most stringent ecological demands, from demanding the highest environmental-friendly specifications of raw materials to manufacturing processes and beyond, with waste material treatment and personnel training. The brand will only use suppliers that can guarantee traceable supplies and that have a policy for sustainable management of forest resources, not use paper made from tropical wood and will refuse paper made from primary forests or from wood taken from sensitive areas or areas sheltering threatened species. Hamelin Paper Brands only dream that in doing this, they will be encouraging other companies to share these critical values.

Memo Pad’s have played a vital role in Offices across the globe for many years. They offer the perfect solution for all general un specified use and are an essential item we all use on a daily basis. Every desk in every office will have a memo pad so that notes can be made during phone calls, e-mails and meeting but also to jot down reminders for your self and messages for others. Thankfully, they are an extremely low priced item as the average office worker will use 2-3 in just one month! These memo pads are usually bound at the head or side and do not have a cover. This is so that notes can be taken easily and sheets can be easily torn out. They come with a cardboard back to keep the paper from creasing and to prevent “prickly writing” when you get to the last few sheets.

At Office 365, we favour the fantastic selection that is offered by Cambridge (featured to your right). Cambridge are part of the Hamelin Paper Brands Group and provide a range of quality notebooks and pads which offer consumer choice, a trustworthy and recognised brand, and a good balance of features and value for money. Their memo pads are available in a choice of ruling options and sizes, featuring quality wove paper. They are ideal for rough notes and sketches. Choose from Ruled Memo Pads and Plain Memo Pads.

The Green Bit

The Hamelin Paperbrands Group prides themselves on their use of ethically sourced raw materials and have for some time strived to reduce the impact of their products on the environment and will continue to do so. This is clear when you look at their ongoing development of their product portfolio and recycled range. Their brands always use paper from sustainable sources and the company are increasingly manufacturing options from quality recycled papers. In addition to this, on some of their envelope brands they are able to show EU Eco-label accreditation for the paper from which they were made. This not only guarantees the sustainability of the source but also a reduction in emissions during the manufacturing process.