My TY Work Experience

As part of my Transition Year course, I am required to participate in work experience. For my final week, I chose Office Supplies Ireland in Deansgrange. As the week is coming to an end, I am very happy with where I chose. The staff down here are lovely, which makes everything easier. I learned lots of different things about the shop, including how they sell 35,000 products, everything from paper towels and soaps to an office desk and filing cabinets. I learned that there is a lot of different types of inks, folders, envelopes and printers.

For my week down here in Office Supplies Ireland, I did and learned a lot more than I thought I would. I went out on delivery runs through many parts of Dublin. I also learned a lot about computers, especially how to use them! I sent out 200+ emails to potential new customers. I also learned how to make the perfect cup of tea and coffee. On Tuesday, we took a trip to the other branch of Office Supplies Ireland out in Ballymount. The overall shop layout is the same, however as this shop is bigger, they have more furniture on show.

Overall, my week here was brilliant. I took away computer skills that I didn't have before, including how to make a spreadsheet. I learned a whole lot more about the company itself and how things are run. I also got an insight as to what it would be like to work in an office.

Jessica

Newpark Comprehensive School

Office Morale

Office Morale

Posted on May 8, 2017 by officesupplies2017

How to boost morale in the office

We all know one’s mood can have a significant impact on productivity and therefore mean the quality of work is compromised and perhaps mistakes are made due to a lack of care. It’s crucial to keep a positive atmosphere within the workplace to make the most of each day; here’s some top tips on how to boost the office morale.

1. Consistently encourage employees, let them know their work is more than just a job and give them praise for how they do. Everyone wants to feel as though their work has a higher purpose and that everything they do counts towards a goal. It’s so easy to lose sight of the purpose of a job role in the day-to-day grind and this makes it so important to remind your employees how much you appreciate them.

2. Don’t just tell them; show them! It’s natural to focus on the bigger picture and keep looking to the future and what’s ahead rather than taking a step back and reflecting on how much has been achieved so far already. If you want to prove how much you appreciate one’s effort, it’s important to take the time to creatively celebrate this. One way in which a company has pushed the boat out when thinking of ways to celebrate achievements is how Groupon encourage employees to wear anniversary milestones on their sleeve/ belt so that no employee milestone goes unnoticed and you can feel proud you’ve served the company for the time you have.

3. Now, obviously, everyone needs a break from their work sooner or later. Personal projects can provide a revitalising break from regular responsibilities and can serve as a source of innovation for the company. Atlassian, a developer of collaboration software in Sydney, encourages creativity during it’s ‘FedEx Day.’ In the brief period of 24 hours, all employees can work on anything that excited them – if it relates to Atlassian products/ processes. From this, participants then show off the results of their projects and Atlassian has adopted more than a dozen projects, ranging from product upgrades to process improvements.

4. Always encourage employees to hold themselves with positive attitudes. During the height of recession in 2009, many companies started to see employee morale fall significantly. This opened a doorway for companies to start thinking of ways to revamp the workplace to make employees happier as soon as they come through the door. 4Imprint, a maker of customised promotional products, decided to try and boost morale by setting up classes for employees to watch and discuss videos that shared inspiring themes. This created a friendlier atmosphere between employees and thus made them feel more at ease.

5. Mix it up! It’s crucial to a person’s mental well being to include some variety into the day. Departing from the mandatory routines of meetings and cubicle life can go a long way in the eyes of an employee and in terms of their morale. Something as simple as saying hello to someone new within the workplace can be proven to improve one’s state of mind as it allows you to connect with a larger range of people and feel more comfortable in the workplace. One example of this would be the accounting firm Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman, who include the concept of neighbourhoods to get the ball rolling on employee relationships. All employees are organised and separated into neighbourhoods, based on the floors/sections in each office. Personally, I think this is a great idea to keep employees talking with each other and improving relationships within the office.

These are just a few simple ways in which you can start turning those frowns upside down! After all, a valued employee is a productive employee.

Top 10 facts about coffee

How much do you know about coffee?

• The majority of coffee is produced in Brazil

Brazil produces 40% of the world’s coffee, which is twice as much as Colombia and Vietnam which are 2nd and 3rd in producing coffee.

• Coffee was originally a food

Coffee berries were mixed with fat to create an energy-rich snack ball. It was also consumed as a wine when made from the pulp of coffee berries.

• Coffee was the first food to be freeze-dried.

The process of freeze drying – when fresh foods are placed in a dryer where temperatures drop to negative 40 degrees F first started during World War 2 to preserve foods.

• Coffee is actually a fruit

Coffee beans as we know them are actually the pits of a cherry-like berry that are grown on bushes. Even though coffee is actually a seed, it’s called a bean because of its resemblance to actual beans.

• You can overdose of coffee

Yes, that’s right! However, an adult would have to drink over 100 cups to consume the lethal dose of caffeine!

• When you add milk to your coffee, it weakens the effects of caffeine.

Our bodies absorb coffee much slower when it has added fat milk content, which decreases the stimulants.

• Dark roast coffees have less caffeine than lighter roasts.

Even though the flavour is often stronger, roasting actually burns off some of the caffeine.

• The original definition of coffee means “wine”

Coffee’s original name, qahwah, came from the Yemen term for wine. In Turkey it was called Kahveh, until the Dutch referred to it as Koffie and that’s where we get the English – coffee.

• The largest cup of coffee ever brewed was in July 2014 in South Korea.

It was over 3,700 gallons. The largest iced coffee was brewed in Las Vegas in 2010, and was 1,500 gallons – ice not included.

• Decaf does not mean caffeine-free

An eight ounce brewed cup of decaf coffee actually has 2-12 milligrams of caffeine. In comparison, a regular cup of coffee has anywhere from 95-200 milligrams.

The Benefits of a Paper Shredder

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Office Supplies Ireland    23 March 2017  

Every office has many tech tools they use everyday. However, the paper shredder is one of those tools that often gets looked over, though it has many benefits that every office is going to need. It is important to note that there are several types of shredders on the market, including:

• Commercial shredders
• Small office shredders
• Personal shredders

The difference in these shredders is the level and intensity of jobs that the shredder faces. Most offices will find that an office shredder may work for their shredding needs. Yet, many corporations have commercial shredders that are meant to handle large jobs.

There are also several different blades that these shredders come equipped with, that defines just how secure these shredders are. These are levels 2 through 6. The higher the level, the more in the shredder will perform. For the most part, an office is going to want to go with a higher level of shredding to ensure all their information is safe.

For those who may be thinking that a shredder is not something that they need for their office, they need to consider the benefits of having one of these. For one, shredders provide a sense of privacy that is hard to find with other types of technology. When a paper is put through a shredder, it is no longer going to be the target for identity thieves, an important concept to offer potential clients. Secondly, paper shredders can also help the office to become more green. The paper that is shredded can be recycled into new products, making these a great green option for those who are trying to be more environmentally safe.

With these benefits in mind, most people wonder what type of shredder they should buy. One of the first factors to consider is just how much shredding you plan on doing? For those who are going to use this everyday, a personal shredder is not going to fit the ideal. Instead, a office shredder like the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci Cross Cut Shredder can handle the job level, while also providing a great level of security. For those who plan only on using their shredder once a week or less, then a personal shredder like Aurora Corp AS6000 Strip-Cut Shredder will be sufficient.

Once the level of jobs is determined, the person needs to consider if they need a certain cut on their shredder. The higher level shredders are going to provide the highest level of security, which consider before making a purchase. Budget, warranty and other factors will also affect your decision as to which shredder is going to fit your needs.

What are Expanding Folders?

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Office Supplies Ireland     March 16, 2017

With all the choices of folders on the market, a person can easily become confused as to which ones they should purchase. The idea that all folders are alike is wrong, as each type of folder offers a bit different organisation level and style. The expanding folder is an accordion type folder that has several sections inside, allowing for multiple documents to be stored. These are available in recycled material and those that are made in plastic. With each option, the person will find they are getting several folders in one, making it the choice for many who want to utilise their space efficiently.

Sections in Expanding Folders

Though most expanding folders are going to come with several sections the person can utilise, with many having as many as ten sections per folder, there are those that are one big folder without sections. Either option is still going to give a person the space they need to store multiple documents. In most cases, these folders are going to expand anywhere from two to three inches in width to accommodate the papers that are being stored in these.

 Options with Expanding Folders

There are several options a person can choose from with these folders. Not only can the person choose how many sections they have, if any, these folders also come in an array of colours, allowing for colour coding filing if this is of interest. In addition, the person can get the expanding folder with a top that either ties down with a rubber band on the front, or those that Velcro closed. Another option that many people do not think about are the hanging expandable folders that are used in desk drawers. This is something that combines the usefulness of hanging folders with the versatility of expanding folders.

Expanding folders are used by many offices throughout the country. Many people use these types of folders to travel with, as they are durable and can allow the person to have everything they need within one folder. Along with this, the person can ensure that the folder is going to stay closed and stand up against the wear and tear that they may be put through. The types of offices that use these folders vary. However, most any office will find they can use an expanding folder for their paperwork with any type of business they may be involved in.

                                      Office Supplies Ireland 

Six Nations 2017

It's starting to get tight at the top of the table as Ireland trail England by 3 points. Ireland next clash will be against Wales in the Six Nations. Lets hope we can see a game as intense as we witnessed in 2009 when Ireland won their first Grand Slam since 1948. Ireland have named an unchanged team that faced France. Rob Howley has come under criticism from many Welsh fans including famous rugby columnist Andy Howell who believes that young Sam Davies should be handed the 10 jersey ahead of Dan Bigger after some recent impressive performances for the Ospreys. It will be a well fought out win for Ireland if they can get over the Welsh hurdle especially without Ronan O'Gara and Brian O'Driscoll magic. Here at Office Supplies Ireland we have big rivalry going as we have a staff member who plays rugby down in Greystones and a French Colleague who also plays rugby and who hasn't had an easy last two weeks since the Ireland vs France game ended with an Irish victory.

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How to brighten up the office

Trying to concentration at a screen all day can become tough. When you office is dull it can bring a damper to your day, so we have done a few things you can do to bring your sprites up while at work! 

Get some inspiration

Stumped on ideas? There are plenty of ideas on the internet you can find loads of ideas for way to lighten up the office or what to have, all you have to do is go on the internet and type in what you want to know.

Accessorise

Small things make the big difference. Instead of having a plain black pen pot why not go for bright blue or purple or pink? Having all the little bits and bobs in bright colour makes your desk seem lighter because it is not drowned in dark dull colours.

Let there be light

Having natural lightening is always the best, finding the right lightening can mean you can stay in a good mood, have a lit up area can improve your mood and behaviour. If you can’t get the natural lighting you need the next best thing is to invest in a lamp.

Go green

Having an office plant can improve productivity by up to 12% and half the risk of catching an illness whilst at work. Sick of your noisy desk neighbour? Place a plant in between your desks! Plants reduce stress and can decrease noise by 5 decibels.