Better Together
Three Office Romances You’ll Want to Encourage
It’s not uncommon for an employer to enforce a no dating policy for coworkers. After all, who wants to deal with the potential loss in productivity and office drama? But just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re introducing three office couples that will actually help your office. Read on to find out why you’ll want to make sure that these office romances turn into long term relationships.
Chair and Chair Mat: Supporting each other through tough times
Chair and chair mat are like the When Harry Met Sally of office couples – meant to be together even if they don’t realize it at first. Why are they perfect together? Chair mat offers chair the support it needs to support you through the work day. The wheels that come standard on most office chairs are meant for hard surfaces, not carpet. If you’re using your chair on carpet, the friction between the wheels and the carpet means you have to work harder to move around. That can lead to back strain and leg fatigue. A chair mat offers a firm, smooth surface that lets you take full advantage of your chair’s wheels to move freely in your workspace.
Chair mats also prevent damage to your floors. As you roll back and forth over the same area day after day, the wheels on your chair will start to damage the floor. A chair mat offers a layer of protection between the two that will cut down on wear and tear. Chair mats are available for all flooring types, from hard surfaces to the plushest of carpets.
Shredder and Shredder Oil: Working together to make things run smoothly
The shredder is the workhorse of the office, chugging along, unappreciated, day after day. Shredders have needs too, though. Show your shredder some appreciation by setting it up on a date with shredder oil. We guarantee they’ll hit it off. Why? Oiling your shredder will help reduce friction on the cutters, thereby extending the life of your shredder. Oil your shredder every time you empty the wastebasket (more often if you have a micro-cut model) and you can be sure that it will keep running at peak performance. At just over $10 a pop, the occasional bottle of oil is significantly cheaper than buying a new shredder every few years.
To oil your shredder, apply a fine stream of the oil across the feed opening. Then run the shredder in reverse for a few seconds to distribute the lubricant evenly.
Printer and Paper: Bringing out each other’s best qualities
The idea that the right partner can make you better is a romantic mainstay. You’ll find it everywhere, from Jane Austen novels to Oscar nominated films. This doesn’t apply just to people. Regular multipurpose paper might be great for meaningless flirtations (by which we mean printing off emails that you’ll probably throw away), but when it’s time to get serious you’ll want a better paper. Working on an important presentation or new marketing materials? Put your best foot forward by choosing the right paper for your printer. Whether you’re printing in color or black and white, on a laser printer or an inkjet printer, there’s a paper that will make the finished product shine. For example, inkjet papers are specially coated to minimize ink absorption and speed drying time so you’ll see less wavy paper and fewer smears. The super smooth surface of laser papers increases toner adherence and produces sharp, clear images. Most premium papers are also a brighter white so both black text and color images will pop off the page. Choose a heavier weight paper (24 lb or more) and you’ll notice that you’ll see less bleed-through when printing on both sides of the page.