by Valerie Glander

Between 2005 and 2015, the number of U.S. workers who do at least 50% of their work from home grew 115% to nearly 4 million workers.  Industry experts predict that this trend will continue, reaching nearly a third of workers working remotely in the next 10 years.  What do these shifts in the workforce mean for office environments?  How can employers play a proactive role in planning for these changes? 

Moment of truth here-- I’m writing this from my sofa with my laptop on my lap.  While I don’t quite meet the criteria of ‘at least 50%’ work from home, I’m part of the growing group who splits time in the office and at home.  It’s not hard to see why – as email and 24/7 accessibility become the norm, it’s no longer necessary to stay at a desk in front of the landline to be reachable and productive.  Now considered an ‘always on’ economy, expectations of response times and flexible schedules dominate the workforce.   

by Diana L. Martin

This is the time of year when I like to showcase new products. Our 2020 catalog has been out for a month or so and it’s full of great items!

Today I’d like to show you two items in the markerboard arena. Markerboards may not be the most exciting thing in your office, but they’re pretty much a necessity - even for home offices - and when something new comes along, we want to give you first look at it.

by Sarah Izzo

Planning to save time and money while keeping the gray hairs away

There are plenty of event checklists, blogs, websites, systems, apps and agencies dedicated to providing information on all things event planning. What we want to focus in on today is the event collateral material - the general timeline and deadlines that might be needed when you plan your event. There are a lot of moving parts to an event that can either come together easily or the train can derail in mass casualty of confusion leaving you looking for hair dye.

by Diana L Martin

It’s hard to escape the Royal Family nowadays. The entertainment magazines constantly have articles about Kate’s feud with Megan, how Harry and David aren’t getting along now, will Queen Elizabeth be stepping down soon, etc… Today I’m going to quiz you on a different type of royalty. Our topic today is:

Music Royalty

by Kim Schroeder

As we enter the new decade, let’s take a look at what office trends are hot and what are not.  Office styles have seen many changes throughout the years.  So, what should we expect to see for office spaces in 2020?  First and foremost, we expect to see continued growth in improving employee performance, productivity, and well-being. 

Private Office

Executive Office designs have been continuously evolving – a few years ago, selling an executive desk was a pretty straightforward purchase but today that is not the case.  Today’s modern offices integrate technology in amazing ways!  Executive desks can be sleek and beautiful.  There are even apps to download on your smartphone that can move your desk up or down or let you know that you have been sitting in your chair too long. 

"Is there something that I can use to put brochures or magazines in a binder without punching them - and so that you can read them?  I don't want a sheet protector.  Don't they make something like this? What's it called and where do I find it?"

by Diana L. Martin

It's here....................that dreaded time of year when you have to tackle the year-end filing.  It doesn't matter whether you're a business or an individual - we all have to do it.  Tax records, employment records, investment records, etc.....

Lucky for you, I work for an office supply company so I can help you with this.  You have two basic choices available - storage drawer systems or individual storage boxes.  Step 1 is to decide which of those you want.

by Sarah Izzo

Don’t die from licking the envelopes!

Utilizing mail houses saves time and money on postage.

Christmas is almost upon us and most of our client’s holiday messages are already in the mail. The US Post Office has encouraged a private industry of mailing companies by offering postage discounts for doing part of the job of sorting. Postage discounts that can be quite significant for our nonprofit customers and absolutely worth the savings for every customer. Often the reduction in postage can offset the cost of the service making the entire experience hands off for the client.

by Diana L. Martin

Are you feeling lucky today? I hope so, because today you have the chance to win a fabulous prize in our Trivia Contest! It’s time to test your skills with our topic:

Common Denominators

by Diana L. Martin

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the holidays will be here before you know it. I’m willing to bet that someone in your office has already been tasked with organizing your company party. There are lots of decisions to be made: where, when, what kind of food, games, etc.

If your company is like a lot of others, you save money by having the party onsite at the end of the workday (and into the evening). Office Express can help you with the supplies you need to make the evening a success.

by Sarah Izzo

Where are mailings in your marketing budget?

Did you know that Office Express offers mailing services?We have shared in the success and the proven ROI of direct mail with our customers. In these digital days printed material has proven to gain more focus from any audience. The days of catalogs are more relevant than ever so if your social media campaign is falling flat consider a printed piece.

by Diana L. Martin

I spend a lot of time traveling during the school year because my son is attending college out of state. As a matter of fact, I just returned from a trip to his school about two weeks ago. There’s a historical marker right outside the hotel I stay at and I thought it would make a good question, so our topic today is:

U.S. History

by Valerie Glander, Interior Design Manager

As the year end approaches, the OEX Design team starts to look ahead.  We are working on a Showroom Refresh, and the new furniture is starting to arrive.  (Yay!)  The new products released at NeoCon are starting to roll off the production line and I’m excited to share some of the latest designs from Hon. 

 We’ll have these collections on display in the OEX Showroom by the end of November, we’d love to give you a tour. 

by Diana L. Martin

We recently added a new function to our site that I think you’re going to love. It’s called Shared Cart and it lets other people add items to a shopping cart that you created. This can be a great time saver - for one thing it eliminates the need for requisition forms. Just think - no more collecting requests from employees and no more stacks of requests on your desk to be reviewed. (Or does your computer look like this after everyone leaves you notes with their needs?)

by Sarah Izzo

It is starting to get a little chillier outside and with it the holiday season is upon us—holiday cards, calendars and branded gifts … oh my! We want to discuss these common custom printed items that come up this time of year and how to get them from OEX.

For holiday cards, you can go completely custom through your rep or the OEX Print Team - just reach out to us directly at print@oexusa.com or by phone at 248-307-1842. You can also select an existing card to custom imprint right through our Holiday Card Site at https://oex.4printing.com/. 

by Diana L. Martin

It’s that time again - Trivia Day!

I’m in a sports mood today, so our topic will be:

Major League Baseball Trivia

by Valerie Glander, Interior Design Manager

Finding the process of planning your office renovation exhausting?  We can relate!  With thousands of product options and endless possibilities, it can be a bit overwhelming.  That’s where our furniture team comes in – let us help you through the planning, selection and construction process.  Our Account Managers and Interior Designers can take off some of the burden of finding the right furniture and finishes for your space and budget.   

by Diana L. Martin

As I’m sure you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This is a topic that has a significant personal connection to me and I urge all of you to support as many of the fundraisers as you are able.  Breast cancer has such a huge presence in our lives that I’m sure most all of you know someone who has been affected by this horrible disease.  According to the American Cancer Society, a woman living in the U.S. has a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

 1 in 8.   

Meetings are a regular part of the office environment. You may like them or you may hate them, but they are a fact of office life. Are you and your staff getting the most out of yours? If not, it’s time to get organized and get the right tools to make your meetings more effective.

Audio visual equipment plays a large part in the meeting equation.

I’ve never been much of a reader - it’s just not something I do for fun - but when I was a kid, there were a few comic books & magazines that I read regularly. Today I will test your knowledge of:

Comic Strip Trivia