Top 10 Secret Santa Christmas presents for work colleagues

Gift giving in the office through Secret Santa is very common. It’s a way for colleagues to give each other a memorable gift for the holidays. These gifts don’t have to be expensive but it shows that work colleagues really care for each other especially during the holidays.

If you can’t think of an affordable gift as a Secret Santa, look for these items as options for gifts:

1. Small Plush Toys – this is a perfect gift for high-pressure offices. Plush toys can help soothe the tension because they can be used as a stress ball.
2. Stress Ball – a stress ball never goes out of style and it’s perfect for everyone. Be creative with your stress ball by purchasing items with a good design or message.
3. Slippers – this may not be a common Christmas gift but it’s one of the simple gifts you could give that can relieve stress of the feet.
4. Desk Notes – there are thousands of desk notes to choose from so you have to select a very unique desk notes to stand out.
5. Rubik’s Cube – it’s inexpensive and people are very familiar with the toy.
6. USB Santa Claus – there are hundreds of USB flash disks you could purchase online and they come in various designs including Santa Claus.
7. USB Rocket Launcher – one of the most popular affordable gadgets because of its unique system at a very affordable price.
8. Caps and Ear Warmers – Another popular option is to hand out items that help with the weather without spending too much.
9. Custom Designed Pencils – the pencils don’t have to be about Christmas but look for these designs to commemorate the holiday season.
10. USB Cup Warmer – another popular gift for co-workers in the office because it’s very simple (plug and play), affordable and can keep cups warm for hours.

Top 10 Excuses for Not Going to Work

We all have our reasons why we don’t want to go to work. While many of these reasons are true, there are days where you simply don’t want to show up at work. Telling your boss that you can’t go to work simply works because you don’t want to leave a bad impression and have possibly termination.

Even though we think of different creative ways to make excuses at work, we usually end up with some familiar conditions. The following are the top 10 excuses of employees who don’t want to go to work.

10. Diarrhea – very familiar and common since it leaves you some window to simply stay at home because you constantly need the toilet.

9. My Kid is Sick – one of the most popular excuses because employees don’t have to prove anything after their kid recovers.

8. You Don’t Feel Good and Will be at the Hospital – relatively common because it’s true. People calling in with this reason often ask for a medical certificate to prove that they actually went to the hospital because something is wrong.

7. “It’s my time of the month” – women can call in with this problem without any dispute from their boss especially if their boss is a man.

6. Still at the Airport – after a long weekend, you can easily extend your vacation by calling to tell them that you’re still stuck at the airport.

5. “I have to deal with something personal” – the keyword here is “something personal” they can’t ask for anything more because this will be invasion of privacy.

4. Someone Passed Away – this is another popular excuse since you can easily make up something especially when your boss is not familiar with your personal background.

3. Car Trouble – although not a perfect excuse not to work, it’s one of the best excuse to come in late. Just make sure you didn’t purchase your car last week.

2. Weather Problems – more often than not, weather problems can easily become the reason why you don’t want to work but it often turns out you’re not the only one out there.

1. Migraine – perfect excuse for people who already experienced migraines while at work.

Opus Energy Ltd - Cheap Office Energy

Opus Energy Ltd is a supplier of electricity and gas to UK businesses. The Company was established 9 years ago and has become a leading independent energy provider to the retail industry, government sector and housing associations. Opus Energy offers customers a competitively priced source of power as well as a high level of customer service.

Opus Energy's portfolio of companies has grown rapidly in size during the past few years. The business provides energy to more than 100,000 sites across the British Isles. Many of its customers are small or medium sized businesses that enjoy the savings and flexible billing the company can provide. Opus Energy Ltd supplies many household names with power including; Halfords, Cambridge City council, Stagecoach and Lloyds Pharmacy.

Opus Energy Ltd was recently featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250. The league table is made up of Britain's top mid-market private companies. Opus achieved the placement through improving sales by 31% during the past year. Currently the company employs 360 staff at its Northampton and Oxford offices. Following The Sunday Times announcement the company has announced it aims to create 100 new jobs.

The new positions will be aimed at helping the company continue its level of growth. Charlie Crossley Cooke, the Managing Director at Opus energy, has stated that he expects the new jobs to be filled by local people.

Opus Energy provides tailored and flexible products specifically aimed at larger business customers. Opus Corporate Solutions delivers customers with an end to end, customer focused service. The company supply low-cost energy with flexible and tailored products led by customer's requirements.

Best Flooring for Offices

Choosing the right type of flooring is essential for a well insulated office. Although it’s fairly easy to choose flooring based on personal preferences, there are other factors that makes a specific type is ideal for the office.

Tiles as Floor

Tiles are very hard and sturdy which is very ideal for offices looking for a floor with great support for heavy objects. The advantage of tiles is not only on its sturdy feature but also for its wide range of options based on design. The disadvantage of tile as flooring option is that it could create a lot of noise.

The Hardwood Option

Hardwood is almost the same as tiles when it comes to design options but only better on the noise level. Wood is recommended for those who want to have the classic look in their office floor. The main disadvantage is its vulnerability to scratches as well as dents.

Laminate Option

A laminated floor is a relatively new flooring option for offices. The properties of laminated floor are practically the combination of wood and vinyl. This means you’ll have a good looking floor with better resistance to scratches and dents because of the vinyl property.

Carpeted Floor

Carpets are very popular in offices because of its ability to insulate the room. The design option is also very good and installation is relatively easy compared to wood and tiles. The challenge for carpeted floors, on the other hand, is the maintenance cost. Carpets are very susceptible to scratches, dirt and even smell which means regular cleanup is a must.

Top 3 Unique Places to Work

A regular office will look like a collection of cubicles where everyone is very busy in front of their computers or dealing with customers through a glass window. But there are offices around the world that will make you rethink what a typical office should be. The following are some of the most unique offices in the world. As expected, these offices are from well known brands and companies, as they push their employees to do more or think outside the box.

Red Bull Office in London

The Red Bull office in London is a highly unique office because it features slides instead of escalators and tables in their meeting rooms can also be used for table tennis. The office also features a roof terrace where employees can hang out and enjoy the view of the bustling city of London.

Googleplex in Mountain View, California

The search engine giant did not hold back in getting the best for their employees. Their main office has a swimming spa, doctors on site that can help their employees anytime and free meals. There are also sports facilities that practically cater to any type of hobby. It’s one of the most popular workplaces in the world and it receives more than 1,300 resumes everyday.

Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California

Pixar is all about inspiration – and their office makes sure that their employees will always have something to be inspired about. It’s practically a complex with different types of offices you can’t find anywhere. Large open spaces to socialize and lounge areas where you can sit comfortably surrounded by world class designs.

Top MacBook Pro Laptop Rivals

Apple continues to set the benchmark on what a mobile device should be with its slew of impressive products such as the iPhone and the iPad. For notebooks, The MacBook Pro has become something every other notebook manufacturer wants to beat. Like the rest of the devices from Apple, MacBook Pro set the benchmark or parameters on the ideals of a notebook.

Notebook manufacturers have recently released a slew of notebooks with specs noteworthy to be tagged as a MacBook rival:

Top 3 Ways to Make your Office Eco-Friendly

An eco-friendly office can easily help the environment as well as cut costs in operating expenses. While switching off the air-conditioner when it gets colder can help drive costs down and help the environment, there are other ways an office can save money and become eco-friendly.

Reuse and Reduce on Paper

Every office should recycle their paper. But recycling alone does not help the environment because even using recycled paper means that a tree had to be cut down. Think beyond recycling and look for opportunities to limit usage of paper. A good example is to use “Virtual Fax” instead of the usual fax machine. It’s also a good idea to send an e-mail to everyone instead of printing out individual memos.

But if you really want to use paper, make sure that it’s already recycled and never hesitate to use the other side. Some offices cut their papers into ¼ sheets and use them as notepads for later use.

Reusing Ink Cartridges

Brand new ink cartridges work without any flaws after a successful installation. This is also true for reused ink cartridges. Instead of purchasing new ink cartridges, look for a supplier that can recycle the cartridge by refilling its ink. Aside from helping the environment, you’re also cutting costs as refilling ink in cartridges is more affordable than buying brand new cartridges.

Discarding Unnecessary Office Supplies

There are many discarded office supplies that usually end up in the bin. Among them are plastic coffee cups in the office. Everyone should just bring a mug to save on coffee cups and prevent unnecessary mess in the workplace. 

Ways to Save Electricity in Your Office

An office can easily save on electricity with a few changes to its current way of working. It is often very challenging for an office to reduce the costs of electricity because it’s a requirement to maintain the business operations. However, there are some changes on office equipment configurations an office can adapt to save on electricity while maintaining efficiency.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is very expensive but necessary because it helps maintain the temperature to prevent the computers from breaking and making everyone comfortable at work. It’s important to take a good look on how the air conditioning system is set-up to reduce costs.

The best way to save on air-conditioning is to properly insulate the office. The walls should be set-up with multiple coats so that air does not get-out. It’s also energy efficient to use multiple window type air conditioners compared to large air-conditions to centralize the entire office.

Computer Monitors and other Computer Equipments

Set-up your computer monitors to switch off after a few minutes if theyare not in use. It’s also important to switch off your printers and photocopiers after they have done their job. Since printers and photocopiers do not have the capability to automatically switch off, everyone has to do it manually.

Proper Use of Lighting

Always take advantage of daylight since it can help light the office without using any electricity. Place the tables and chairs in areas where you can easily take advantage of the natural lighting. You can easily save money in this set-up by simply rearranging the office.

Technology Events - Chemistry Club

The Chemistry Club is an independent company that works with the technology industry. The business produces a range of services and events including special briefings, business to business forums, executive coaching &and master classes.

The Chemistry Club holds 9 events each year in Central London venues. These are not social gatherings and should be taken as “work forums”. The evenings bring together a variety of different people from different companies. Attendees are usually; executive management from large businesses, global IT suppliers, individuals from the public sector and directors from private equity firms. To encourage debate at the discussions Chemistry Club also invites Chief Executives, Marketing Directors, Heads of Procurement, Academics, Operations Directors and Security & Risk Directors.

The evenings usually have a topical speaker who discusses a relevant change in the technology sector. They are followed by a lively question and answer session which can bring up further thought provoking questions. The events allow members to meet and discuss the industry with others; it does not matter whether the individuals have met before and it is entirely up to mutual consent who speaks to who. Despite the forums being busy, attendees do have enough time to go at their own pace and talk to as few or as many people as they would like. The evenings represent a great use of any member’s time.

The Chemistry Club's master classes are also a popular choice for members who to learn more. They offer the ability for individuals to improve their networking skills and provide methodologies for following up conversations.

Invensys appoint Victoria Hull executive director

Invensys has appointed Victoria Hull to the Board as an executive director. Victoria is the Group’s Chief Legal Officer and has responsibility for the management of compliance, legal and commercial risk across the entire Group.

Victoria originally joined Invensys in 2001 when she was an integral part of the Group’s senior management team. Invensys Chairman, Sir Nigel Rudd commented, he is delighted for Victoria to formally join the Board and he is sure the combination of her commercial acumen and legal skills will continue to greatly assist the Board’s decision making.

Invensys was established in 1908 and currently applies and develops advanced technologies to give the globes manufacturing and energy-producing facilities, mainline and mass transit rail networks, and appliances to operate safely in an energy-efficient manner. The Group has three divisions; Invensys Controls, Invensys Operations Management, and Invensys Rail. All of the Groups’ divisions provide systems and products which enable their customers to make the right decisions at the correct time and to optimise their operations and company value.

The business has a selection of core attributes which have allowed it to grow faster than its competition including; distinctive software and leading applications, a large install base with exceptional customer relationships, strong delivery skills in particular for large systems integration projects, a strong balance sheet and the proven ability of business development, partnering and teaming to enable the company to take advantage of their market position.

Invensys has a set of values which pulled from the strong cultures which already existed. The values of agility, innovation, integrity and performance express how the company conducts business and how the Group works with customers and all the people it interacts with.

Keeping your Computer Clean - Make your Monitor and Keyboard Sparkling

Protecting your computer from viruses and online attacks is very important. A good anti-virus and anti-spyware can maintain your computer’s performance even with continued use. With millions of viruses and spywares online, it’s important to have a powerful program to protect your computer all the time.

But aside from protecting your computer from online attacks and viruses, it’s also important to maintain the cleanliness of the physical aspect of your computer. You need to have the proper cleaning equipment to ensure your computer is clean inside and outside.

Using an LCD Cloth

Even if you’re only using CRT monitors, it’s still a good idea to use LCD cloths to clean your laptop and PC monitors. A good LCD cloth prevents any type of scratches on your computer monitor. The cloth is even useful for other digital devices such as mobile phones, televisions and tablets.

Water and Alcohol Only

There are areas of your computer that will require you to moisten the cloth to easily remove the dirt. Do not use anything else other than water and alcohol. There are liquid solutions sold in some computer shop specifically for LCDs but they are only useful for monitors and not on other computer parts.

Other Peripherals to Clean Your Computer

Portable vacuum cleaner and cotton swabs are also good cleaning tools for your computer. The portable vacuum cleaner is for hard to reach areas especially for personal computers. The cotton swab is useful for removing dirt in smaller places the vacuum can’t easily access. Just be careful and avoid very sensitive areas of your computer or else your PC might not work.

The Benefits of Green Tea vs. Coffee

Coffee is a very popular beverage due to its ability to help us maintain our concentration and prevent drowsiness. It’s often the pick-up drink in the morning and in the afternoon, although many people can easily drink more than two cups of coffee everyday. Thanks to caffeine, coffee can easily prevent drowsiness and even increase one’s energy.

But there is an increasingly popular alternative – green tea. It’s a healthier drink but can also help maintain concentration and prevent drowsiness. After all, green tea also contains caffeine which is the main ingredient in coffee that aids in concentration.

Aside from caffeine, green tea comes with additional health benefits. Green tea is a very good source of flavonoids, an antioxidant with variety of health benefits not only for preventive capacity but even for curative purposes.

To further illustrate the capabilities of antioxidants in green tea, its antioxidants contain a very specific type of catechin: epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. This type of catechin pushes the level of curative and health capability of the antioxidant. EGCG’s antioxidant capacity is up to 20 times stronger than Vitamin E. Green tea can easily help you to develop great skin because of its antioxidant qualities. It’s also known to prevent the growth of cancer causing enzymes. What’s even more unique about green tea is that it is thought to have the capacity to prevent cancer in a greater way than black tea.

You can ensure a higher concentration level by drinking green tea at least three times each day. It’s not as expensive as coffee from Starbucks and you can simply enjoy a cup of tea at home with very little preparation.

The Advantage and Disadvantages of Serviced and Non-Serviced Offices

Serviced offices can greatly help businesses, especially small, start-up entrepreneurs. A service office comes with practically everything an entrepreneur needs without having to procure anything. Aside from a small office space, a serviced office comes with different types of amenities that will surely aid the entrepreneur in their business transactions. Services such as internet connection, a phone line with fax and a fully furnished office are only some of the amenities of a serviced office.

Although a serviced office is ideal for small businesses, it can be costly in the long run. It’s highly recommended for small businesses that requires temporary assistance for their office needs. The monthly cost of running a serviced office can be counter-productive especially when there’s a need for a permanent office.

While a serviced office is deal for short term office needs, a non-serviced office is ideal for businesses with a long term plan of operation in a specific location. Offices like these are usually larger and they require some time for set-up before they become useful. The disadvantage of non-serviced office is the need to procure and subscribe to certain products and services. Services such as phone lines and internet connection are not yet set-up in a non-serviced office.

The main advantage of a non-serviced office is the cost. A business with a non-serviced office is practically renting a room for an extended period of time. No additional payment is required especially when the non-serviced office will require some set-up. A non-serviced office is also cost effective because the rent is often lower in a long term deal.

Keyboard Positioning to Prevent and Reduce Arthritis

Office workers always face the risk of suffering from different types of physical pain because of improper posture while at work. This is largely related to the positioning of the office equipment. Your mouse, keyboard and monitor should all be at the correct positions. Productivity could come at a cost of suffering physical pain especially arthritis if you don't set up your equipment correctly.

Proper Posture as the Key

The best way to prevent arthritis while working in an office is to practice proper posture. Always sit up straight with your back comfortably leaning in the cushion. You don’t have to lean too much – your cushion should be there to support your back.

Your knees should be able to touch each other at will and your feet should comfortably lay flat in the floor. Your feet should be at a 90-degree angle and anything lesser than that could cause some muscle discomfort at the end of the day.

Hand Position in the Keyboard

The best way to determine if your hand is properly positioned for the keyboard and mouse is the angle of your arms. To prevent any muscle problems, your arms should have a 90-degree angle. The keyboard should be conveniently placed in front of your body easily reachable by your hands. The mouse should be placed beside the keyboard so that you don’t have to stretch your hand while working.

Periodic Breaks

While these positions can prevent arthritis, you should avoid staying in the same position for more than an hour. Stand up and walk for a minute or two so that your body could break the monotony of the position.

Opus Energy Ltd Features in Sunday Times Top Track 250

Opus Energy Ltd, established in 2002, is an independent supplier of electricity and gas to the UK business sector. The company provide a competitive source of power as well as a high standard of customer service.

Opus Energy Ltd currently provides power to more than 100,000 properties across the United Kingdom. It provides power to the retail industry, government sector and many housing associations. Opus also supplies household names with electricity including; Rushcliffe Homes, FirstGroup, Halfords and Lloyds Pharmacy.

Opus Energy has a supply agreement with International Power Plc. This enables them to provide a reliable source of low-priced power to their customers.

Opus was awarded the Independent Energy Suppliers of the Year in 2010 for their level of service. The Company has also recently been featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250. The league table includes Britain's leading mid-market private companies. Opus Energy achieved a placement in the Top Track 250 due to a growth of 31% in sales figures last year compared to the year before.

Opus Energy currently employs 360 staff at its Oxford and Northampton sites. The company expects to create 100 new jobs for people in the local areas between now and December 2012. The company's Managing Director, Charlie Crossley Cooke has stated that the company is focused on the future and will be creating the new jobs to meet their continued level of growth.

Opus Energy offers 3 main businesses power options for corporate customers, these include;

Opus Evolution

A flexible power purchasing solution aimed at customers using more than 5GWh of electricity. The product enables corporate customers to dictate when and how they procure power. This offers some considerable benefits for their customers including direct access to the wholesale market.

Opus Extra

Opus Extra is aimed at small corporate customers using less than 5 GWhs of electricity. The product offers flexible purchasing normally only available to larger consuming corporate companies. Unlike fixed contract products the buyer can increase the amount of energy within a contract term in order to make up the total required amount.

Opus Fixed

Opus Fixed is a traditional fixed price product from the company. It offers a personalised account service and specialised business-to-business invoicing. Opus Energy's aim is to develop long-term contracts with customers by being open and honest in all forms of communication.

Opus Energy currently sponsor gold winning British gymnast Daniel Keatings. Recently Daniel  performed a routine on a farm with a newly installed wind turbine. The footage can be seen below;

Invensys creates Virtual Reality Training System to Help U.S. Department of Energy Advance Clean Coal Power

Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of software solutions, technology systems, and consulting services to the process and manufacturing sectors, announced today that the United States Department of Energy (DOE) will use the businesses innovative EYESim™ virtual reality training solution as the centerpiece of a new high-tech training center to support the development of new generation zero-emission IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) power plants with carbon capture.
The IGCC training center is part of the DOE’s initiative to develop new clean-coal power plants which produce environmentally friendly electric power through burning fuel more efficiently. Under the terms of the contract, Invensys will provide a high-fidelity, full-scope, concurrent dynamic simulator for a generic IGCC plant with carbon capture. The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory will operate the simulator at both a satellite location at West Virginia University’s National Research Center and its Dynamic Simulator Training and Research Center in Morgantown, W.Va.
Tom Fiske, Ph.D., ARC Advisory Group stated; "Industry specialists agree that the age of clean near zero-emission coal power is here, and we deem that EYESim technology from Invensys is a scalable resource for the quickly emerging clean-coal industry. As a powerful training and design solution, it will develop a highly cost-efficient, safe training environment, as well as develop expertise in the operation, control, and analysis of commercial-scale IGCC plants."
In November 2008, Invensys was awarded a contract by the DOE to simulate the IGCC process using its SimSci-Esscor DYNSIM® process modeling software. The most recent contract includes a 3-D virtual reality experience within the simulation.
Maurizio Rovaglio, Ph.D. and head of innovation and emerging technologies for Invensys Operations Management commented; "Using the joint solution capabilities of our SimSci-Esscor EYESim and DYNSIM technologies, we will create a high-fidelity model of a generic coal-fired IGCC power plant that operators and designers can interact with in real-time. Comparable to an immersive 3-D computer game, this simulation is derived from complex software that exactly models the physics of the plant’s operations, and is not merely based on an artistic rendering."