Anyone seen my new laptop?

We live in an age where flying business class means you can get a power socket to plug in your laptop and work away at 30,000 feet.

However, airports are full of lost and unclaimed laptops. It is also widely known that there are many laptops which have been lost in airports and they never turn up. This kind of security risk concerns thefts and external risks.

There is also another type of risk- security related- that makes most IT managers to admit their hatred of laptops. They get countless calls about why laptops don't work, constant demand for the best and the latest products and they have to cope with the cost of replacements when a machine crashes.

They are called by their CEO's to find the cheapest and most effective laptops for employees so as to save money for the company. On the other hand, companies have addressed this need offering cheap, high-tech, functional and effective laptops for companies and individuals.

With the prices set to be extremely low, laptop purchase has become a quick and easy decision.

Business cards win impressions!

While looking for random things few days ago, I stumbled upon a picture that caused me a lot of awe. Once more I blessed the creativity in some people's mind as well as how they use it to make money.

If you contemplate how much of creativity can be used in designing a business card you will probably come up with the answer ''limited''. Well if you look carefully at the picture above you can see that this is a business card of a person working in a security company. The break-out lock picking kit combined with the metallic material that the card is made by, is drawing lots people's attention who want to give a second closer look at this work of imagination.

The key thing of this business card is not the profession neither the card holder's name displayed onto the card but the design and creativity put into to make it.

Undoubtedly, business card is one of the most important first contact points that win people's impression. Thus, a card holder should have a business card suitable to his/her profession and profile as well.

There are many stores that specialize in designing and selling business cards tailored to your needs and your professional profile so as to win impressions just before going for perceptions.

Work from home(ffice)!

A few years ago, the claim of owing a ''home-based'' business would definitely raise some eyebrows. Moreover, people often chose to refer to them as...''bogus'' companies. And I am sure there are still many people out there, who believe that if you don't put on a dress, a suit, or any other type of ''work uniform'', have proper offices- even if your business doesn't really need one- and generally, adjust your behaviour and appearance your peers, you are definitely NOT running a ''real'' business.

However, nowadays I daily come across people who run successful- sometimes even international- business, and they are not ashamed of admitting that they work from home. Possibly, mass media has played a vital role in making it possible for someone not only to work from home, but also manage and run a healthy company. As a result, home-based companies are gaining more and more respect even by more conventional companies, who do not believe that the model- although different to theirs- lacks in business substance.

And because it is normal for people to think that if they work from home, they might not be as successful- which is true, in some occasions-, here's a list of things to reconsider in case you ever have an offer to work from home...

- No boss, no board of directors or shareholders. Your only boss is your customers.
- You are free to set up your own priorities and therefore to be accountable to yourself to meeting them. You are also accountable to people you have chosen to be and not random people who got a promotion ahead of you.
- Healthier living. You can get to the gym or a lovely swimming pool whenever you like, in ten minutes or less.
- One of the latest technology advances, you can now work from home anywhere in the world with free local and international telephony via Voip. All you need is a laptop!

Put on your pyjamas and get to work.

Office wine tasting party

Want to organize a mini party at the office after work? a wine tasting party is always elegant and if organized well in advance it will ensure a pleasant time for all of your colleagues.

What you need though in oreder everything to run smoothly is drinking equipment and an assortment of wines. You don't need to hire a wine expert to take the group to the sanctuary of wine flavours. If any of your colleagues is considered more wine experienced and willing to help ask him or her to lead the group.

You can also prepare some cheese plates using different kind of cheese just to accompany the new flavours of wine. For the wine selection, there is no need of asking everyone to bring a bottle of wine. There are online stores that offer great assortments of wines in good prices delivered straight to your office. You can split the cost and spend a great ''wine'' afternoon at the office.

Vintage style in offices with attitude

A ''new'' trend in decoration and in lifestyle has launched lately that although pre-existing, people seem like just dug it out and brought back in fashion. Vintage art has been always a sophisticated form of art used in decoration and lifestyle or even in way of living and thinking.

What impresses me though about this trend is the wide adoption by people who choose stylish pieces of vintage art to decorate their offices. I have recently happened to drop by an office of a company that was decorated with posters of vintage art hanging on the walls. The overall outcome was really positive as the pieces used had given a sophisticated tone to the office's atmosphere as well as an elegant look to the person working in.

For those who are ignorant of the term, vintage style used to be a trend 25 years ago mainly in garment industry and considered as a reaction to the loss of social values. In other words, there was a strong connection between lifestyle and attitude towards real values.

Overall, vintage art, as said above, comprises a sophisticated form of art that can be expressed in many ways depending on the use you prefer it for. You can find posters and decoration items in specific real or online stores. You don't need to have special decorating skills to give your place an elegant look;just keep it simple.

Flowers improve work performance!

Recent survey has revealed that flowers scent can affect people's mood in a positive way. Considered to be true, people have already started taking advantage of this theory and make use of flowers not just for decoration purposes but as influential factor on people's performance in work.

Most employees regard their working environment as a depressing place to work in. People strongly believe that an impersonal and uncoloured office make those who work in moody and less productive. There are many ways though to improve the bad office image and therefore to amend their mood and performance in terms of productivity.

One of those that is being already applied by many companies is placing bunches of flowers in several points around the offices in work. There are businesses that specialize in office stuff including delivering bunches of flowers to your place of work. A good example of such business is Euroffice company that offers a range of different bunches options categorizing by price, colour, occasion, season and sentiment.

Even if you work at home, Euroffice can always deliver the flowers of your preference to the place of your choice.

Specializing in Paperwork

How many times did you catch yourself saying ''I would pay to see this paperwork to rights''. Well, if you think you are the only one, you are fooled.

I was searching for random things when I stumbled upon a site that specializes in ''tidying up paperwork''. My first thought was that those people might have foreseen potential profit in activities that are just too boring and time consuming for common people to do and therefore it's very likely to pay for. Apparently, Office Stuff's existence signals that this is the case.

Additionally, the company mainly targets attracting businesses but also provides support for individuals. Their long experience in administration, book keeping and many other ''tidying up'' services in conjunction with the appealing pricing strategy gives a general impression that these people know what they are doing.

Office furniture, what, where and how much?

Office furniture are not an easy buy. The cost, specially for boardroom furniture and desking is high but there are many more factors to consider. For one, furniture used in offices need be robust and in cases of expensive desks, executive chairs and other boardroom furniture it is essential that there are spare parts in case of damage. You therefore need consider not only a reliable supplier but also one that delivers on time and understands your space and business needs.

The office furniture industry is a saturated one with a few established and many new players. If you are after quality and understanding of your business space then you should consider buying from a company that offers office space planning, refurbishment, relocation services and interior design. These services might not be applicable to your current needs but they often show that the retailer you get involved with has a deeper understanding of this area.

Try Panther Interiors for a complete solution or visit Furniture@Work  for basic entry level products.

Tax benefits for office supplies

The US National Federation of Independent Business has achieved an increase in expensing limits for the 2006 tax returns of small-business owners . Congress has already approved an extension of the increased expensing limit from 2009. The 2006 tax year limit is $108,000. To receive immediate tax benefits you can now spend on office supplies, rather than spreading the cost over several years as a depreciation expense. Computers, software, furnishings and machinery can all offer tax benefits as long as they are purchased before the end of 2006.

Stop stealing the office supplies

Latest reports indicate that one in five young workers steal office supplies without thinking it is wrong. Only one in ten older workers do the same. No one knows how many employees had been caught in the process or how many were fired for such behavior.

One expert professor that has studied employee theft for years has revealed that he has himself never been caught. He is the author of some of the most important research and authorships in this field.

He claims that employees fall into two categories: those who steal office supplies and those who don't. He admitted some employees may take office supplies home accidentally and is not interested in these employees.

So, between the kleptomaniacs, survivalists, cheapskates, and basic thieves it's a wonder any company can keep it's office supplies. Companies are therefore advised to buy only the cheapest, lousiest supplies - pencils that break, pens that skip and staplers that jam.

Ever wondered why the stationery was in such a state?
Now you know!