The right tool for the right job applies just as much to office work as it does to construction or engineering. Office productivity gadgets such as calendars and notebooks help ensure your team stays on track. Customized office productivity tools serve an additional purpose: branded with your logo, they make great gifts to clients and customers.
How to Improve Office Productivity With The Right Tools
Knowing how to improve office productivity is vital for any manager. Supporting your staff and setting realistic goals, practicing positive reinforcement, and providing positive feedback are all important, but so is providing your staff with the right tools for the job. With that in mind, here are some of our favorite office productivity gadgets.
Calendars
Calendars are one of the most common--and frankly effective--office productivity tools on the market. Sure, we’ve all got access to online calendars through our cell phones, but there’s something tangible about a physical calendar. They’re more convenient, making it easy to schedule meetings and appointments. The right calendar also offers the opportunity to jot down ideas and brainstorm. Popular choices for productivity include:
Monthly Planners
If you only use one of the officer productivity tools on this list, it’s likely to be a monthly planner. Portable, versatile, and smart-looking, monthly planners are the ideal gift.
Notebooks
Notebooks might seem outdated when compared to online note-taking apps, but the feel of putting pen to paper remains a powerful trigger for creativity and brainstorming. Some notebooks cross the line between the traditional and virtual worlds, including office productivity gadgets such as smart pens and smart paper that transfer notes to smart apps and online calendars.
- The Cross® Medium Bound Notebook Gift Set Superior Cross® branded notebook gift set makes both an ideal office tool and the perfect gift for clients in executive positions. The notebook features a high quality, leatherette cover with angled elastic closure, a ribbon page marker, and a Cross® Century Chrome Ballpoint.
- The Moleskine® Smart Writing Set Ellipse may be the future of office productivity gadgets, with its Pen+ Ellipse smartpen and Smart Planner with Ncoded paper. All information is digitized and transferred to the Moleskine Notes App and your calendar in real-time via Bluetooth.
- The Cordoba JournalBook™ includes a genuine leather cover, 100 sheets of lined paper, and a 7" x 9" bound journal refill.
Calculators
Like calendars, calculators have their digital rivals, but when you need to quickly perform some calculations, do you waste time opening an app? Desk calculators save time, making them efficient productivity tools. Examples include:
- The 3-in-1 Calculator/Picture Frame/Digital Clock includes a full-size desk calculator with raised black plastic buttons and a 12-digit LCD digital display.
- The Flip Cover Calculator is a pocket-sized calculator with rubber grips. A push of a button flips the cover open to reveal the display and elevate the calculator for easy use.
- The Retro Calculator is an 8 digit full function desk calculator with a retro matte metallic case, retro styling, and rubber touch keys.
Pens and Styluses
The computer age was supposed to usher in the paperless office, but it’s a rare office that doesn’t rely heavily on pen and paper. At the same time, the rise of the touchscreen has made styluses popular office productivity gadgets. Why use a pen and a stylus when you can combine the two? Check out these pen/stylus combos:
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are so ubiquitous you may not even be aware of how they influence office productivity. Those colorful little pieces of paper adorn whiteboards, computer monitors, and notice boards. They’re a part of every office, and you only notice them when you can’t find them. Keep these little productivity tools handy with gifts such as:
- The Mapleton Mini Sticky Notebook, which contains five neon-colored flag strips made with recycled paper. The book’s flap locks into a slotted closure to keep the case closed. Compact and great for traveling.
- The Flag Tag Ruler Case is a secure plastic case with sticky flags in 7 colors.
- The Sticky Book is a compact memo book with sticky flags, notepad, sticky notepad and sticky flags in a plastic-bound cover.
Flash Drives
While many companies use the cloud to store and transfer information, sometimes it’s necessary to transfer data using physical means. These small, powerful USB drives help you take data with you on the go. They also make great post-presentation gifts to potential clients; upload the presentation onto the drives and hand them out to at the end of the meeting. Possibilities include:
- The Edge USB Drive is a 1GB Promotional USB flash drive with LED light to indicate the state of the drive. No external power required.
- The Aluminum USB Drive is a custom printed aluminum 1Gb USB flash drive with a rounded removable cap.
- The USB Flash Drive Credit Card is one of the coolest office productivity gadgets on this list--a 2GB credit card-shaped USB drive that fits securely in your wallet or purse.