The Top 7 Office Supplies Every New Employee Needs on Day One
You’ve spent countless hours and money vetting and interviewing candidates for that new job at your company. At last, you found the perfect fit. They have signed a job contract, and you’re all ready to go.
After spending significant time finding ideal employees, you’d be surprised at the number of businesses who drop the ball when it comes to keeping them. Retaining top-notch employees begins from the moment they set foot in your office.
What’s wrong with this picture?
A while back, Wired Magazine ranked their saddest cubicles, and this barren excuse for a workspace made the list. If this is how your company greets new employees, you shouldn’t be surprised if the only thing you find left behind after your newest hire bolts for the emergency exit is a pool of tears at the bottom of that blue recycling bin.
Dude, Where’s My Stapler?
Not providing your new employees a desk is a pretty big deal. In past blog posts, we’ve discussed how to give your office a furniture makeover to increase productivity and employee satisfaction. But let’s move beyond the obvious—of course, your new employees need a desk, a computer, etc.—to the office supplies that will help smooth the transition to their new career.
You need to think ahead. In the days leading up to your new employee’s first day, you should focus on stocking their workspaces with all the office supply essentials. We recommend composing a list of office supplies for new employees that will get them off to a great start.
Thankfully, you don’t have to go it alone. GOS is here to help. In this article, we will offer 7 must-have office supplies that your new employee will need for their first day.
1. Wastebaskets
If you’re not putting wastebaskets in your employees’ offices, you seriously need to stop reading this immediately and give us a call.
The wastebasket question is much larger than simply making sure your new employees’ offices come equipped with a wastebasket.
Wastebasket selection is a matter of great importance: should you go with a sturdy soft-sided plastic receptacle or a stylish mesh number? Remember: small office supply choices have great consequences.
2. Pens
You may not have heard of László Bíró, but you might recognize the name Biro, as in Biro-brand pens. László and his brother, George, escaped the Nazis in Europe in 1940 to start their famous ballpoint pen company.
We hope the trials of László and George Bíró help you remember to stock your new employees’ offices with plenty of pens.
3. Staplers, Tape, and Scissors
The myth of the “paperless office” has been around since the mid-1970s. Like any myth—robots will replace human workers—it makes intuitive sense. With email and computers and all the other paperless modes of communication, isn’t it a matter of time before paper becomes obsolete?
Fact: workplaces use more paper today than ever before. As it turns out, computers have increased the amount of paper used in the workplace. How can that be? Well, with so much more content available online than before, employees are printing more, not less.
So, you’ll want to invest in some of the paper equipment basics for your new employees. Maybe you even want to spring for a reduced-effort stapler?
4. Dry Erase Boards
As you refine your list of office supplies for new employees, you might think: do I actually need to spring for a dry erase board (or whiteboard)? Isn’t this a little over the top?
Whiteboards are super effective in giving spur-of-the-moment and quick feedback. They encourage teamwork and collaboration. GOS assumes that this is precisely what you want from your new employees—teamwork and collaboration.
5. Binders Are Beautiful
Binders get a bad rap. If you’ve had a bad binder experience, which includes everything from snapping your fingers in their rings to Binder Fatigue Syndrome, GOS wants you to know that we feel your pain.
At the same time, we really believe in the power of a great binder. Pinched fingers, ugly primary colors, and flimsy covers—away with you. When you’re stocking your new employees office, look for professional black and white binders with options such as spill-free covers, DuraHinge technology, and slanted rings.
6. Paperclips
Also file this under: the paperless office is a figment of your imagination. Have you ever found yourself in the position of having a stack of papers that are much too thick for the stapler? Do you want your new employees to be wandering aimlessly through the hallways of your office asking for a paperclip?
No new employee office supply checklist would be complete without a jumbo tin of multi-colored, coated plastic paper clips.
7. Wall Art
If you’ve ever walked into a room with blank walls, it can easily feel like you just landed in the psychiatric ward of a state hospital. You want your new employees to feel welcome and at home in their new workplace digs, and nothing goes further than sprucing up the walls with some colorful and inspirational art prints.
GOS has a number of frames in all shapes and sizes to make your office wall art pop.
Our new employee office supply checklist is far from complete, but this is a great place to start. As important as the HR paperwork your new employees fill out, making sure they feel at home in their new workplace makes a great first impression and says a lot about how your company treats its workers.
