The Office/BBCLoving spreadsheets, owning highlighters in three colours and getting enjoyment from labelling things are among the signs you’re an ‘office geek’, according to a study.
Researchers polled 2,000 office workers and found half consider themselves to be someone who takes pride in having nice stationery and a tidy desk.
Other indicators include loving a pen which writes well, having a Pinterest board dedicated to stationery and owning a desk tidy.
PixabayGetting the hump when other staff use your desk is a sign too, along with never chewing your pens and possessing blue, black and red ballpoint pens.
Commissioned by Lyreco, distributor of office supplies and workplace products, the research found 84 per cent of self-confessed office geeks are proud to be so.
NBCSpokeswoman Helen Moran said:
The term ‘office geek’ might be new to some people but as the results show it’s something many people identify themselves as.
In fact, it’s a badge of honour with so many people admitting to feeling proud of this title.
Trying to have a tidy desk and owning an impressive selection of stationery is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
PexelsThe research also found having a to-do list, having your own mug and finding colour-coding therapeutic are signs of being an office geek.
Owning cleaning products specifically for your desk at work, being possessive of your stationery and writing in different colour pens depending on your mood are indicators too.
Having post-it-notes in at least three different colours are also signifiers, along with never chewing your pens and loving the smell of new stationery.
Max PixelIt also emerged 58 per cent of those polled admit they take pride in having ‘nice’ pens, notepads, rulers and other stationery.
Amid this, 62 per cent always make sure they get their stationery items back when they lend it – however 40 per cent don’t like to loan it out at all.
Pens and staplers are the items most likely to go ‘walkabout’ in an office.
PixabayFor 61 per cent, their love of stationery stems from fond childhood memories of getting new items especially for school.
Carried out through OnePoll.com, the research also found more than one fifth get excited when they get new stationery.
Yet six in 10 said they find highlighting things or using a pen which writes well actually improves their mood if they’re having a bad day – and almost half find this calming and therapeutic.
Getty UKOne in 10 have stationery items they actually look forward to using – the most popular items are pens, followed by notebooks, staplers and sticky notes.
Helen Moran added:
We have loved delving into the lives of office workers with our latest study. There’s definitely a true love for stationery and we’ve been fascinated to discover the geeky traits being displayed in British offices.
Whilst in the past the term ‘geek’ may have been seen as uncool, these days people are proud to be described in this way as it is linked to productivity, organisation and calmness.
NBCOver the coming weeks, Lyreco will be sharing lots of advice as part of their ‘confessions of an office geek’ campaign along with giveaways, blogs and special offers.
For more information visit intheloopbylyreco.co.uk or check out #LyrecoOfficeGeek on social media.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.