A recent OnePoll survey commissioned by Avery revealed the depths of this issue, with over 20% of people admitting they have got in to trouble at work for forgetting to do things and more than half wishing for an extra pair of hands or more hours in the day.

Simple things such as forgetting to call people back and responding to emails are some of the most common tasks which slip our minds in the workplace, while failing to remember colleagues' names, leaving things on the printer and forgetting to bring a packed lunch also feature highly.

All in all, it emerged that on average we forget five important facts a day - with more than one in two of us blaming  'trying to do too much' as a reason for forgetting things or simply citing 'stress' as the cause. A quarter of us feel we're simply relied on to remember too much.

Whatever the reason we forget things it's hard to deny that this is a real issue facing workplaces today. Businesses are calling for increasingly flexible solutions to help them get things right first time - for instance, according to our survey only 40% of people have the time to learn and remember which supplies work with which printer, leading to mistakes that obviously cost businesses money, time and resources.  This is one of the reasons Avery introduced a simple solution to this sort of problem - Multi-Function Labels, designed to be used in all types of printers, including laser and inkjet printers , multi-function devices  and copiers, as well as being suitable for a wide range of other office tasks, giving businesses one less thing to think about.

It is clear that investing in more flexible products and services, as well as more flexible working practises are essential in helping to combat the common pressures found in the workplace. Whether it is stationery, software or technology - small businesses need to take a holistic approach, choosing products and services which provide comprehensive solutions compatible with the real working environment that we all live in. Applying this approach to as many areas as possible in the workplace will help to streamline office processes and maximise efficiency, boosting the productivity of your business and making to do lists that much simpler.

Gregg Corbett, Marketing Manager at Avery Office and consumer products

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