There's optimism in the air, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW). Their latest quarterly Business Confidence Monitor shows confidence rising for the third successive quarter: it is now +24.6, up from +4.8 in the third quarter and a significant reversal of the -36.3 of a year ago.

I'll admit it – I'm staggered. I've been reading about the Bic Velocity retractable gel pen. It has a retractable point and comes in three colours. I admit, that doesn't sound too amazing; it's just like a standard gel pen that you might find in any office stationery cupboard. Right?

A couple of entrepreneurial characters have found a novel use for wool - watch this short video to find out how and why they made woollen swimwear.

This short video shows an innovative approach to business networking that some small business owners have taken up.

The widespread use of pet names in this country has always puzzled me.  You just don’t hear Americans calling each other ‘babe’ and ‘dearie’ – outside of Texas or a seedy bar, that is.

Funny how hard times can make us dishonest people of us all. Two surveys out recently highlight how staff feeling vulnerable in a recession are likely to go down the slippery slope.

Small businesses are working longer and longer hours to stave off the effects of the recession, according to a report by Abbey and Alliance & Leicester. It reveals that 34% of SME owners are working more than they were a year ago.

A company in America has made envelopes that, when you lick them to seal them, taste like bacon. They even look like bacon, too.

Think of it as an instant 'electric' attraction. No, I'm not talking about the office heartthrob, but the laser printer in the office. It's there, all day, everyday, purring and turning out the pages, though few of us have a clue as to how it works. Apart from boffins of course, such as those at Hewlett Packard.

When I write posts about the products we sell, I try to find an interesting angle on things. It gives me a chance to exercise some of my creativity and, I hope, people like what I write. However the problem with creativity is that sometimes one's well runs dry, the juices just don't flow. That's when it's time  to reappraise what you're writing about and get to the bare bones; the basics of the product and what it does.

It seems more and more company directors are letting office formalities slide when it comes to appropriate and inappropriate language.  But they might want to watch their mouths – and have a quiet word with others who might speak before they think.

Hello Euroffice readers. We're calling upon you to raise arms, steady pens, take fire at the 2009 Weblogs awards and nominate for us as Best Business Blog! With enough of you saying you like us, we've got a good chance of making it to awards themselves. (The nominations are just like a warm-up match to see who gets through.)

While businesses may have learned how to ride out the recession, they remain 'ultra cautious about increasing pay', according to the latest employment survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Its results show that half of all employers in the UK are set to impose a pay freeze, and wage restraint seems to be the order of the day.

The gender pay gap has narrowed during the last year, but women who are employed full-time are still earning 12.2 per cent less than their male counterparts – this down slightly from 12.6 per cent last year.

There's a new breed of businesswoman on the horizon. It's the 'lipstick entrepreneur', says a report from Avon, the beauty products company, and she's set to redefine how, where and when we work.

Paper is one of the office supplies that we take for granted. It's somehow reassuring to see the stacks of A3 or A4 printer paper, piled neatly by the printer or photocopier. If they run out, we're surprised and surprisingly discombobulated.

With the rush hour crowds, traffic jams, packed trains and buses and even train driver shortages to deal with, it’s no wonder 62 per cent of British workers want to reduce the time they spend commuting to and from work everyday.

It's always good being part of the Euroffice story – I like to think of it as a sci-fi Bollywood blockbuster – but it's even better when the Christmas present your mother wants is office supplies, well, stationery at least.

According to today’s Guardian, Alan Sugar has been getting into some hot water – ha ha – with his comments on women in the workplace.

The switch over in VAT is fast approaching – and at a very incovenient time for many retailers.  They will be gearing up for Christmas, but also have to face re-labelling all their stock, ready for when the VAT rate goes back up to 17.5% on 1 January next year.

According to thisismoney.co.uk, Lord Sugar, the government's 'Enterprise Champion, said at a Q&A in Manchester that some of the businesses complaining about being refused bank loans were 'moaning'.

When you're thinking of office printer paper, you don't expect to be pleasantly surprised by the box it comes in. Yet, thanks to Data Copy, manufacturer of printer paper, I am. Why?

Imagine that you've bought a new laser printer and it's just run out of toner. You need to get printing again as soon as possible, but what kind of toner do you buy? The printer manufacturer's own brand, remanufactured or compatible?

UK businesses are getting better at paying their bills, according to credit reference agency Experian. Its Late Payment Index shows that on average, companies were settling invoices 2.06 days earlier in September than in the previous month.

Stress at work is causing women some serious problems when it comes to juggling their careers and personal lives.

There seemed to be a lot of discussion over the tradition of halloween at the weekend and in particular trick or treating. Is it a form of socially acceptable kiddie robbery that will give kids the idea that it is OK to intimidate others for treats or is it just a bit of fun?