client: Office Depot
Delray Beach, Fla., December 26, 2006 - A new survey commissioned by Office Depot (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, reveals that many individuals (34 percent) lose significant amounts of time - more than 15 minutes a day or nearly two hours every week - hunting for lost papers, sorting through messy files and rebooking missed appointments.
Perhaps most importantly, the survey confirmed that business professionals are a study in contrasts when it comes to organization - while they recognize their own shortcomings and are aware of the costs and potential ramifications of being disorganized, they do little to change. According to the study, the majority (53 percent) live in “controlled chaos,” where their desk is a mess but they claim to know where everything is located.
Busy professionals also are finding this rather chaotic lifestyle costly. In fact, 76 percent of respondents report they lose time to disorder, while more than half (51 percent) are concerned about missing important deadlines or appointments, and many cite fear of diminishing their reputation (16 percent) or losing business opportunities (14 percent) due to disorganization.
Given these facts, it’s surprising to learn how few business professionals take on the task of becoming and staying organized. A mere 22 percent of respondents stated that they arranged their desk for maximum productivity every day, while 49 percent organize only once a month - or less frequently.
Why does this disorder happen to otherwise productive individuals? That may be the most revealing part of the study - 67 percent are not sure how to start or maintain their efforts.
“This survey proves what professional organizers have long understood - while being organized is critical for success, many business professionals don’t know where to start,” said Stephanie Winston, Office Depot’s organizing advisor and The New York Times bestselling author. “They may be great people managers or strategic visionaries, but when it comes to purging or putting everything in its place, they are at a loss. The New Year is an ideal time to make a fresh start by using some simple tips that require minimal time. With a bit of effort, they’ll quickly become a daily habit and your life will be more productive.”
To help business professionals become more organized, Office Depot and Winston developed the Office Depot Five-Day Office Makeover Plan. This enhanced program, updated with helpful tips for tax return preparation, is designed to help business professionals trim overflowing in-boxes, strengthen file-finding flexibility and tone-up overall organizational skills in less than 30 minutes a day.
The Office Depot Five-Day Office Makeover Plan will help anyone find the paperwork they need in less than 60 seconds, which is critical to most survey respondents (61 percent) who said the biggest frustration with their disorganized environment is that they can’t find what they need quickly. Additionally, 27 percent of professionals said they find it hard to concentrate with messy files around.
However, the biggest trial that many people face each year is the dreaded April tax deadline. Two in five people (40 percent) procrastinate and start too late or they can’t find the necessary receipts, including charitable contributions. This issue is compounded by the fact that 36 percent of survey respondents do their taxes themselves and do not delegate to an accountant. Yet, with a little planning, the first quarter tax rush can be less of a workout.
Comprehensive tips on how to get organized in less than 30 minutes a day can be found in the Office Depot Five-Day Office Makeover Plan, which is available for free download at http://www.officedepot.com/getorganized.
About the Survey
The Office Depot Organization Study, conducted by TNS NFO, was designed to gain insights into consumers’ organizational behaviors and challenges. The objectives of the omnibus survey were to understand the importance of organization, including the amount of time lost to disorder. The poll of 2,500 people (representative of the U.S. household population, 18+ on age, gender, geographic division, income and household size, household designation and market size) was conducted November 8-13, 2006. To view a full listing of survey results, please visit http://mediarelations.officedepot.com
About Office Depot
Office Depot provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company. Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., Office Depot has annual sales of nearly $15 billion, and employs approximately 50,000 associates around the world. Currently, the Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 42 countries.
Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel—from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. As of September 30, 2006, Office Depot had 1,121 retail stores in North America and another 323 stores, either company-owned,
licensed or franchised, in other parts of the world. Office Depot serves a wide range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites. With $4.2 billion in online sales during the last twelve months, the Company is also one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers.
Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index. Additional press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.