Office Depot, Inc. Finds Majority of Small Business Owners Believe Organization is Linked to Profitability

04/04/16
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Larger SMBs View Disorganization as More Annoying than Poor Personal Hygiene

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 4, 2016-- Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODP), a leading global provider of office products, services, and solutions, through its Office Depot and OfficeMax brands, found the vast majority (83 percent) of small business owners (SMBs) think an organized office is a vital part of their business.

According to the latest Office Depot Small Business Index, two-thirds (63 percent) of SMBs believe their level of office organization correlates to their business’ profitability. In addition, three-quarters (74 percent) of SMBs anticipate they could not operate their business without any organizational tools.

“While the majority of small business owners understand organization is directly linked to productivity, nearly one-third still associate organizing with cleaning, or view it as an after-thought,” said Holly Bohn, organization expert and founder of See Jane Work, in partnership with Office Depot, Inc. “Instead, small business owners should consider organization as a priority in their business plans.”

Survey respondents reported that organization is essential to meeting deadlines on time and makes it easy to find information quickly. The Index also found that file folders are the most often utilized organizational tool among SMBs (85 percent), followed by shelves and drawers (69 percent), calendars (68 percent), storage containers (64 percent) and sticky notes (61 percent).

“We recognize the impact that organizational tools have on small business owners,” said Ron Lalla, executive vice president of merchandising for Office Depot, Inc. “Each small business is unique and requires personalized solutions backed by industry expertise. At Office Depot, the variety of organizational gear we offer is designed to help customers curate the solutions that work best for them.”

Three-quarters of SMBs feel a disorganized workspace reflects negatively on an employee, and 67 percent of larger SMBs (50-99 employees) are more likely to associate disorganization with laziness. Fifty-three percent of larger SMBs also state that being disorganized is a more annoying work habit than poor personal hygiene. Considering many employees work in smaller spaces, organization is key to both productivity and earning respect among peers.

To view content or to learn more about small business products and services please visit Office Depot’s Business Solutions Center at solutions.officedepot.com.

Survey Methodology/Sample Qualifications

Interviews are conducted via the Internet among a nationally representative sample of small and medium-sized businesses. The February wave of interviewing was conducted from February 5, 2016 to February 25, 2016 among a total of 1,290 small and medium-sized businesses. Interviewing will be conducted on a monthly basis in order to track shifts that occur over time.

About Office Depot, Inc.

Office Depot, Inc. is a leading global provider of products, services, and solutions for every workplace – whether your workplace is an office, home, school or car.

Office Depot, Inc. is a resource and a catalyst to help customers work better. We are a single source for everything customers need to be more productive, including the latest technology, core office supplies, print and document services, business services, facilities products, furniture, and school essentials.

The company has annual sales of approximately $14 billion, employs approximately 49,000 associates, and serves consumers and businesses in 59 countries with approximately 1,800 retail stores, award-winning e-commerce sites and a dedicated business-to-business sales organization – all delivered through a global network of wholly owned operations, franchisees, licensees and alliance partners. The company operates under several banner brands including Office Depot, OfficeMax, Grand & Toy, and Viking. The company’s portfolio of exclusive product brands include TUL, Foray, Brenton Studio, Ativa, WorkPro, Realspace and HighMark.

Office Depot, Inc.’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: http://news.officedepot.com.

Source: Office Depot, Inc.

Office Depot, Inc.
Sarah England, 561-438-1448
sarah.england@officedepot.com