March 14, 2009
How do I get people to stop stealing the pens in my office?
Can you answer Meagan S's question about pens?:
I work in an office and we go through like 50-100 pens in a week. We run interviews, trainings and meetings and by the end of the week there are no pens left. We don't know what do do anymore. This is vital because it is necessary for our business to have these pens.
Filed under More Pen Answers by Guest Author
Comments on How do I get people to stop stealing the pens in my office? »
I work in a doctors office and what our receptionists have ended up doing is tapping big artificial flowers to all the pens. it makes them kinda of awkward to stick into a pocket or purse
Chain the pens to a clipboard or the office desk. If that doesn't work, follow the artificial flowers advice. Hope this helps!
Hmmm…tape BIG labels on them (stating something like "PLEASE DO NOT TAKE" or "OFFICE PROPERTY). Maybe this will deter people from taking them.
The secretary at my sons' school tapes large silk flowers to the ends of the pens and keeps them in a flower pot filled with marbles. It makes the pens too bulky to steal discreetly, and the plant pot full of flower pens makes a cheerful desktop decoration.
Or you could chain the pens to the counter just like they do at the bank.
If they are your own personal pens, buy some personalized pens with your name on them.
You can use the artificial flowers, or you can use plastic spoons, or really anything else that makes them bulky and makes the point that they are not parting gifts for anyone who visits your office.
Put a tiny explosive in the end of the pen that detonates when it is moved 100 yards from your office, covering the perpetrators in ink. They will learn quickly!
If you don't have time to invent a non-lethal pen sized explosive, then I would put up a sign on the door that says
"Please don't steel our pens. We need them". Most pen thievery is accidental. If you remind people they will return them. Well there are always going to be a few. That's why the exploding pen trick is so sweet!
Hide them in a place where they don't know where the pens are. Or keep one or a couple in your pocket shirt. You are asking us you don't know where to put the pens??
Have pens printed up with your name on them. It's good advertising, and cheap to do.
People don't mean to take them, but I have never been in training, meeting or interviewing sessions where people are not allowed to take pens.
It's just the cost of doing business.
Permanently connect pens with replaceable ink to the counter. You can also invest a little more money on pens with the company's logo, address, and phone number on it and use it for advertising purposes whenever you have meetings with clients. That way if it does go missing, hey, you're advertising.
When you do buy pens, buy in bulk and buy cheap. I'm always happy with PaperMate pens. They last a while, and you can buy a pack of 10 for a dollar at Wal-Mart. That's only 10 cents a pen. People may be stealing your pens if you spend too much money on those fancy pens with the cushions. If people are worried about what pen they are using to sign your contracts, they have problems.
You can't! Try buying them in bulk.