Press Release

Sixty-Six Percent of Office Workers Say Job Stress Causes Physical Problems

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL (October 23, 2006) – Are you always nodding off at your desk? Does a bottle of aspirin sit next to your Swingline® stapler? Have you been seeing a masseuse frequently for neck and back pain? You might be suffering from “office-itis,” also known as workplace over-exertion! Office workers may not realize that minor routine office actions add up, but two-thirds of U.S. office workers (66 percent) say they experience some physical problems as a result of job-related stress or exertion.

The second installment of the "Swingline Office Outlook", a series of surveys that track trends and current issues in the workplace, was recently conducted by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by the Swingline Workspace Tools group, the leading brand of workspace tools, including staplers and paper punches. In honor of the launch of the new Swingline® Optima™ PowerEase™ Stapler and Swingline® PowerEase™ Stapler, which reduce operating force by up to 70 percent, the survey examines what U.S. office workers would do in their free time if their job required less effort and what physical problems have occurred due to job-related stress and exertion.

The survey found that:

• Almost three-quarters of U.S. office workers (71 percent) would prefer to spend time with their family (56 percent) and/or friends (54 percent) if their jobs required less effort, thus giving them more free time and energy outside of work hours.
• Exercise was mentioned by many, with 61 percent of workers wanting to burn off their office frustrations, while 57 percent would travel and 55 percent would choose to read
• 36 percent would volunteer
• 35 percent would go to the movies or sleep
• 34 percent would kick back in front of the television

Barbaric Bosses and Cruel Clients Cause Workers' Stress Levels to Spike Because an office can often be a stressful environment, workers were asked which aspects of their job they would choose to alter because they require excessive effort:

• Dealing with office politics was cited the most according to 43 percent of office workers
• On a similar note, dealing with problem clients came in second place, with 25 percent, and handling a difficult boss or client was third, with 21 percent of office workers wishing to alter these aspects of their job

Other common complaints include:

• 14 percent think handling work assignments and programs requires too much effort
• 12 percent would alter coordinating internal resources
• 10 percent would think of new ways to master computer software programs
• 6 percent would alter physical tasks, such as shredding, stapling, filing and binding

“I've seen a number of patients with various aches and pains due to stress, improper posture and use of tools in the workforce,” said Dr. Jeffrey Mendelson, Chief of Orthopedics, St. John Macomb Hospital, Warren, Michigan. “There are several techniques and products that employees can use to alleviate this tension on the body. In particular, ergonomic tools, which lessen the stress and discomfort on the body, and I recommend frequently getting up from their desk to get the blood flowing.”

Since the majority of office workers (66 percent) acknowledge that they have some physical problems as a result of job-related stress or exertion, it's key to examine what the after effects of all of this tension are on the body. From fatigue and tension headaches to aches and pains and even vision problems, work-related stress is a serious predator on employees' physical well-being. Here are some reasons your co-workers might be frequently calling in sick or racking up hefty doctor bills:

• 40 percent of office workers have experienced fatigue as a result of job-related stress or exertion
• 35 percent have had stress-related headaches
• 27 percent have gotten back pain, while 26 percent have felt neck strain
• 18 percent reported repetitive motion injuries (i.e. wrist sprain, hand cramp, etc.) as a result of at-work stress
• Other listed physical ailments included stomach discomfort (17 percent) and vision problems (15 percent)
• Only about one in three office workers (34 percent) said they had not experienced any physical problems due to job-related stress or exertion

Since job-related effort and stress is unavoidable, what should workers do to limit their physical and mental repercussions? One of the biggest saviors to aches and pains is more ergonomic and easier-to-use tools around the office, including desk chairs, staplers, paper punches, larger and adjustable computer screens and hands-free phone devices. Workers who experience physical problems due to job stress also request more pampering time, as 46 percent would like workplace massages or physical fitness courses and 27 percent want more frequent breaks in order to relieve their work-based stress and exertion. Here is the breakdown of other wishes from office workers who experience physical problems due to job-related stress:

• Ergonomic desk chairs – 36 percent
• Larger or adjustable computer monitor or display – 23 percent
• Hands-free phone devices – 16 percent
• Better lighting – 16 percent
• Easier-to-use tools (i.e., ergonomically-designed staplers, paper punches, etc.) – 14 percent

Swingline® PowerEase™ Reduced Effort Staplers Let Office Workers Take it Easy Sometimes even switching out one of your office tools can make your day less stressful. The new durable metal Swingline Optima PowerEase Stapler and lightweight plastic Swingline PowerEase Stapler reduce operating force by up to 70 percent, taking the frustration out of stapling! Their patented reduced force technology and innovative QuickLoad™ magazine loading system make stapling easier for office workers, so they can focus their efforts in other areas. Both designs will be available at office products retailers beginning this fall and winter and will take stapling to a new level of performance and ease.

“In developing the PowerEase line of stapers, Swingline Workspace Tools Group has created a totally unique solution to providing reduced exertion and an easy stapling experience,” said Jon Chamberlain, president of ACCO Brands' Workspace Tools business and the Swingline Brand. “Office workers have so many stressful assignments and confrontations to deal with on the job that using their desk tools should be the least of their concerns.”

The durable metal construction of the Optima PowerEase ensures lasting performance, while soft grip surfaces enhance feel and control for both desktop and handheld use. The precision design provides consistent, superior performance for stapling two to 25 sheets of paper at once. The Optima PowerEase is Guaranteed Jam Free, from the first staple on the strip to the last, when used with Swingline® S.F. ® 4® Premium Staples. In addition, the innovative, QuickLoad™ staple magazine release system simplifies staple loading as staples are quickly and easily loaded at the front of the stapler, similar to high performance electric staplers. The tool carries a 100 percent Performance Guarantee and Limited Lifetime Warranty. The estimated retail price is $19.99 to $24.99.

The Swingline name is synonymous with performance and value, and the lightweight plastic PowerEase is no exception to the Swingline promise. The patented reduced force technology reduces operating force by up to 70 percent. The cutting-edge design provides consistent performance for stapling two to 20 sheets of paper, and the QuickLoad™ staple magazine release system simplifies staple loading. The stapler is 100 percent Performance Guaranteed and carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty. The estimated retail price is $14.99 to $19.99.

Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Swingline Workspace Tools Group between September 12 and 14, 2006 among 909 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older who work in an office setting. Figures for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. With a pure probability sample of this size (909), one can say with ninety-five percent probability that the results for the overall sample of office workers have a sampling error of plus or minus five percentage points. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

“Swingline Office Outlook” is a quarterly series of surveys that tracks office trends and current issues in the workplace.

About Swingline Workspace Tools and ACCO Brands Corporation
Swingline Workspace Tools is a business unit of ACCO Brands, the a leading brand in workspace tools for the business, home and mobile office. For more information, please visit www.acco.com/swingline.

ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE:ABD) is a world leader in select categories of branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Day-Timer®, Swingline®, Kensington®, Quartet®, GBC®, Rexel®, and Wilson Jones®, among others. Under the GBC® brand, the company is also a leader in the professional print finishing market.

Contact: Stephanie Kurtz
312-464-1984 x241
skurtz@clearblue.biz