Are you an office geek?

If you enjoy putting together a spreadsheet and using three different colour highlighters during your working day, you could earn yourself the title as ‘office geek’.

Researchers who polled 2,000 office employees found that half consider themselves to be someone who takes pride in having nice stationery and a tidy desk.

The study found 29 ways in which an employee is considered an office geek, including having a colour-coding system, having a to-do list, owning a tidy desk and a personal mug, loving the smell of stationery and never chewing on pens.

Commissioned by Lyreco, distributor of office supplies and workplace products, the research found 84 per cent of self-confessed office geeks are proud to be so.

“The term ‘office geek’ might be new to some people but as the results show it’s something many people identify themselves as,” said Helen Moran, a spokeswoman from Lyreco.

“In fact, it’s a badge of honour with so many people admitting to feeling proud of this title. Trying to have a tidy desk and owning an impressive selection of stationery is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.”

58 per cent of those polled admit they take pride in having ‘nice’ pens, notepads, rulers and other stationery, while 62 per cent always make sure they get their stationery items back when they lend it – however, 40 per cent don’t like to loan it out at all.

Six in ten revealed they find highlighting things or using a pen that writes well actually improves their mood if they are having a bad day, and almost half find this calming and therapeutic.

Moran added: “There’s definitely a true love for stationery and we’ve been fascinated to discover the geeky traits being displayed in British offices.

“While in the past the term ‘geek’ may have been seen as uncool, these days people are proud to be described in this way as it is linked to productivity, organisation and calmness.”