Tips & Tricks for working from Santa's Workshop

We all think Santa Claus has it easy. He’s got world fame and adoration, and he only has to work one day of the year. It sounds like heaven, doesn’t it?

Well, think again. Santa is actually one overworked guy. He runs his workshops around the clock to get enough toys made for all the kids in the world every year. And with populations growing exponentially, demand is continually increasing, but since he gives his toys away for free, he can’t exactly raise prices. And don’t get me started on his obesity-related health issues ...

So how does Santa keep it all together? What happens when Santa needs to do his bank reconciliations? How does he delegate different jobs to his elves? How does Santa run reports to see which toys are more popular in a certain year?

You guessed it. Santa is in the cloud.

With cloud-based business tools, you can work anywhere … even in the North Pole. And since no business can function these days without high speed internet - especially not the largest toy manufacturing plant in the world - in this Work from Anywhere guide I’ve compiled a list of ten tools and tips you’d need if you were running Santa’s workshop. Merry Christmas!

1. Earmuffs

Earmuffs are an essential part of you PPE at any factory site, but that’s not why you need them in Santa’s workshop. No, it’s not only that you will be exposed to loud machinery as toys as manufactured, pressed, cut and glued. No, it’s not that it’s negative two-million degrees and you don’t want your lobes to get frostbite (although that would hurt), it’s because prolonged exposes to the Christmas carols you know pump through the workshop every single day have caused many a Christmas elf to lose their minds, and you don’t want to be next.

Buy these toasty possom earmuffs online.

2. Hammer

I’m sure Santa has all the latest 3D printers and robotic technology to save on an elf-based workforce and make his workshop more efficient. But there are some jobs you just can’t trust a machine to do properly. And that’s why every elf knows their way around a toolkit. A good hammer is essential.

I wasn’t actually talking about this type of hammer.

3. Letter Opener

Santa gets a lot of mail. I mean a LOT of mail. And tiny little elf fingers are very susceptive to paper cuts. That’s why you need to bring a letter opener, and ideally one that’s as awesome as this harry potter one:

4. Wrapping Paper

At Santa’s workshop, one of the least coverted jobs is in wrapping department. This is where all the interns live - the work is hard, but at least the pay is terrible.

To wrap all the presents for the kids of the world, you’re going to need some funky paper. Not on the High Street are a UK store that offer some truly unique paper and giftwrap ideas, including chalkboard paper, and this amazing keep cosy this Christmas wrapping.

5. Sugar Cubes

Those reindeer have a hard life, pulling a sleigh laden with enough presents for all the children in the entire world. Don’t they at least deserve a little sugary treat?

The goth in me totally adores these skull-shaped sugar cubes.

6. Ridiculous Christmas Sweater

Ugly Christmas sweaters are becoming all the rage these days, with “ugly sweater parties” becoming a popular Christmas party alternative. Since it also happens to be quite cold at the north pole, everybody in your team is going to be wearing one of these hideous Christmas creations.

Don’t be the odd-one out - deck yourself out in the ugliest Christmas sweater imaginable. You can find a great selection of hideous Christmas sweaters at the Sweater Store - over 20,000 vintage Christmas sweaters in the most appalling of designs.

7. First Aid Kit

With saws and hammers and paper scissors and pointy elf shoes flying around the workshop, no matter how good Santa’s Health & Safety guidelines are, accidents are going to happen. Good thing you’ve come prepared with a first-aid kit, including sticking plasters, bandages, antiseptic, pain relief, tweezers, eyewash, and everything else you need.

And, if all else fails, this will suffice.

8. Eggnog

All this wrapping and manufacturing and caroling is going to make you a very hungry and thirsty elf. And I’m not just talking about a cup of cocoa. You need something that will really make you merry. The answer is, of course, eggnog.

We’ve already posted a fantastic eggnog recipe in last week’s cocktails for difficult clients post. From one of my favourite candlemakers, WitchCityWicks, comes this delicious amaretto eggnog-flavoured soy candle - it will help warm those cold winter nights.

9. Cloud Project Management Tools

With such a huge volume of production, it’s no surprise that Santa needs to stay on top of the latest technology in order the manage the workflow at the workshop. Thankfully, Santa was one of the earliest adopters of cloud-based project management systems, so he’s got his time tracking, job tracking, purchase orders and reporting all in WorkflowMax. All the elves have their tablets handy, ready to whip out to sign off their time against a job and invoice suppliers instantly.

And what’s more, when the arctic storms blow out the power Santa can work offline, and he knows none of his important information has been lost.

10. A CD of non-cheesy Christmas Carols

While I admit I am partial to a bit of Snoopy’s Christmas, carols get really old. Really fast. Especially if you’re working in the warehouse where many of those carols originated.

Currently, Christopher Lee’s heavy metal Christmas carols are my favourites. I ask you, what is more festive than Saruman and loud guitars?

Where are you going to be working from over the Christmas break? With WorkflowMax working for your business in the cloud, you can run your company from wherever you are. Merry Christmas from WorkflowMax!