A new survey developed by OfficeTeam and conducted by an independent research firm asked more than 300 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the US and 54 percent said
the most distracting or annoying aspect of employee workspaces is sloppiness or disorganization. On the hand, 10 percent of bosses said a desk that's too clean or bare also raises a red flag. And, 15 percent reported seeing an inappropriate/offensive item in an employee's work area.
So knowing all this, what should you do? Here are three suggestions from OfficeTeam:
- Clean up your act. Spend a few minutes every day clearing out old documents, food wrappers and trash. Reduce clutter by organizing files or going paperless.
- Keep it simple. It's OK to have a few things in your workspace that are inspiring or fun to look at, but too many knickknacks can be an eyesore.
- Don't be offensive. Items in your work area aren't for your eyes only. Ditch the political posters, risqué photos or anything that might be too controversial.
