Have you ever walked past one of your employee’s desks and wondered how on earth they can see their keyboard, let alone get any work done? If so, you are probably one of the overriding majority who work best with the bare minimum on their desk.
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Why do workers perform better in a minimalist environment?
Research carried out by storage company Space Station has revealed that office workers can be more productive if they work in minimalist conditions, with seven out of ten people admitting to feeling stressed when they have clutter around them. Unless there is an office policy in place, many workers will gradually allow their desks to become busier and busier, which in some cases could cause them not to work as efficiently as they could. Distractions such as photo frames, files and paperwork, mobile phones, food, drink and various sticky notes can lead to employees being less focused on a specific task.
How can you encourage your employees to declutter?
If your company is productive by nature, tools of the trade will no doubt need to be close by; however, if your workers generally need nothing more than a computer, mouse and keyboard to get on with their responsibilities, you might wish to consider a tidy desk policy whereby staff can only have a notepad, pen and mug on their desk in addition to their standard office equipment. Lifehacker has guidance on how to set up and organise a desk to enable you to implement a policy that you feel is appropriate to the nature of your business.
Another way to ensure that desks are kept clutter-free is to consider new office furniture. If you run a customer-facing office and do not want members of the public to walk in and see a messy welcome desk, for example, you should think about how bespoke reception desks can eliminate chaos. Designers such as http://simonkohnfurniture.co.uk/our-work/commercial/reception-areas-and-desks/ offer tailor-made furniture and storage solutions to suit any office.
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Furthermore, you cannot expect employees to keep their desks free from business paperwork if you do not provide them with somewhere to file it away neatly. Any office should have ample storage space in the form of cabinets, drawers and noticeboards, with clear instructions on how to file all documentation correctly.