According to a recent survey done by a staffing company, 57% of clients and co-workers admit to judging a company by the cleanliness of the workplace. Of those admitting to this, 55% reported coming away with a poor impression of a company due to the lack of cleanliness in the office. Make sure you do not leave a negative impact on visitors and staff. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep your office neat and tidy.
Divide workplace into Zones
First thing every professional should ask themselves is ‘what do I expect from my office and is it meeting those needs’? For an efficient use of space and improved operational workflow, you should consider dividing your office space into different zones. For instance, you might require a library area for reference material, a filing space for documents and archives, a work space with computers for day-to-day operations, and a storage area for all supplies. Organizing the office into zones can help bring order to the workplace.
Creating daily paper system
Experts agree that we are a long way from the paperless office. Most professionals today are still buried under mountains of paperwork. You can streamline the process of paperwork through the use of baskets or trays which can be labeled with different tasks to be performed. Another organizing trick could be the use of due dates. For instance, using a coding system consisting of “Today”, “This Week”, and “This Month” helps to prioritize tasks so with that you do not feel the need to do everything at once. Furthermore keeping file folders color-coded can be a benefit. This way, “current” documents can be easily distinguished from “archives”, so it takes some of the guesswork out of what each file folder contains. This can help you decide what needs your immediate attention and what doesn’t.
Keep only important things at your reach
Only the stuff that will be used on an immediate basis should be kept within your arm’s length. The stacks of papers, boxes of pens, and coffee mugs should be kept away. Get rid of all the visual clutter and instead, keep only the essentials at your reach. Things like a framed family photograph, a pen holder, your computer, a notepad, and lamp are the only items that should be on your work station. Create a different zone for other supplies, personal items and paperwork.
Sort out Catch-all drawers
Many office workers throw their stuff in drawers so it is out of sight but after a few days, they forget or have no idea what all is in their drawers. Some even become anxious to open the drawers. To keep everything in place and organized, use drawer dividers. Separate compartments for rubber bands, paper clips, a stapler, and push pins brings order to what was once a disorganized mess. Every six weeks, try to go through your drawer and clear out things that are no longer to be used or out of place.
Establishing Limits
It may not be the excessive workload getting you stressed, it may be too much clutter. Establish a rule of removing something for every new thing you introduce. As an example, when you add a new book to a bookshelf, get into the habit of removing one at the same time. The same goes for the coffee mug on your desk. Establishing a discipline around the concept of ‘one in, one out’ can help to bring order back your work area.
