Although a lot of people believe that a messy desk equals a creative mind, some just see it as a sign of unprofessionalism and disorganization. Are you one of those people who have messy desks at work? Did you know that you're actually unconsciously causing career problems? Here are five of them according to Main Street.
1. Your officemates/colleagues wouldn't want to work with you on group projects
OfficeTeam's executive director Robert Hosking says that it's not easy to just ignore a messy desk. "Although it's not necessarily right to judge someone based on their desk, it can be hard to turn a blind eye to a cluttered workspace," Hosking stated. "Having a messy workspace can affect your professional reputation. Your colleagues may perceive you as unorganized and inefficient."
2. Messy desks can affect one's productivity
Hosking said that having a messy desk can make you less productive especially since a lot of time is spent looking for things rather than actually working on the things that they should actually focus on. "The tipping point for employers may be if a worker's desk is negatively affecting his or her productivity or is distracting to colleagues," he explained.
3. Having a messy desk is a bad impression for clients
An "embarrassingly" messy desk which is visible to clients and customers can leave a bad impression. "It could be a client coming in, or it could be your boss' boss in town from Chicago, but in any case, everything needs to be in tip-top shape. It's all about perception," Hosking said.
4. Your workmates resent your encroaching on their space
"If it's your own space and no one else has to work near you, then you can have a little more freedom. If you are in a partially enclosed cube or in an open loft space, you have to realize that everything you do is going to impact others. It all comes down to self-awareness and being respectful of those around us," leadership and workplace communication expert Skip Weisman said.
5. You could miss a promotion because of a messy desk
Weisman said that even if your manager wouldn't say it out loud, having a messy desk is one of the reasons why you can get passed over for promotion.
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