Information Centre

Is your desk a disaster area?  Desk clutter creates stress, confusion and cuts down on your productivity.  It is estimated that people waste and average of 30 minutes per day searching for papers - that translates into 10 hours per month or a whole 3 weeks per year of unproductive time!  It is crucial to protect sensitive information from disclosure. Office space can be frequented by visitors, consultants, vendors, cleaning crews, maintenance and of course - fellow employees.

In a recent study by Avery of office workers on ‘clean desk policy’, less than 30% of respondents said they cleared their desk daily with 20% doing so very occasionally and 16% only bothering when the pile threatens to `fall off the desk!'

Other key findings include:
The average desk top serves as a repository for a wide range of personal items ranging from Teddy Bears (14%) and books (13%) to family snaps (38%), nail files (9%) and newspapers or magazines (25%) with the most frequently encountered non-work related item being the desk owner's favourite mug (68%).
By far the most common source of clutter are acres of papers, files and other documents which accounted for 92% of desk top space. 

The Avery research has shown that a messy desktop reduces efficiency and impairs performance in three key ways:
•    It leads to wasted time searching for an essential item, and when this is needed urgently the anxiety aroused by its temporary misplacement further undermines concentration. 
•    Being confronted with piles of work to complete not only makes it far harder to stay focused but causes a loss of motivation. 
•    Finally a cluttered desk acts as a significant barrier to the important psychological process of closure. That is finishing off one job before embarking on another. 

A clean desk policy can also help reduce the amount of paper, toners and ink cartridges that are used in the business.  Not only does this save money, it also helps to protect the environment. 

So how can you "refresh you desk" on a regular basis in order to maintain a high level of performance and motivation?  Here are six basic reasons as to why every office should incorporate a ‘clean desk policy’:

•    It reflects an efficient image of the company when customers visit
•    It reduces the threat of security breaches, as passwords and confidential information are locked away
•    Scientific studies have shown that there is a reduction in stress with employees having a tidy desk.
•    Studies have also shown a reduction in workplace accidents and spills.
•    Increased productivity, as less time is wasted searching for documents/information located ‘somewhere’ on your desk
•    It is generally accepted that a tidy desk is a sign of efficiency and effectiveness.

Top Ten Tips for Developing a Clean Desk Policy:

1.    Put a date and time in your diary to clear your paperwork
2.    If in doubt - throw it out
3.    Use our secure ‘Shred-it’ recycling bins for office paper no longer needed
4.    Do not print off emails to read them.  This just generates increased amounts of clutter
5.    Handle any piece of paper only once - act on it, file it, or put it in the Shred-it bin
6.    Always clear your desktop before you go home
7.    Consider scanning paper items and filing them in your PC
8.    Lock sensitive documents and computer media in drawers or filing cabinets
9.    Physically secure laptops with security cables and password protect your workstation before walking away
10.    Develop a simple desk filing system:
Action - ongoing work should be categorised into topics, with one file per topic to keep papers together.
Today - things to work on today
To File - this can be kept under your desk and out of the way. Set aside time to file each week, and only file papers that you really need to keep. Confidentially shred the rest or send to off-site secure storage.
To Read - magazines, articles, etc., that you want to read. Set aside time each week to read. If the pile just keeps on getting bigger, set a time limit for keeping these items, and then recycle them. If it is important information, you will find the time to read it. (Stop re-cluttering areas that you have already cleared and you will soon limit the spaces where clutter gathers.)
Recycling Bin - before recycling your junk mail, get yourself removed from the mailing list if you no longer need the information.