Looking for articles on how to have a professional-looking desk.

October 31, 2007 8:52 AM

How do I help my boss urge some of my co-workers to clean up their space?

I am trying to help my boss put together a memo urging some of my co-workers to clean up their messy desks. She's looking for some positive, upbeat wording online that would help guide these folks that are stacked up a mile high. I've looked at the career sites, but to no avail. Googling "professional desk appearance" brings up a lot of furniture, and "desk appearance" brings up a lot of legal stuff. I'm not looking for organizational advice from you all, per se (if I were asking for myself, sure!) but if you know of any kind of article that would have something like this, or could help point me in the right direction, that would be much appreciated!

posted by Wylie Kyoto to work & money (18 comments total)

Why do they need tidied?
posted by DrtyBlvd at 8:57 AM on October 31, 2007

Check out the 5S methodology

Its called 5S because it is 5 Japanese words that start with S.
It was modified into English as...

Separating -separate rubbish from utility. get rid of useless items
Sorting - Everything that survived the separating stage gets organized.
Shine - at some regular interval, put all items back to their regular space
Standardizing - having a consistent organizing method
Sustaining. - After the 1st four S's have been institutes keep it up with Sustaining.

It sounds cheesy but its actually fairly motivating.
posted by ian1977 at 8:58 AM on October 31, 2007

MEMO: Due to new fire regulations, all desk surfaces must be completely cleared after 5:00. Anything left on top of a desk after closing will be thrown away by the maintenance crew. Thank you for your understanding.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:58 AM on October 31, 2007

Have a Friday "fun" afternoon cleanup day with a prize for the most improved work area; take before and after pictures and have everyone vote on who gets the prize?
posted by agent99 at 8:59 AM on October 31, 2007 [2 favorites]

Why do you and your boss want the desks to be tidy? Are there hygiene issues? Are you worried about looking professional in front of clients? Are there safety concerns - tall stacks could fall, piles on the floor could be a trip hazard, there could be fire issues.

If you have legitimate reasons, explain that those are the reasons.

Otherwise: "We have a new policy effective now that you must maintain a tidy desk. That means no piles, and all papers must be filed neatly by the end of every work day. Everyone has X days to clean up, and after that we will start cracking down."

If you don't have a good reason, you don't have a good reason. And although a tidy desk may make you or your boss feel better, be aware that this new rule is more likely to DECREASE productivity, rather than increase it. Some people work better with messy desks, regardless of the compulsive twitches these desks inspire in their obsessive-compulsive bosses.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 8:59 AM on October 31, 2007 [1 favorite]

Wow. That is a tough position there, old pal. People aren't going to comply with anything that demands a completely clear desk at the end of the day, make sure you take a gentle, common sense approach and include solid business reasons to justify the new policy. If you have clients visiting your offices frequently/unannounced that is a good reason, for example.
posted by Mister_A at 9:08 AM on October 31, 2007

Thanks, ian1977 - that 5S methodology is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for! Personally, I don't give a rat's ass what the desks in question look like. I'm just looking for material for suggestions for my boss, who does. That is all.
posted by Wylie Kyoto at 9:15 AM on October 31, 2007

I have worked at tech companies that have a "clean desk policy" in order to try to thwart corporate espionage. Don't know if that might apply to your workplace.
posted by magicbus at 9:21 AM on October 31, 2007

Have a Friday "fun" afternoon cleanup day…

That’s what we did 2-3 times a year. It was a time reserved on everyone’s calendar and no one wanted to do it but if you schedule it over lunch and get sandwiches or pizza you should get some buy-in.

Also if you gently remind the folks in the invite/memo that the goal is to keep up a professional working environment it should roll smoothly.
posted by doorsfan at 9:22 AM on October 31, 2007

You are never going to convince many of these people that it is "better" to have a neat desk. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that some personality types are more relaxed, productive, and creative with clutter around. Your boss is trying to force these people to go against their personalities, and it's not going to work unless there are consequences for not conforming to your boss's way of thinking.

The only way to be successful at this is to decree it as a rule and crack down on offenders. Tie it to performance reviews, bonuses, and raises. It's going to negatively impact people's work, but that's how your boss will get what she wants. Don't tell them how to do it. Just tell them that they have to do it or else they'll be punished. Positive and upbeat won't work; cluttered people don't care that your boss thinks "a clean desk is a happy desk." They only care whether or not something bad is going to happen to them if they keep a messy desk.

If I had to keep my desk clean, I would never know where anything is or what I'm working on, because I think spatially, and I have to be able to see papers in order to be reminded of the tasks they represent. I would also quit as soon as possible any job that required this of me.
posted by decathecting at 9:30 AM on October 31, 2007 [4 favorites]

A lot of companies maintain a clean desk policy for reasons of information security. Do you deal with any confidential or semi-confidential information that this might apply to?
posted by jacquilynne at 10:04 AM on October 31, 2007

if it's just an appearance issue, i would go ahead and tell employees that it's to maintain a professional image. offenders would receive whatever punishments would be along the lines of violating a dress code. (and according to businessweek, a repeat offender should be fired.)

alternatively, you can blame flu season: once a week desks must be cleared so that desktops, keyboards, phones, and mice can be cleaned. then cite studies about what grows on your keyboard, etc.
posted by thinkingwoman at 10:11 AM on October 31, 2007

I know, not quite what you're looking for, but: is it possible that your boss needs to take a step back and evaluate how files and other office materials are maintained and stored in the overall workplace?

If you have more than one employee with messy desk issues, you're talking about piles of files rather than something like food wrappers, and storage in general is poorly planned? Nagging may do more harm than good in the long run.
posted by gnomeloaf at 10:29 AM on October 31, 2007

"Guide"? I don't know what that's a euphemism for, but I'll assume she wants to gently encourage them, not humiliate or browbeat them. In that case, a memo is counter-productive. It'll be one more thing for them to misfile, right? And why isn't she talking to them? Are they not important enough for a simple verbal reminder? Etc. Unless we're talking about hundreds of people, this strategy is harmful, not helpful. That's why there's no text for it online. So it doesn't really matter what the memo says. Except that you want to help your boss, so it obviously matters to you. So how can you help your boss?

Perhaps she would let you could offer to talk to the offenders, one-on-one. Example:

"I know you can get things done with a messy desk-- good job on that financial breakdown, by the way, it was really impressive to the client--but it's starting to look a little more disorganized than usual. I know you've been busy--do you have a few things that I could file for you? Do you need any extra supplies?"

She might let you do this, in which case your social skills will get a good workout (and maybe your filing skills, too). You might also do it via email. If not, and you can find a way to put this level of personalization and genuine care into a memo, good for you. The last thing you want to do is send a nagging form letter.

Good luck, this is a bit of an impossible task with the constraints you've been given.
posted by sondrialiac at 10:32 AM on October 31, 2007

Agree with sondrialiac. Memos are passive aggressive and not good management; people think memos are directed at someone else or else feel defensive and singled out in front of everyone. If your boss has an issue with someone's desk, she needs to have a face-to-face with that person.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 11:20 AM on October 31, 2007

Is it the whole office or just a couple of offenders? I am one of those who has stacks but knows where everything is. I think getting a memo like that would feel like oppression if my clutter wasn't affecting my work. I'm not talking about long lost half sandwiches and empty yogurt cups--that would be gross, but some files stacked up? Who really cares in the whole grand scheme of things. People with perfect desks have too much time on their hands.
posted by 45moore45 at 1:36 PM on October 31, 2007

Mister_A, my company has had a clear desk policy for a year now, and though there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth to start with, people have generally complied with it.
posted by happyturtle at 2:45 PM on October 31, 2007

ian1977 thhhbbbtttt :P~~~~

Some really good answers up there.

Reason I asked was that I recently started a job in an international tax/trust company, and I am *astonished* at peoples desks - I mean seriously, the paperwork et al is stacked some 1 to 2 feet high in, ooh, 7 to 8 piles on these peoples desks...

However. Having been here and seen how they operate, I now understand completely and the notion that they could change is just not going to happen... nor does it need to, really.

Part of the change issue would be that the other directors are a perfect example of the case :)
posted by DrtyBlvd at 2:08 AM on November 1, 2007