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April 09, 2008
Does a Messy Desk Matter?
One of the most active threads on the Monster message boards over the last couple of months has been “Employee keeps a messy desk.” We’ve had more than 140 posts to this lively discussion, which kicked off with this message:
I'm new to management and have a predicament I'd like an opinion on. I have a worker who keeps a very messy desk. I'm not a neat freak, but there are piles of paperwork as far back as mid-'07 among other things that, if someone had to fill in...would be very confused. I've already lightly mentioned that it be cleaned up, then again when it didn't happen, I actually gave a timeline of one week for it to be cleaned up...and of course, it didn't happen. So, is it something I should just let be and assume the employee works better in a controlled chaos environment? Or should I step up my requests and not be so nice about it? I'm not sure how much it is my place to tell someone to clean up their work area if it really doesn't bother anyone but me. Thanks for reading!
The Monster members who’ve been responding to this initial post generally fall into two camps:
- As long as the employee’s work is getting done, it doesn’t matter how messy his desk is or isn’t.
- A messy desk is no doubt a sign of a cluttered mind! Continue to insist that the employee clean up his workspace.
This question hits home for me, because I’ve worked hard since starting my first professional job 10 years ago to overcome my natural tendency of allowing piles of paper to cover my desk. In my case, a messy desk often did mean I was trying to handle too many tasks at once or not properly prioritizing my to-dos (check out this article on optimizing your multitasking if you’re in a similar boat).
These days, I try to ensure that the top of my desk only contains files and papers that I need at that particular moment. When I move on to a new project, said paperwork gets filed away, out of sight.
However, I’ve also had plenty of colleagues who are organized and on top of all their projects, in spite of their desk’s appearances to the contrary. Indeed, they almost seem to thrive in what the rest of us would consider a cluttered and chaotic workspace.
I contend that we should leave employees like the one described in the message board post to manage the neatness of their own desks, unless there’s evidence to suggest that their disorganization is impacting their work. After all, don’t managers have more important things to worry about?
What’s your take? Let us know in the comments section below, or jump on to our message board to join in the conversation there.
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Posted by Bryan on April 9, 2008 at 12:34 PM in The Daily Grind | Permalink | Comments (36) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Whats the old saying? A messy desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, but an empty desk is a sign of insanity :)
Posted by: Alex Andrei | Apr 11, 2008 4:45:44 PM
I don’t see how someone can look at a mess one their desk all-day either and continue to work done. I am amazed every time because I can’t even being work if my desk is messy or not organized.
Posted by: Alex | Apr 16, 2008 10:56:21 AM
Well, what about the *virtual* desktop then? I hate clutter on my own desk, but I will survive if a few pieces of paper happen to be there.
What's more interesting is the non-clutter on my computer desktop! I am frequently getting comments from people I work with (and clients) that my desktop is entirely empty. And that's the way I like to keep it. I move files to their appropriate directories.
My boss on the other hand... his is always a complete mess. Who do you think keeps track of things? Yes, it's me, of course. I tend to think real world desktops are unimportant, but show me your virtual one...
Posted by: Andrew | Apr 17, 2008 6:41:56 AM
My desk is organized chaos. I keep alot of paper and such on my desk, but that's how I work best. I do my best to keep my papers organized at least by category and if there are multiple pieces of paper for a specific task (IE new hire paperwork), I clip them together.
I do make a concerted effort every few weeks to take an hour or two and get my desk organized again... sort things, put bills to pay in piles, get the ones that I've already paid filed away, file away things in employee files... regular house cleaning type stuff. That seems to work well for me.
As for my (work) virtual desktop, it's not unlike my desk. There are icons on it, but they are grouped together logically (server drive icons - files I access frequently). My (home) virtual desktop on the other hand has next to no icons on it... everything is grouped into a single folder on my desktop. Nice & tidy.
Posted by: Tim | Apr 21, 2008 11:23:09 AM
I work in a small non-profit organization, and as a result of continued downsizing, I now find myself responsible for 2-1/2 jobs. I am continually being asked to do many more tasks than my position originally required. I end up spending an average of 5 hours of my own time in the office every week, with absolutely no compensation, because I believe in the services provided by my agency. My desk is always a total mess, yet I always know exactly where to find any paperwork that is necessary. Part of the reason that the desk is kept in such a state of disarray is because people in the office seem to feel that it is okay to remove things from my desk without asking. Now that I keep the desk as a disaster zone, people are less likely to just help themselves to whatever strikes their fancy. If they ask me for something, I'm very happy to provide it, and I know who has the materials so that I can track them down when it is time for me to prepare my reports. I am certain my supervisors would prefer that my desk was tidy, but they will tell you that I get more accomplished than any other employee, and they do consider me to be the "go-to" guy whenever something needs to be accomplished accurately and quickly. While not everyone can work in this manner, it has become a matter of survival in my work environment.
Posted by: Anne | Apr 22, 2008 2:26:13 AM
It's pretty simple to me. What is your company's policy regarding workplace organization? If you do not have one, get one and enforce it. Without policy or procedures you cannot hold an employee accountable for what they do. A messy desk is the last thing a potential client or customer wants to see when they enter a workplace. So for those of you who think its ok to be unorganized and messy, you are hurting your business and your employer.
Posted by: Lee | Apr 22, 2008 7:38:16 AM
I agree with Anne--I file away the stuff when I have completed my work. My brain operates in a out of sight out of mind mode, and if it's on my desk it is important. Unfortunately, because I am employed in the human service sector I deal with clients who do NOT understand the federal guidelines I work under. I have also noticed that a clutter desk is a sign of employees who actually do the work--at least in my office. If someone has a clean desk in my line of work-- they have a "specialized caseload" and that translate to a SMALLER workload. So Mr. new mangement, IF the work is completed timely and no corrective action is needed-- find another issue to harp on. How about educating the population we serve to understand our time limits? Just STAY away from MY desk and let me do MY job so I can make YOU look good and get you your BONUS... This is almost as bad as cops who stop people for going 5 miles over the limit instead of going after the drug users. If you go after the abusers WHO would the dealers sell to?
Posted by: organized mess | Apr 22, 2008 3:32:35 PM
Who sees the desk? If customers see it, it ought to be cleared off every time you're away from it for more than 10 minutes. Are there enough file cabinets, bookshelves, credenzas, etc.? Management needs to make sure there are enough appropriate and convenient storage areas. Also, if people are taking your work materials, and they're genuinely yours, not the departments, management needs to take responsibility for teaching basic professionalism to clueless folks with no boundaries.
Posted by: Peggy | Apr 22, 2008 7:54:16 PM
Not everyone works the same. Just because some people work better with a clean desk doesn't mean that people who have a messy desk are "unproductive" or "bad" workers. A messy desk can be a sign of a more creative mind as opposed to an analytical mind: creatives don't think about the mess as much as they think about the finished product. Who cares if there is paint on the ceiling if the finished portrait is the Mona Lisa? If their desk is messy but they're getting their work done, what is the problem? Only if it actually interferes with their work (Desk is so messy can't find important papers) should it be addressed.
Posted by: Samesque | Apr 23, 2008 8:47:52 AM
What is better? A employee who has a messy desk, yet knows where everything is, gets everything done on time, but the image doesn't match the company image. Or the employee with the tidy desk, who spends most of their time filing, sticking labels folders and thus doesn't get the work done on time. However, the desk matches the company image.
I know who I would prefer.
Posted by: Fen | Apr 23, 2008 9:34:38 AM
In response to "Organized Mess": get a new job. With all of your caps it is clear you are angry, hostile, dissatisfied, resentful, and disgruntled. Tell me, with all of those characteristics how can you be an effective worker? From 'Mr.old manager' it's just not possible.
And, BTW, The cops who go after the 5 mile per hour speeders are the same ones that go after casual users of drugs that are illegal because of laws enacted in the 1930's to protect special interest groups. Perhaps the cops should go after the real criminals such as rapists, molesters, armed robbers, and murderers to name a few. But then that might just be a little dangerous. These ridiculous laws have eroded personal privacy rights to the point that what started as urine samples, to hair follicles, to blood tests and skin samples are now common place and are now accepted by 'the masses'. Wake up - we cannot incarcerate our way out. People who voluntarily consume drugs do so knowing the risks Even with the world's highest rate of incarceration we still have a drug problem.
Posted by: Alan Remchuk | Apr 23, 2008 9:46:03 AM
Judge the employee on their work, not the appearance of their desk. That is unless you want to be judged on the appearance of your desk. When I walk into an office and see a clear desk I think that person is not pulling their weight in the organization, needs more work, and is overpaid. On the other hand when I walk into an office with a desk full of papers my impression is that this is a hard worker who is dedicated and ver productive and probably underpaid.
When I was a student I worked in an office with five other students. One student, the only one who kept her desk clear, used to nag me about the papers on my desk and credenza. One day I had had it and asked her who always had the report and/or information she needed. When she said I did, I asked her if I had ever not been able to immediately put my hands on what she wanted. After she admitted that I always could put my hands right on what she wanted, I told her that if she continued to nag me that I would no longer be a source of information for her. She stopped the nagging.
My experience has been that those people who worry about what other people's desks look like rather than what they are producing are either insecure in their jobs and need something to pick on or are trying to make someone else look bad because the complaining individual is not carrying their weight in the organization.
Posted by: Joy | Apr 23, 2008 2:56:23 PM
Harold Geneen stated: If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is an empty desk a sign of? (Former CEO
of ITT)
Posted by: Wm Peters | Apr 23, 2008 4:38:50 PM
I agree with many of the others. What is the cause of the clutter? Not being organized, or is it just the method the individual uses to store their work? I am not a CEO with a spotless desk, I have my piles, but I know where everything is and can find anything within a few moments. For managers, a clean desk gives the perception of an organized leader.
Signed,
Messy, but organized
Posted by: Polaco | Apr 23, 2008 7:11:15 PM
I believe the comment goes, 'If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, then what that of an empty desk?' I've always loved that saying because it fits me well & have found the ones w/ an empty desk are the ones, indeed, that always have something bad to say about it & everything else they can find to complain about. There was the one with the 'uncluttered desk'(we called 'Cat'--no offense to the wonderful animals) making up lies about others and making LOUD comments so others could hear, trying to make us look bad so she'd look good and disrupting the team. I just had to write it off as her insecurities. By the way, she's one of the few who's still at that company while during their 'downsizing', I was terminated (unjustifiably, according to myself any many others) and the others were laid off or quit on their own accord. We were the ones who put in all the overtime to fix mistakes (not to mention any names) while she was on a salary & rarely put in her 40 hours. We just look at it as "they can keep people like that. Serves them right to have the connivers and lose the hardest workers they had.
Anyway, one of my past bosses would always come to me for contact #'s, files, etc., she didn't want to take the time to look for because she was always "so discombobulated" (her words verbatim) and even in my so called mess, I could always find whatever it was she needed in a more timely manner than her &/or others. I firmly believe in "To each, their own" as long as it's not disruptive to the company.
Posted by: Laurie | Apr 23, 2008 7:23:42 PM
Honestly speaking,I still consider myself as an advocator of cleanliness and orderliness.Oftentimes,may be always,I have a disgusting messy,messy desk at all times,but I regularly clean up my mess early and end up disorderly by late day.This is always a scenario for me and I think,its no big deal.It was til' a friend criticize me for such but revert that he was challenge because according to him(from what he had read),a person whose desk is oftentimes messy are people who are smart,artistic,and
resourceful person one could have luckyly employed.You may clean up the mess but not the brain.An empty desk may mean clumsiness and insanity.
Posted by: oscar | Apr 23, 2008 8:27:02 PM
This person probably has a lot of files that can be archived. Everything on their desk couldn't possibly be currently active so maybe enlist the help of an admin to get the person to put items in your file room/storage. That should help even if it doesn't end up what you would call 'neat'.
Posted by: Jackie | Apr 23, 2008 8:48:17 PM
I have recently been let go in part due to a "messy desk". For me, the barometer of being overwhelmed with the amount of work to do has always been the size of the piles on my desk. I, too, am the "go to person" for information, contacts, etc. My boss, on the other hand, had nothing on his desk and delegated even the simplest of tasks. I have been gone for several weeks and they have the nerve to contact me for information. Managers beware- you may be getting rid of the "messy desk", but you also may be getting rid of the person who cranks the wheels of progress! Perhaps the question should be: "What can I do to assist this person?" My desk may have been unorganized to others, but I could always put my hands on anything needed.
Posted by: Nancy in CT | Apr 23, 2008 10:48:31 PM
I'm a designer and someone who's desk is perpetually messy. I'm happy with that, not normally concerned with what other people think about it, and it's part of my personality. This is the same personality that designs many of the pristine (sometimes award winning) office building landscapes containing all those tidy desks. Sometimes I design really great public places, campuses or even theme parks.
My Point? Perhaps we should take heed with what appears to be the (slim?) majority opinion on this. People with desks routinely in high contact with clients should probably get their stuff in order for appearances sake. I live by the phrase a messy desk is a sign of an active mind - clients seem to really appreciate the finished project and can put up with the chaos that goes into creating it. If it makes you happier to have a tidy workspace, go for it.
Posted by: Landscape Architect | Apr 23, 2008 11:37:19 PM
I really enjoyed reading all of the comments because this topic hits home. I have to say, I often am inundated with so many emails requesting action that is urgent (honestly urgent), yet very time consuming. I manage a lot of projects all at once and it is not possible to file them away because they are current. My files are bursting with info from 2006 and have stored older files elsewhere. Someone brought up a good point about doing the work of several as one person. It's unrealistic to think that one can effectively manager several tasks at once and maintain a immaculate workspace. My piles are crucial in keeping track of it all with a to-do list and post-it notes of how to action them. I try to keep it organized, but I have to have my info at my fingertips and accessible.
Posted by: Nicole | Apr 24, 2008 12:16:10 AM
I am one who generally has a messy desk. Then again, I also believe in working right up to the minute I'm scheduled to leave. Usually on a quarterly basis, I would purge the piles on my desk, filing what needed to be filed and trashing other things. For me, it was a matter of priorities: monthly reports (of which there were many) and other types of correspondence or tasks were a higher priority, especially since I knew where everything could be found on my desk. If an employee is completing his or her assignments on time and with a high level of quality, the look of the employee's desk should be irrelevant. I always found it interesting that managers tended to complain about the neatness of their employees' desks while disregarding their own offices. One boss said to me, "never mind what my desk looks like, I want yours clean and I'm making that one of your goals." Rather sad that this boss even brought his wife to the office one weekend so she could help "organize" his piles of paper. Consider the productivity and quality of the employee's work rather than the neatness of the desk.
Posted by: NLV Resident | Apr 24, 2008 4:53:45 AM
The only problem with a messy desk is the content in the piles. Is any of it sensitive material?. In my last position with a financial firm the company had security randomly sweep the cubes for documents that should have been in locked files as well as unlocked and unsecured laptops. The guy down the row left client information on top of his desk. He was fired. Unsecured laptops were taken back to the security desk and the employee had to go to them to get it back. If it happened twice, they were fired. So think about your files, what information would a janitor or untrusted colleague be able to learn from what is on your desk?
Posted by: Ken | Apr 24, 2008 12:15:00 PM
I had a co-worker who had the messiest desk; she could not find orders that she had JUST written up. If she was late to work (which was most days) and I needed to find something; I would have to sift through piles of paper, catalogs, samples, you name it.
It was pretty annoying.
She was also the type of person to change dates on sales orders without telling the people who needed to know, then get angry when what she needed wasn't ready.
Sneaky!
Posted by: Meg | Apr 24, 2008 12:58:26 PM
This is a fiery post! I love the debate! Such passion! Good info on both sides.
- John
Posted by: John Trosko | Apr 24, 2008 6:16:11 PM
I let papers stack up for a while. Then I clean it all out one evening and even take down a lot of personal items. It freaks people out into thinking I'm quitting.
I have to amuse myself any way I can.
Posted by: PatrickD | Apr 24, 2008 6:50:44 PM
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