How messy is TOO messy of an office? I’ve worked with all sorts of people when it comes to this. There are the people with the super-bare office — completely clean desks with perhaps one photo on it. I’ve worked with folks where it was so messy that it seemed like they could film an episode of Hoarders in there. And I’ve worked with people where it was “controlled chaos” — one of my bosses memorably kept about 10 tall piles of manilla folders on her desk at all times and would have to go through each pile to find what she needed. Personally, I’ve always been on the messier side of the spectrum, but with the caveat that I can almost always find what I need in under ten minutes.
I suppose I’ve assumed something about each of these coworkers — it is, after all, a bit of a window into how the mind works. I always imagine the bare-office people sitting there grinding their teeth at the slightest noise outside their office that interrupts their concentration — the kind of people who, if their daily schedule gets off by five minutes, their day is irreparably ruined. On the converse, I’ve imagined the truly messy office people (the “how did they get that pile of papers so high?” people) always think a clean office is a good idea in theory… when they get around to it, right after they finish that novel and those other 3 ambitious projects that they never quite seem to start. That said, for my $.02, the only people I viewed as “less professional” because of their office space had to do more with decor (a big sports-related beanbag chair, an overly pink, matchy-matchy desk set) and less to do with “mess.”
But as a junior employee, are you better advised to keep your office space orderly and neat — even if clients and superiors don’t visit your office frequently? When does a messy office cross the line?
Readers, what do your offices look like? What do you wish they looked like? What assumptions do you make about other people based on their office space?
Personally – I care less about a person’s office space, and more about their ability to file and handle electronic data/email storage. I can’t tell you how unprofessional it is to watch someone sort through random folders on their (computer) desktop, send you wrong versions of a document, or (worse!) fail to have any sort of filing system for their Outlook emails. Relying too much on the ‘search’ function is a recipe for disaster. To not be able to track down someone’s email/document because of poor filing habits is much more unprofessional than having a cluttered office. (IMHO) ;)
I loved this article… indeed its kaftan awesome… keep posting such stuff
I try to keep my office neat enough that someone else can find a file if they need it. That happens frequently at my workplace, and that’s one of the reasons that I keep client files stacked on the credenza or bookcase. At other places, I’ve seen lawyers keep files stacked on the floor, which I think is totally inappropriate, since those files do not belong to me, but to the client.
I am having serious jealousy issues right now over having an office with a door. I work in the misdemeanor division of my county prosecutor’s office and since we have more attorneys in my division than any other, we have cubicles. Mine is decorated such that most people would think a pre-teen inhabits it. No one from the outside sees our spaces so I can get away with having a Harry Potter poster, a Twilight poster, lots of stuffed Eeyores, and tons of Vegas stuff in my area. Don’t be too judgy, these things all make me exceedingly happy and dealing with domestic violence and DWI cases everyday can be a real downer. I have lots of pi three of friends and family displayed, as well as many gifts and thank you letters and cards from victims as well.
My desktop is always covered in files (my division handles 15,000 cases a year) and case law, but its not dirty. I try to go through it weekly and make sure it isn’t so messy that no one can find anything. About once a quarter I do manage to see all of my desktop surface. I love those times, however short lived they end up being.
I really dislike auto-correct. The last sentence of the first paragraph should read: I have lots of pictures of friends and family…
My apologies ladies.
hahah you know what! you might be talking some sense!! theres a contest by contest factory for the messiest desk or cubicle and all you have to do is make a video. Would be a funny add to this blog!Go to contestfactory.com/pimp to enter for free or see this youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjfb-ipHrTk