BUSINESS TALK

With Clement Simon

*Why Employers Should Encourage Tidiness in the Workplace*

Some individuals might be of the opinion that a little messiness in the workplace is good for creativity. One reason for this could be that a clinically clean and organised workplace might be too robotic and not very inspirational. However, there is a fine line between a workspace that looks well-used and productively messy, and a workspace that is disorganized, dirty and wholly unproductive. The latter is usually a symptom of employees not clearing away things that are of absolutely no value or immediate use.

 One of the biggest reasons why employees might be having a tough time keeping their workspaces organised could be because they are not using and discarding items efficiently. Simon Reynolds, contributor to Forbes magazine, says that the ‘Golden Question’ to be asked is whether an object or item can be acquired again if needed. Clearing away all items and objects that can be easily acquired is one good technique to sort and organise workspaces.

However, why is keeping a desk or a workstation organised so important? Is it just for the sake of visual appeal and aesthetics? The physical environment a person works in has a big impact on their productivity. Neat, organised spaces have an open, inviting feel to them that could boost the mental clarity and function of employees.

 Also, having a thorough system of organisation and order at workspaces can be very important to employees, particularly around deadlines and periods with extra workloads. The following are a few benefits of having a tidy systematic workplace:

*Makes a good impression*

One of the biggest factors that should lead employers to pay attention to workspace tidiness is the impression it would have on clients, customers and visitors. A clean, smoothly-run office makes a good impression on clients and is also good for the company image. This is important as visitors and customers might judge a company as inefficient and unprofessional based on the appearance of the workplace. Apart from waste bins, companies could also ensure employees have lockers for the storage of their personal items. Having sufficient storage and filing cabinets is another solution that could help keep papers, laptops, chargers, coffee mugs, etc. off desks and workstations.

*Reduces chances of cluttering*

Employers could encourage employees to clear up their desks at the end of each working shift or day. This will help employees take account of all the items lying around, get them to sort through documents and folders on a daily basis, and also help them end each day with a sense of completeness. Having waste paper bins at every workstation, at regular distances in an open plan office, inside cubicles, in copier rooms, etc. can help employees to immediately discard items they do not require, thus reducing the chance of cluttering.

*Ease of resuming work*

When employees return to an organised workspace every morning, they find it much easier to resume work. Instead of wasting energy every morning in cleaning, sorting and hunting for misplaced documents and files, employees can begin their work in a relaxed and calm manner. Beginning the day with a flurry of activity and anxiety in trying to clear papers, food trays, stationery, etc. off tables can put an individual in a bad mood. This could have a negative effect on their productivity for the rest of the day.

 Employers could implement a system of rewards to those employees who leave and return to a neat desk consistently, in order to encourage them to keep workspaces organised.

*Good for overall health*

Half-eaten apples, food trays and used coffee cups sitting around on tables can be sources of bad odours as well as diseases. 

Organisations could plan and arrange separate eating areas for employees in order to help keep workstations clean. 

A kitchen or canteen area would mean wet and organic waste was disposed of in one place. Companies could invest in bin bags and a bin bag holder to make it easier to keep canteens clean.

In fact, employers should plan and set up an efficient system of waste collection and disposal at workplaces in order to aid employees in their efforts to keep offices clean and organised. 

Such items could be purchased in bulk from retailers. In Zimbabwe these plastic bins can be accessed from Waverly plastics and many other Chinese shops dowtown.

📌Use proper storage for everything

When you don’t have a proper place to put items—files, pens, calculators, etc.—clutter is the result. While a desk with drawers is a great start, filing cabinets, shelves and even storage cabinets allow for you to neatly stash all the small items needed to run your business.

Used filing cabinets are a cheaper option than purchasing new ones. Have a closet with shelves to store your work items and make sure to label everything so you can find it when you need it. Each shelf can be designated for specific items, such as one for binders and another for pens and pencils or small office supplies.

📌Get rid of what you don’t use

A messy desk usually builds up over time. To keep desktop clutter to a minimum, try this tactic: Take any paper or item that is normally on, in or around your desk and put it in a box. As you need an item, remove it from the box and return it to your desk. After a week has passed, whatever is left in the box must either go to another storage area or be recycled. Anything that has not been used in a week should not be visible in your workspace.  

📌Move to a paperless office

Clutter in the office often builds up from printing emails, forms, receipts or other paper transactions. There are a variety of apps and programs that allow you to save your information online. From there, you can save it, organize it and share it with others. Not only will this create less paper waste, but it is also kinder to the environment.

📌Shop around for cleaning supplies

While you don’t want to skimp on frequency of cleanings, especially in the office bathrooms and kitchen, you can save a lot of money by being budget conscious when buying cleaning products and other supplies. Tips for saving money on cleaning supplies include:

📍Buying the store brand instead of the name brand. Compare active ingredients. Often the store brand has the same stuff in it for less than half the price.

📍Be a minimalist with cleaning supplies. A vacuum with a hard floor cleaning feature can mean you don’t have to continually purchase mops. Buying a versatile spray cleaner  can eliminate the need to buy separate toilet, sink and counter cleaners

📍For big-ticket items like vacuums and carpet shampooers, consider buying used.

📍Use sanitary wipes as a cheap, easy solution for wiping surfaces between deeper cleanings.

📌 Organize your cables

The rise of technology has meant the proliferation of wires and cables. Besides being a safety hazard, these unsightly cables can cause excess dust and can also make you feel more disorganized. Rain gutters bought at a hardware store can be attached to the back of a desk and the cables can be run through them, out of sight.

Additionally, you can experiment with decorative boxes purchased from bargain retailers. Cut holes in the back of these boxes and run the cables through these boxes, with the plugs coming out of the back hole. Making your cables invisible creates the illusion of a clutter-free, wireless workplace.

📌Don’t eat at your desk

Eating at our desks is a bad—if convenient—habit that many of us are guilty of. This practice can leave behind a mess of crumbs and stickiness all over your work area.  By having a designated area where employees can eat, you will minimize desktop dirt while providing your team with a gathering place to relax. As a bonus, a designated eating spot is great for workplace culture and employee well-being.

📌Take turns cleaning

Remind everyone that a clean office helps create a more efficient working environment and that it is in everyone’s best interest to help out. In order to make sure that the cleaning is accomplished, you can make a challenge out of it. At the end of the week, the perssupplies

am with the cleanest work area gets free bagels or another breakfast treat on Monday morning

*How to deal with untidy work colleagues or Employees*

Everyone has their own definition of what’s messy and what’s not. Some people are able to tolerate more clutter and mess, whereas others like to have everything neat and tidy at all times. This isn’t too much of a problem when these cleaning habits are limited to the privacy of one’s home. However, it can be a real issue when it encroaches on a shared work space where everyone has different ideals. Here are seven tips for dealing with untidy and messy people at work.

📍Seek to understand the underlying issue

There’s usually a link between people’s environment and their mental and emotional space. Therefore, simply asking someone to clean up their workspace probably won’t solve the problem for good. It’s important to understand why your colleague is messy. Is there something going on for them personally? Do they struggle to focus? Are they lacking clear goals to work towards? When you understand the underlying issue, you can seek to address it with the right approach and help the person make a long-term change that will benefit them in both their work and personal life.

📍Encourage a recycling program

If your office doesn’t already recycle, introduce a recycling program to encourage employees to put their paper and glass recyclables in the bin. Educate team members on what should be recycled, like paper, cardboard, tins, plastic containers and glass, and what shouldn’t, like food waste, food-tainted items, coffee cups, plastic bags, foil and more. By doing this, you will lift the office cleaning standards for the whole team. It’s just like the saying goes, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats!’

📍Move away from paper processes

Some employees may appear more messy than others simply because they are dealing with a heavy volume of paper. This might be the case for anyone who works in administration or who handles purchasing, invoices or contracts. There are plenty of state-of-the-art software solutions that businesses can implement to get rid of paper once and for all. These systems, often cloud based, reduce paper waste by allowing team members to collaborate, edit and share documents in real-time from wherever they are. By making the most of the latest technology solutions, your business will decrease clutter while improving efficiency and decreasing its carbon footprint – it’s a win win!

📍Have a regular office cleaning day

If more than one person’s workspace has fallen into a mess, or if other areas of the office are untidy, plan an office cleaning day. Supply snacks and lunch, turn on music and encourage employees to wear casual clothes. At the end of the day, you’ll not only have a tidy workplace but also a more bonded team and plenty of fun memories.

📌Conquer clutter with the box method

If clutter continues to be a problem, implement the box tidying method. This works by giving each employee a box to sit on their desk. At the end of the day, every employee must put any loose items like paper, pens, staplers or notebooks in the box. This encourages employees to get in the habit of keeping their workspace tidy, and keeps the entire office free from clutter. 

📌Have a conversation

If an employee’s lack of cleanliness is impacting on other people’s health, wellbeing and efficiency, it’s time to have a conversation with them. If you’re not the boss, then it’s important to notify a manager to allow them to do the talking. Addressing the person’s behaviour and explaining why it is detrimental to other employees should encourage them to change their habits. 

📍Relocate the employee

If a particular employee continues to cause a mess in the workplace after being spoken to, it might be time to consider relocating that employee to a different area. If all else fails, management may need to step in to give the employee a formal warning. This should clearly explain that the employee must clean up their act if they are to keep working in the office.

Untidiness not only leaves an eyesore in the workplace but also affects productivity and can ultimately be detrimental to your business’ bottom line. The best way to handle messiness at work is to deal with it quickly so you can get back to doing the work that matters the most – serving your customers and clients.

(Clement Simon lives in Harare with his wife and child. He is a devout Christian and choirmaster at Highfield Salvation Army church).