A disorderly workstation may not only diminish someone’s ability to work in a productive fashion, but it may also prevent them from advancing in their company, according to a new CareerBuilder.ca survey.
The job search website polled 230 managers and 420 workers between May and June, and found that one-third of employers said they’d be less likely to promote their employees if they had a disorganized desk.
“While chaos on your desk space can indicate a busy workload, it can also imply a lack of organization,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “The good news is that workers can fix this problem quickly and reverse any negative perceptions of their performance.”
Haefner offered several solutions to paper-piling problems, including scheduling weekly visits with the recycling bin to throw out any unneeded documents and prioritizing tasks by making a “to do” list.
If papers can’t be thrown away, there are storage solutions to consider, such as purchasing portable storage containers that can be stowed away underneath a worker’s desk or in one of their drawers.
