And it seems British workers are secretly in denial about the extent to which a cluttered desk impacts on their efficiency: although almost half said it had no impact on their productivity, whilst three-quarters then admitted they had lost a document or item due to a messy desk.
Indeed, over half of the people who responded to the survey claimed they only lost up to 15 minutes each day due to a disorganised workspace – however, some admitted to losing up to an hour each day.
Likewise, whilst just over half of the respondents agreed that while a disorganised desk had some impact on how others perceived them, it wasn’t the be-all and end-all, rather part of who they were.
Only a third said that they tidied their desk every day – with a fifth of respondents said that once a month was enough to enable them to keep on top of their jobs.
When it came to whether employers should have a say over how people keep their desks, opinions were split: 59% said it was right for employers to have a say on how they kept their desks as employers set the rules, whereas the remainder felt it was their own personal space to keep as they pleased.
As if to prove it, some officeworkers admitted they had more unusual ways to give their workplace a homely feel. One respondent said the most unusual thing on their desk was a semi nude photo of themselves, while another brightened their work environment with a calendar of naked farmers.
Simon Drakeford, group CEO of Euroffice, who commissioned the survey, said: “Like a bulging inbox, a cluttered desk is something that can create workplace stress and give the impression of being disorganised. Having the right storage and filing systems can make it easier to manage paper flow, so it’s easier to concentrate on the task at hand.”
