I had the pleasure of working in a clear desk policy environment a few years back. The bonus was that everything looked clean and clear at the end of the day, but the reality was that all the paper and work was squashed in my filing cabinet behind my desk. It gave me a false sense of achievement at the end of the day and the belief to management everything was Ok.
The problem is I have now forgotten what the true benefit of the clear desk policy was? Was it there to help me be more effective at my job, or help me reduce my stress? Was it about recycling and helping to reduce the paper war in the office? I’m now wondering whether this type of policy has had its day.
Are there still clear desk policies in the contact centre industry and are they working for those centres?
I like to have a clean work area and I have a New Year’s resolution of ensuring I have a tidy and clean working space which different to a clear desk. So I’m working my way through all those trays or boxes of must have documents, papers, reports that are currently adding absolutely no value to my day or my week. I’m even looking at the secret trays under the desk of ‘important’ papers that I really needed to keep for some obscure reason in 2002.
I think we are all ‘paper magpie’s’ in some way at work. However, I’ve decided …If I haven’t needed it in the last 12 months, then I probably don’t need it ever again, so I should just send it to its final resting place in the recycling bin.
If I have to choose between a clear or clean desk I will always ensure my desk is clean and ready for action daily, but not always clear. I believe clearing my desk doesn’t make me any more efficient or reduce my stress. Time management of tasks will do that!
I also never judge staff that cover their desks with paper, yet achieve all tasks within deadlines, they have a method to their perceived mess, and a clear desk would throw them into a tail spin. Each to their own, as long as they meet performance objectives I say.
But if you like the sound of a clear desk and need some more information on a clear desk policy, check out a link, located in the Resource Library under Culture and Environment.