Hot Desking Tips - 26/06/2008
Do you thrive with a tidy desk or are you more efficient when your desk is untidy?
Online office broker, officebroker.com which works with 97% of the UK's serviced office space providers and landlords, has joined forces with leading business psychologists Pearn Kandola to find out what your desk really says about you.
Is a messy desk really the preserve of the creative genius or does creating your own 'nest' at work give a sense of belonging and settlement?
"Walk into any company and the chances are you will find people whose desks are all very differently organised," says Andy Haywood, of officebroker.com.
"While some companies might in fact employ a policy or have a culture of desk etiquette, it
seems the majority simply leave desk decorating down to the individual employee."
"So can you really be efficient if your desk is messy? And can employers determine what best motivates an individual by the state of their desk?" asks Andy. "We thought it was time to find out!"
Louise Weston is one of the business psychologists working with Pearn Kandola.
She says: "You can certainly gain some insight into an individual's personality and what motivates them by looking at how they organise their desk.
"In fact, it can even give managers a quick snapshot into how to best motivate their team."
For example: A person who displays targets or project charts on or around their desk is often
highly motivated by achievement and by setting goals.
Those with pictures of their family or friends on their desk and an array of personal paraphernalia tend to be more people focussed and are motivated by their the work place.
Employees who have screen savers or calendars depicting tropical beaches tend to be more hedonistic.
People with 'stylish' desks, perhaps with an Apple Mac on it because they 'like the design', tend to be motivated by culture and the environment in which they work.
A neat and tidy desk is often a sign of a highly conscientious individual - someone who is well organised and prefers to focus on one thing at a time.
