We’re now about to end the first quarter of 2019. This might have already made your office pretty messy with all the papers, folders, documentations, and other stuff stacked.
For your plans for an office clean up, be it dusting or disposing file folders, rearranging workstations for a fresher vibe, or digitizing papers and storing digital documents using a document management application, clear-cut reasons would really help you be pumped up to do so.
So, why declutter today??
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It increases productivity.
There are times that once tasks start to be at pend, the cycle of keeping them hanging goes on. Next thing you know: you’re all task-drowned compromising your work’s quality just to hit deadlines.
You can be productive without the guilt of mediocrity with the help of a clean office. An HLW International LLP study (as mentioned by Jean Hanson, a cleaning business consultant, in her LinkedIn article) suggests that “a clean office produced quantifiable results when it came to employee productivity.” An increase of 5% productivity (equating to $125,000) was seen in a 100-employee office with an average of $25,000 salary per year for each employee.
Be it monetary or task productivity, tidying up your work space matters to achieve such efficiency.
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It yields to a healthy environment and professional image for the employees.
A clean workplace doesn’t just keep sicknesses away; it also helps build up employees’ professional image.
An infographic by the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) shows that a tidy office lowers the risk of catching common colds and influenza to 80%, lessens areas contaminated with virus to 62%, and decreases absenteeism rate to 46% — lesser chances for a sick leave, more opportunities to grow professionally.
The infographic also shows that due to dust exposure, cognitive skills by employees are highly affected with 2-6% performance depletion of typing, arithmetic, logical, reasoning, memory, and creative thinking. This was proved true by Joseph Grzywacz‘s research, Department Chair and Professor at Norejane Hendrickson. His study confirms that “a lack of stimulation in the workplace and a dirty working environment” yields to cognitive decline, specifically to episodic memory and executive functioning.
This just proves that office clutter is not good for the well-being and profession. Your health and career are worth your efforts for an office clean up, so don’t mind getting your hands dirty for a while.
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It allows you to re-manage stuff, especially documents.
Your ball point pen tried to blend in with your spoon and fork’s clique on your computer table. Your phone charger already strangled your stuffed toy souvenir from a nearby theme park. Your stick-on notes fell like autumn leaves in your warm cup of coffee – crazy crossroads of serendipity, but not romantic at all.
If it so happens that your stuff and knickknacks got acquainted the same way, pretty please, tidy up today. By doing so, you’ve get hold of things that really matter and let go of belongings that wouldn’t really affect your work.
As for your documents, knowing what’s pending, what’s for shredding, and what’s for storing helps you keep on track what to prioritize and avoids cramming when you need to retrieve a document for a deadline or a submission.
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Cleanup bundles are widely available
You might think that were just referring to brooms, dustbins, garbage bags and whatnots. But we’re also referring to scanners and document management systems, at the same time document digitization services available in the market.
Though cleanup bundles for paper and digital clutters are widely available, it is rare to find one that also pitches in compatible productivity suites. If there’s such bundle offer in your area, acquire it as it will benefit you not just you but also your co-employees.
Have less papers for your workstation and more space for you to work efficiently.
These points don’t need too much reflection to realize that an office clean-up is necessary. While the year is young, plan out how will you tidy up your office.
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