To make things a little easier when it comes to organising an office, here are 5 tips to get you started!
Buy items that are multipurpose – Not only will these items then take up less space, but they will probably be cheaper than buying them separately anyway! Multipurpose items can include seating or coffee tables that double as storage, printers that have scanning and facsimile functionality, water filters that give hot and cold water and even a board room table that can double as a lunch table if not being used!
Kitchen police – For some reason, fully grown adults tend to get very messy in a staff kitchen! While you can put up as many “please clean up after yourself” signs as you like, these are easy to ignore. The best thing to do is put someone on kitchen duty. This is not so they can clean up after everyone else, but to “police” the kitchen, should it get untidy. If staff know that one of their team mates is responsible for policing the area, they are more likely to pitch in and help.
Give staff the right tools – Filing cabinets, pen holders and even something as basic as a set of drawers under their desk will allow your team to keep their items sorted neatly and out of sight.
Create a “clean desk policy” – It may sound simple, but many people allow their desks to be overrun with paperwork, coffee mugs, rubbish and all kinds of mess. By employing a clean desk policy and mentioning it in your induction manuals, the expectation is set up front that staff need to maintain a level of order in their personal workspace, on a daily basis.
4 o’clock drinks – If the clean desk policy isn’t adhered to by as many people as you’d like, make a habit of having a quick weekly clean-up, but provide some refreshments for staff while they’re doing it. If they know a wine or beer is involved, they’ll be more inclined to get down to sorting out that paperwork under their desk!
When trying to keep a busy office tidy, the best thing to do is lead by example. If you are organised and productive, staff will look to you and realise the benefits of following your lead!
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