Want to boost productivity in your office? It’s time to declutter, tidy up and leave those work desks clutter-free and sparklingly clean!
An infographic by Cleaning Services Group, a provider of domestic and commercial cleaning services, shows the direct correlation between a clean and tidy office space and a more productive day’s work.
How a Clean Office Increases Productivity
When desks and work surfaces are left unclean, viruses can linger on the likes of telephones and keyboards for 24 hours. The infographic claims an unhygienic office to be the cause of at least some of the nine working days the average employee loses due to being sick every year.
The infographic quotes an interesting study by Harvard University, involving the productivity of students tasked with working in environments of varying levels of clutter. The study found students who worked in a clutter-free workspace were able to work steadily for 7.5 minutes longer than the students attempting the task in a cluttered workspace. The study concluded that an untidy workspace can “undermine people’s persistence in completing tasks.”
Working in a clean and tidy working environment means you are less likely to be distracted by objects cluttering up a workspace, hence clean offices can lead to increased focus, notes the infographic.
Common sense suggests with less time wasted searching for important documents, a tidy, well-organized office leads to a more productive day. In fact, searching for lost documents equates to businesses losing around $2.5 million in lack of productivity, according to data by the International Data Corporation.
Not only are workers less inclined to waste time in a cluttered office, but they are also less stressed, as clutter and mess can result in trying to focus on too many things at once, therefore heightening stress levels.
Similar to how a clean home makes people feel better, a tidy working environment can lead to a happier workforce with good morale.
Here’s the Cleaning Services Group’s full infographic on ‘How a Clean Office Can Boost Productivity’.
Image: Cleaning Services Group
I agree with the research and strive for a clean, tidy desk at all times.
Aira Bongco
This is true. When I tried throwing away the things I don’t need, it is easier to move and do what I needed to do. Clutter can hold you down.
It is interesting that you are more likely to stay focused when you are working in a clean environment. I recently started cleaning my work desk area each week and I’m considering adding dusting to my list of items to do when cleaning. If I owned a business or office space, I’d consider hiring a professional cleaning service or work with someone that has experience with commercial spaces to help keep the office clean.