Piles of paperwork, mouldy coffee cups and cute fluffy toys – if these are the items that adorn your desktop it might be worth stopping to look at the message they could be sending out to the rest of your office colleagues. While there’s no concrete evidence that the state of your desk could help you get that next promotion, others do get a perception of you from what they see in your workspace.

You may think your Mount Everest-sized piles of paperwork, floor-based filing system and desktop pool table highlight your creative genius and artistic temperament but in reality, the image you’re more likely to portray is someone who is haphazard, rushed and disorganised. While a tidy desk doesn’t necessarily mean you’re more productive, it does send out a certain message and if you want to be taken seriously at work, it might be worth thinking about what your desk says about you.

“Your desk can be an extension of who you are, much in the same way that how you dress shows elements about the way you are,” says Louise Weston, a chartered occupational psychologist with business psychologists, Pearn Kandola. “So, if your desk is planned and organised, you’re more likely to be a conscientious, thorough person, someone who likes to do one job at a time and file the paperwork away before going on to the next one. If your desk is less organised with papers everywhere that you dip in and out of, you could be more a more spontaneous type of person, a multi-tasker who can do many things at once.”

Everyone has their own way of filing and being organised and, ultimately, you need to feel comfortable in your own workspace. So, if rows of carefully labelled folders and minimalist desk furniture don’t do it for you, don’t worry. You can still arrange your desk so that it suits you, but try to adopt clever ways of keeping papers tidy – a few in-trays, for example, or different draws for different projects. This will show that you take a professional attitude to your work and that you are on top of things but it’s not going to grate against your personality either.

“If your desk is cluttered, it’s worth thinking about the message this sends out,” agrees Louise, “especially if a big piece of work comes in that needs thorough checking. If your desk is a bombsite, an employer might question whether you are the right person to do it.”

Whilst being tidy and organised might not come naturally to you, there are small steps you can take to change your behaviour. “Keep it small and realistic,” advises Louise. “Set small achievable goals – perhaps filing your papers at the end of every day. Keep reminders on your desk top or programme your Microsoft Outlook to flash with a message before you leave for the day to remind you.”

What type of desk do you have?

Work out what message you are sending out with our guide to your desk space:

Mr Motivator - Employees that have project charts or targets on or surrounding their office desk are often increasingly motivated by achievement and by setting targets for themselves.

Touchy-feely - Those with photos of their family or friends on their desk and a display of personal things have a tendency to be more of a ‘people’s person’ and are motivated by their relationships both inside and outside of the office.

Fun factor - People who have calendars or screen savers displaying exotic places and tropical beaches are often more hedonistic – for them drive is all about the enjoyment factor. They look for enjoyment in every occasion, for example, choosing to meet clients over lunch at a fine restaurant.

Designer desk - Those with ‘trendy’ office desks, are more than likely to have an Apple Mac on it because they ‘like the way it looks’, or with tasteful flowers or objects are more likely to be motivated by culture and their office surroundings.

The office mouse - An office desk without any personal ‘bits and pieces’ is usually home to the introvert – these people may even utilise office files and other objects to form a barrier around themselves and their work. They prefer their desks to be directed towards a wall rather than face out into the office.

The show-off - On the contrary, those who use their desks to show their personalities are usually more extroverted and may even have novelty calendars or desk top toys to invite people over to their office work space and generate a talking point. These kinds of people prefer desks facing out to their ‘audience’ and the rest of the office.

Neat and tidy - A clear and organised office desk is often an indication of a conscientious individual – an individual who is well organised and prefers to focus on one thing at a time.

The multi-tasker - A more impulsively ordered desk demonstrates someone who is skilful at multi tasking and can change between different tasks quite quickly and easily. They are usually flexible and creative in their attitude to work.

For more business psychology information, visit www.pearnkandola.com

Related posts:

1. 5 Jobs for the Christmas period If you’re always the one that gets left in the...