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| Employee Handbook |
| Personal Workspace: Maintaining personality and productivity |
Because you spend more of your waking hours at work than at home, you’ve probably come to appreciate the fact that freedom to personalize your workspace is important to your comfort level. “If employees work in an area where they feel comfortable, they’ll be more productive,” according to B.J. Miller, office design specialist.
One difficulty you may encounter as a manager or owner is how to balance an employee’s need for “style” against the company’s need for “moderation.” Going overboard on personal knick-knacks, posters or plants can create clutter that hinders productivity, distracts other workers, or negatively impacts your company image. Outlining some rules about what kinds of “personalization” are appropriate will help eliminate most problems. Include these guidelines in your company handbook.
Some additional ideas may help you improve productivity:
- Be certain that office space you provide includes adequate storage.
- Is there sufficient space to perform the required job tasks? Eliminate workspace clutter by moving CPUs to the floor or providing hanging tool holders.
- Are frequently accessed items within an easy arm’s reach?
- Consider providing a screen-saver program to each of your employees that will allow them to display personal photographs on their computer screens instead of on desks or workbenches.
- Appoint a committee of employees to decide on a uniform style for office artwork. Each employee should have the option to choose specific posters or prints for their workspaces within these style guidelines.
For assistance with this or other “employee handbook” issues, contact our Human Resources Department.
What goes on your work surface?
- Use it every day—it stays on top
- Use it weekly—it goes in a drawer within easy reach
- Use it monthly—overhead or supplemental storage
- Use it less than monthly—it goes in off-site storage
Source: Lynn, Jaquelyn. “Keep It To Yourself: How Personal is too Personal for Work Space.” Entrepreneur.
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