Studies Show A Clean Desk Gets The Raise (NAPSA)—Desk clutter is a powerful magnet—it quickly starts with a few innocent-looking documents tossed casually on the desk and accumulates to a Mount Everest-sized heap. According to a recent survey conducted by Pendaflex, a leading global office supplies brand, a majority of employers take their staff’s level of organization into consideration during annual reviews. These supervisors felt that clean desks and organized workspaces increased employees’ chances of recognition and promotion. “Your level of organization may be directly linked to attaining a raise or promotion, so having a clean desk is no longer a vanity— it’s a necessity,” said Sharon Mann, Pendaflex organizational expert and president of the 100,000-member I Hate Filing Club. “Most people fall victim to desk clutter to some degree— more than 60 percent of workers admit they need to improve their organization.” To increase “office efficiency” and productivity (and improve your chances of getting the raise you deserve!), Mann suggests following these four simple tips: 1.) “Paper-less,” as in Less Office workers use 200 sheets of paper each day! With such a high paper volume, it is easy to lose track of important documents. Reduce clutter by discarding unessential documents and keeping only papers that need immediate attention, are difficult to re-obtain or are important for tax/financial reasons. 2.) File Instead of Pile More than 60 percent of workers routinely lose paperwork. To save both time and money, pre- FILE INSTEAD OF PILE—Preventing clutter is the key to success. vent document loss by utilizing high-quality filing solutions. “Action” files should be kept nearby for quick access while permanentfiles should be color-coded and stored in a filing cabinet for later review. 3.) Label Away Employees spend nearly 50 percent of their time looking for misplaced data. Considerall the time and energy you could save by being even slightly more organized! Try a label maker to reduce time wasted searchingfor files and supplies that aren’t clearly labeled. Some labelers, such as the Dymo LabelWriter 330 Turbo, allow you to print directly from the desktop (bid adieu to paper jams). 4.) Order Wasn’t Built in a Day If you feel that organizing a messy desk in one sitting can be overwhelming, you’re not alone! Many workers face anxiety when deciding how to handle clutter. To reduce stress associated with conquering a cluttered desk, think of workspace organization as an ongoing project rather than a daily requirement. To learn more, visit the Web sites, www.ihatefilingclub.com or www.pendaflex.com.
