Workplace Hoarders

The Cluttered Workplace
There are lots of ways in business to waste time and money and one way is a disorganized and cluttered workplace. Hoarding outdated paper work or old technology is counter productive. Important things can get lost in the mix. Allowing personal items to gravitate to the job because the spouse doesn't want junk in their house should be a no-no. That is indicative of a deeper problem then being a pack-rat.

It is well documented that it costs people money when their home is messy. They can't find things and buy duplicates, they lose track of checks and forget to cash them. They can't find receipts to prove they paid for things, food is wasted and goes bad because it was not used in time. Now what mayhem do you think can happen at a business that is trying to make a profit. Also people with hoarding disorder are known to outsource their junk.

It can be bad enough having co-workers who are not tidy but it can be really disconcerting having your boss not only sanction it, but being the ringleader. Trying to find needed equipment is hard when nothing is labeled and there is no set place for things to be. If workers don't have to put things away they won't. People will hide things so they know where they are and they will be available to them only.

It is bad for your health to be in an environment that is full of clutter. Dust and dirt accumulates and breed dust mites causing problems breathing. If food is allowed to be eaten in an area there needs to be monitoring to make sure it is cleaned after. If people are allowed to leave their garbage around insects and rodents will move in.

Some of these offices are like obstacle courses with folders, paper, and books lined up on the floor. It's very hard to walk in much less get work done. I can't imagine how they order equipment. Do they really understand how things get wasted in a disorganized workplace. Old useless items take up valuable space and broken items sit waiting to be fixed. Things get thrown around and find themselves on the floor while people are trying to find needed items. I find that if you try to clean up they don't particularly like it. You need a system in place to help people understand that they have to be organized and useless junk needs to be discarded. And that it will be better for everyone.