If you are sitting at your desk now, take a look around and ask
yourself: "What is this desk saying about me?"
For example, what messages does a three-day-old apple core send to
your co-workers, or the photo of your ex-girlfriend, or the novelty
postcard from Uncle Bob’s big summer holiday?
Ask a psychologist and, unsurprisingly, they’ll tell you that just
like the clothes we choose to wear or the meal we take at lunch,
our desk is often perceived as an extension of our personalities.
Nothing ground-breaking there – but certainly worth bearing in
mind.
Recent studies have revealed that desks can be useful to managers
attempting to understand and motivate their staff. Vice versa, if
you are interested in the way you are perceived at work – and
perhaps you are thinking of modifying that perception – a desktop
makeover is a great place to start.
When considering the state of your desk and what signals it sends
about you, keep in mind the following stereotypes:
The motivated workspace. Strategically placing
work targets, charts, graphs and deadlines in plain view of
passers-by is likely to make them think you are ambitious and goal
orientated.
Family, friends and pets. Lost that human touch?
Littering your space with pictures of these will give the
impression that you are a “people person”, motivated by the
relationships around you.
Hedonist’s shrine. Adventure calendars, holiday
postcards and lively screen savers: sprinkling these around says,
“I like a good time.” You could well be perceived as the “work to
live” type as opposed to the “live to work”.
Fashion hub. Need to say: style over substance? Or
rather, style with substance? A few well-placed fashionable gadgets
or accessories can raise your style stocks. Be careful though: like
beauty, what is fashionable changes between beholders.
The naked desk. Often thought to be the workspace
of more introverted types. Other introvert signs are building a
wall of office files to hide behind or facing your desk in a
position where you avoid eye contact. However, with the rise in
desktop interpretations perhaps the bare desk is just a clever
workplace poker face.
A talking point. Football team memorabilia,
pictures of you hugging your favourite band or a model of your
dream car – build a beacon like this to invite workplace
comments.People who are happy to reveal their interests are usually
seen as extroverted – which can be great, depending on your
job.
Controlled environment. Need to show your manager
that you are better organised this year? The tidy desktop just
might help you take a step in the right direction. Workers with an
ordered space are usually thought to be conscientious and punctual
… but then appearances can be deceptive!
Chaos theory. Looking to appear capable of
high-risk multi-tasking? Consider spreading your stationery across
your desk at random, throw in a few half-empty coffee cups, and
style a few rough piles of documents. The messy desk can be
associated with the flexible multi-tasker able to switch between
jobs quickly and without stress. On the other hand, you could just
appear disorganised and unreliable...
The next time you walk across the office, take some time to analyse
your colleagues’ and manager’s desktops. You might find a new
friend, or realise how your desk needs to look to make your boss
smile.