Have you ever noticed that it’s so much easier for people to be productive and stay on task when your workplace is organized? It’s easier to find things, stay on top of tasks, and avoid getting distracted.
Of course, making your workplace organized often feels like it’s easier said than done. It’s not too bad if you have a plan for approaching it though.
Identify Problem Areas
Most workplaces have a few problem areas that struggle with organization more than others (though the entire workplace may be the problem area for others). Start by identifying which areas of your business suffer the most from disorganization.
Then take a closer look to see if you can discover why they are disorganized. Do your employees have a way to keep things organized? Is the issue poor time management? Once you know where the problem lies and the underlying reasons, it’s easier to address the issue.
Adopt Some Guiding Principles
Identifying problem areas can help you identify patterns in the disorganization. That allows you to identify and adopt guiding principles that help you make your workplace more organized. 5S is one example of a set of principles you can use to create a more organized workplace.
The 5 S’s are sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. These principles help you reduce waste and improve workflow, which helps productivity. An audit can help assess your progress when implementing the 5S methodology.
Organize Regularly
It’s a lot easier to maintain an organized workplace once you have it where you want it and have systems in place to support organization. You do have to maintain it though. Without continued proactive organization, even the best-organized workplaces will fall into disorganization again. Encourage employees to declutter and put their areas in order regularly. Be an example of this and hold your management team to the same standards. It also helps to keep your workplace clean and sanitary. This is a job that most workplaces should assign to staff who are dedicated to keeping the business clean, rather than assigning cleaning tasks to employees with other responsibilities. Having professional office cleaners costs money, but they can make a positive difference.
Organizing your workplace may seem like a pain at first, but the benefits make the effort worth it. If you organize your workplace well, maintaining it isn’t too difficult and the positive impact it has on the workplace environment is impressive. Commit to making your workplace a place of order so you, your employees, and your business can thrive.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Here’s more to read. How to Change the Culture of Your Business
