Express Business News

Organization and Records Storage

In today's competitive market, nobody can afford to waste time and effort at work. We're all looking for ways to be more efficient and effective, decrease stress, streamline a process or just make life easier.

Organization is a smart way to accomplish all of that and more. Look around your workspace. Do you feel and look like you're in control? If not, it's time to start getting it together. The benefits pay dividends every single day when you can find things easily, save time and prevent important information from getting lost.

Feel in Control
Find out if organization affects how you feel and deal at work. Just answer true or false to the following statements:

1. A messy office stresses me out.
2. I'm exhausted at the end of the day.
3. Clutter makes me feel overwhelmed by my work.
4. There are so many piles in my office—it looks like a mountain range.
5. I often say: "Wait, I know I put it somewhere."
6. I haven't seen the surface of my desk in months.

If you answered true to three or more of these statements, you're going to benefit from some office re-organization. Clutter makes you feel out of control. When your office is in order, your workplace stress is more manageable.

Look Professional
A messy office inspires no one. Everyone knows someone who claims they can "find anything" in their messy office. But how long does it really take? Do you feel confident depending on that person when your project is on a deadline? There's an old joke about how little work gets done in clean offices, but it's more likely that person accomplishes more by being organized and efficient.

The Cost of Clutter
Ever wonder just how much money a disorganized, cluttered office can cost a company? Experts estimate that an employee wastes an hour a day looking for misplaced items. Let's estimate the cost based on a company with 100 employees, an average annual salary of $60,000, a 40-hour work week and 2 weeks of vacation. The wasted time adds up to:

• $15,000 per week
• $65,000 per month
• $780,000 per year