PR pro confessions: Is your desk a mess?
PR pros weigh in on the state of their desks, and whether clutter is a genuine problem.
Is your desk a magnet for weathered Post-It notes, trade magazines dating back to 2009 and clients’ outdated press kits? If so, it might not be as big of a problem as it seems. It partially depends on your co-workers.
A new survey from staffing company OfficeTeam found that 68 percent of HR managers in the U.S. think it’s at least somewhat OK for your desk to be messy. About a tenth even said it’s a sign of a creative person. However, 32 percent indicated they’d wonder whether a worker with a messy desk is organized and effective.
“Although not everyone cares about how your desk looks, having a messy workspace could lead others to question your professionalism,” Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam, said in a news release. “Keep your desk tidy, and you’ll be able to find what you need more quickly and increase your work efficiency.”
How does this play out in the PR world? I recently put out a HARO request for PR folks to weigh in on clean vs. cluttered desks. My inbox was inundated with responses.
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