how do you deal with a messy person at work

• Uncover the Real Issue. When expressing concern about a worker's messiness, many leaders say it harms productivity. ...
• Reduce Paper-Heavy Processes. Some employees are perceived as messy because their desks are covered in paper. ...
• Relocate the Employee. If the primary issue is the impact the employee's behavior has on co-workers or office visitors, consider relocating that employee to a different part of the office.
• Host an Office Clean-Up Day. Sometimes an employee's lack of cleanliness can impact the health of others in the office. ...

Full Answer

How to deal with untidy and messy people at work?

Here are seven tips for dealing with untidy and messy people at work. There’s usually a link between people’s environment and their mental and emotional space. Therefore, simply asking someone to clean up their workspace probably won’t solve the problem for good. It’s important to understand why your colleague is messy.

How do you deal with a messy co-worker?

You’ve made contact, worked out rules and boundaries and established an understanding with your messy co-worker, so all that remains is to get things in motion. Offer your assistance, not as some sort of cleanliness therapist (this will come across pretty patronising), but to help them maintain the boundaries you’ve both set.

How do you deal with difficult people at work?

Dealing with difficult people is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when the behavior affects more than one person. You can team together to address the behavior or inform management and Human Resources staff to get help addressing the employee issue before it spirals into negativity .

How do I deal with an unprofessional coworker?

Be a better person. Even if this person acts unprofessionally, you must have the skills to be a better person. By continuing to treat others with kindness and respect, you're showing that you are the more mature person in this situation. It's best to deal with these kinds of conflicts in private rather than bringing other coworkers into it.

How do you tell an employee to clean up their desk?

Incentivize Cleanliness Let them use that extra time to do what they want. Allow them to take a long lunch, leave early, watch TV at their desk, or have ice cream. Let it be known that you are rewarding them for keeping their desk clean, clear, and organized.

What does a messy desk say about a person?

According to the findings, people with messy desks tended to be more extroverted and welcoming to others. A messy desk indicates a creative mind but not much in the way of follow-through. A messy desk tends to indicate that the person is busy and that is why they have not cleaned up their desk.

How do you get coworkers to clean up after themselves?

Creating a Culture Where Employees Clean Up After ThemselvesPut Witty Reminders in Problem Areas. Most of the time, people don't mean to be messy. ... Use Visual Reminders. ... Try a Little Bit of Pressure. ... Hire a Commercial Cleaning Company. ... Stress the Importance of a Clean Office. ... Schedule a Cleaning Day.

How do you deal with a petty coworker?

Listen actively to understand your co-workers. Pay attention quietly when a co-worker is expressing himself to you. ... Demonstrate respect for everyone. Pettiness aimed at people is unhealthy and unproductive. ... Stay true to yourself and your company.

What being tidy says about you?

If having a perfectly neat and tidy room is what inspires you and helps you feel productive and creative, it might mean that you have what is known as a Type A personality. People with this personality type tend to be perfectionists. Having everything in its place helps fulfill their need for order and control.

Does keeping a messy desk make people more creative?

Again, half the participants worked in a messy room and half in a neat room. The participants thought up the same number of ideas, but a panel of independent raters rated the messy-room participants' ideas as significantly more creative.

How do you encourage cleanliness?

How do you promote cleanliness?Make sure to restock hygiene products regularly (hand sanitizers, toilet paper, wipes, paper towels, etc.), especially during winter when viruses are common.Educate your staff about the importance of cleanliness in the workplace via meetings or announcements.More items...

How do I get my staff to keep my kitchen clean?

Some straightforward suggestions make the entire process quick and easy.Get everyone on board. Realize it's a group effort. ... Put breakroom cleaning expectations in writing. Be kind. ... Stock the right cleaning supplies. ... Shop Quill.com. ... Declutter the office breakroom and kitchen area quarterly.

Why cleaning up after yourself is important?

Asking children to tidy up after themselves gives them discipline, skills, and a sense of responsibility and pride. These qualities will be useful as they grow older and become "messy" teenagers; they'll be much more likely to keep their things tidy if they've always had the responsibility to do so.

What is a toxic employee?

The analysis defines a toxic worker as someone who "engages in behavior that is harmful to an organization, including either its property or people." Additionally, the study reports that "aside from hurting performance, such workers can generate enormous regulatory and legal fees and liabilities for a company."

What is an unprofessional behavior?

Examples of unprofessional behavior in the workplace Sharing personal opinionsDominating meetingsExaggeration of work experienceIntimidation and bullyingSexual harassmentChronic latenessRefusal to perform tasksAggressiveness.

How do you deal with two faced coworkers?

Ways to Deal with Backstabbing CoworkersKeep calm. Once you discover that backstabbing coworkers are acting against you, intense feelings of anger, pressure, and sadness usually develop. ... Find out exactly what happened. ... Meet with your boss. ... Talk to that co-worker. ... Create a plan to protect yourself.

Is a messy desk good?

A new study published in Psychological Science concluded that it's most beneficial to have a messy desk at the beginning of a project and a clean one at the end. A messy environment promotes creative thinking and unconventional new ideas, whereas a clean desk will help your mind focus on order and expectations.

Who said a cluttered desk is a cluttered mind?

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein once asked, “if a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign? It's a valid point. However, new research suggests clutter affects more than just our minds. It can be a significant contributing factor to stress.

What do they say about a clean desk?

“I think the cleanliness or messiness of our desks or offices often says something overall about how people deal with stress and reduce tension.” A clean desk may also reduce tension for some people, he says, because they may not like staring at all of the work that still needs done.”

Why is a messy room comforting?

Some of us are perfectly happy in our clutter. It's where we work and create to the best of our abilities. It's a comfort zone for deep thought and sincere reflection.

Why are some employees messy?

Some employees are perceived as messy because their desks are covered in paper. By closely examining the processes that are creating such a large amount of paper, you may be able to find an easy solution. These employees may be tasked with dealing with an overabundance of purchase requests, invoices, or contracts on a daily basis, requiring a level of document management other employees aren't required to handle.

What to do when one or more work areas has fallen into disrepair beyond what can be handled with a?

If one or more work areas has fallen into disrepair beyond what can be handled with a small amount of work, plan an office clean-up day. Play music, bring in food for lunch and allow all employees to wear casual clothes. At the end of the day, you'll have a clean office and everyone will have fun memories.

Can you work better if your work area is pigsty?

Some people just function better if their work area is a pigsty. That, however, won't work for other employees. Here's how to handle it. Everyone has their own personal definition of cleanliness.

What to do when your coworker is messy?

While discussing the issue, if your messy co-worker is reluctant to take your advice, offer to buy a few novelty office tidying desk gadgets which you can both share. These gadgets will more often than not give messy people an incentive to keep things neat and tidy - after all, none of us ever really grow up!

How to show coworkers that you want to work with them?

While in the process, also set a couple of common areas for you to share such as a filing unit or stationary drawer - this will show them that you want to work with them and not against them.

How to make positive changes in a situation?

In order for positive changes to be made, you must establish contact with the culprit and it is best to do so in a more private setting - perhaps at the end of a working day when people are going home, a meeting room, or even a pub if you feel like extending the invite.

How to break the ice at work?

Once in your setting of choice, politely cut to the chase - don’t beat around the bush but make sure that you’re not forceful or aggressive in your approach. Let them know you’ve been having trouble focusing at work recently and that their messy work station spilling into yours ‘might be part of the problem’. This is a good way to break the ice and avoid things getting personal or heated.

What does "the need to solve messiness ends compassion" mean?

The need to solve messiness ends compassion. The need to fix is arrogance. Humble leaders simply do what they can. Sometimes that’s just asking how things are going.

What is the messy part of Simon?

The messy part is all the other folks in the room who were preoccupied with anything else but really hearing what Simon just said. Or it went WAY over their heads.

Who said "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else"?

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. ~Benjamin Franklin

What does "connecting simple clean" mean?

Connecting simple clean, not connecting close to impossible and messy.

How does dealing with difficult situations at work help?

Dealing with difficult situations at work is challenging, yet rewarding. You can vastly improve your own work environment and morale when you increase your ability to deal with the people at work. You also make your workplace a better environment for all employees when you address the problems that a difficult coworker is causing for the team.

How to deal with negative coworkers?

You know these negative coworkers—every organization has a few. You can best deal with these negative coworkers by avoiding their presence at work. Find out more about dealing with negativity .

What is more destructive in the workplace than difficult bosses?

Nothing is more destructive in the workplace than difficult bosses. Every employee has bosses who provide direction throughout their working careers. Hopefully , most of your bosses are competent, kind, and worthy of your trust and respect. They play such a significant role with the employees who report to them. Bosses can make or break an employee's day.

Why do you have to confront your coworker?

Whether the confrontation is about sharing credit for work accomplished, coworker habits and approaches that are irritating or sloppy, intentional missed customer delivery deadlines, or about keeping a project on track, sometimes you need to confront your coworker.

What do people gossip about?

They gossip about their coworkers, their managers, and their company's prospects for success. They frequently take a partially true fact and blow it all out of proportion to its importance or intended meaning.

Why is it easier to deal with difficult people?

Dealing with difficult people is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when the behavior affects more than one person. You can team together to address the behavior or inform management and Human Resources staff to get help addressing the employee issue before it spirals into negativity .

What does it mean when you are bullied at work?

If you are yelled at, insulted, and put down, you work with a bully. If you have felt psychologically or physically threatened at work, you work with a bully.

How to deal with coworkers?

Limiting the amount of time you spend with this co-worker can help you cope with the situation. You may find that you can handle them in small doses. At lunch or during meetings, stay by co-workers who you find kind and uplifting. When limiting your interactions, make it subtle to be mindful of their feelings.

What to do when you find a coworker you don't like?

You may find that this co-worker isn't doing anything wrong, but you simply don't enjoy their personality. This is a normal part of life as you find people you enjoy and people you want to avoid. Learn to accept that you need to get along with this person. Try to find things you enjoy about their personality and give them a chance to show their good side.

How to make your coworker feel better?

Make an effort to form positive relationships with your other co-workers. Casual conversations with uplifting people throughout the day can make you feel happier at work. Consider asking one of your favorite co-workers to do something fun outside of work.

How to stay calm at work?

This way, if they begin to exhibit these actions, you can immediately remove yourself from the situation. This technique can help you stay calm and collected at work. Focus on directing your energy and passion toward things that really matter.

Why is it important to get along with a challenging coworker?

Getting along with this person is an important part of developing your conflict resolution skills and learning to overcome adversity. As you learn how to work around their quirks or difficult behaviors, you can focus more on your own work and co-workers you enjoy. In this article, we share how to deal with a difficult co-worker.

What to do when a coworker breaks company policies?

When this person begins to break company policies or is negatively impacting your work, it may be time to bring up the issue to your supervisor or human resources department. Document this co-worker's adverse behaviors so you have proof of what they have been doing. Your supervisor or human resources department is supposed to find ways to resolve this conflict and make you feel safe and respected at work.

How to change a coworker's behavior?

You may find that you both have developed a feedback loop of behavior. Be the person who breaks this loop and try treating them with kindness for a change. You may find that they return the kindness, and you both can move forward.

When you get to the room, what do you ask him to do?

When you get to the room sit at the corner of the table and ask him to sit at the adjacent corner, ie so that you are at 45 degrees to each other. You don't want to be sat across the table, because that sets up a confrontational situation.

What to do at the end of an interview with Jon?

At the conclusion of the interview, give Jon a few minutes to compose himself before he returns to work. He has taken a psychological beating. Cut him some slack. Make a detailed written record of what you said and what he promised.

What to say when a man says "I know that I have this problem and I am fighting it"?

If he says, "I know that I have this problem and I am fighting it." Then you say, "You need to see your GP and get some help and advice. Will you please see your GP?"

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