What Your Office Says About You
Take a look around your desk. What do you see? A chipped mug with the congealed remnants of yesterday’s latte, a mountain of unopened mail, a pen holder so overstuffed that it can’t accommodate the pens you use? If so, enjoy your stay — because you are probably going to occupy cubicle hell for the long term.
Regardless, your current cube decor and office style speaks volumes about your personality — and your colleagues and bosses are taking note. “It sounds cliché but the more research I’ve done, the more I’ve come to believe that what’s going on outside the mind reflects what’s going on inside the mind,” says Sam Gosling, a personality researcher at the University of Texas.
For instance, if you find yourself surrounded by knick-knacks and symbols of personal relationships with friends, family and pets, you’re more likely to be in a woman’s office. Men’s offices, on the other hand, tend to display items pertaining to sports and personal achievements. Since we spend more waking hours at work than we do at home, it’s natural to want to decorate our office or cube spaces, creating a home away from home.
People who decorate their offices often have higher levels of job satisfaction and psychological well-being, leading to higher levels of employee morale and lower turnover. So, no matter how much or little work you have on your plate, maybe it’s time to start paying attention to what’s on your desk.
The meaning behind certain objects in people’s workspace:
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Placing a candy bowl in your office or cubicle is like putting down a welcome mat. It’s a clear indication of an extrovert. Comfortable, welcoming chairs have the same effect.
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A barren work space may indicate that a worker has little status in the organization and probably isn’t dedicated to his or her job.
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Time-conscious people often have a clock and calendar on their desks to help them keep track of appointments. Clock lovers are often meticulous and hardworking, but calendars can be deceiving. Often people stock up on supplies like wall calendars in an attempt to get more organized, but they still have the page turned to three months ago.
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Photos in the workplace can have double meanings. Perfect family photos that face guests rather than the office dweller can be perceived as status symbols, whereas photos facing the office owner are genuine reminders of loved ones (and often suggest guilt about spending time away from them).
