I was on a plane last week coming from Virginia, where I was hired by a company to help their employees do major decluttering and setting up all new systems BEFORE their move to their new facilities. Smart CEO!
The gal next to me on the plane said that she was a Facilities Manager for USAID. When I asked her what her major role was, she said, “I facilitate the moving of the employees within the buildings. I incorporate the skills of change managers (to help the employees deal with the change involved in relocating), the architect who has designed the new facilities, a designer, the records manager who will deal with the archival records accumulated, a relocation manager, a move manager to expedite the logistics of all the computers to be set up and a furniture designer.”
I was impressed, sort of. I really wasn’t impressed because I then asked her if she had ever considered incorporating a productivity consultant that would not only help the employees to reduce massive waste (so they don’t have to pay for moving the clutter) but would also teach them to establish all new systems for their personal offices in their new facilities.
Know what she said? “I haven’t really thought of that” Really?
You can make the office pretty with the designer and architect skills. You can help the employees adjust more quickly to change with the change manager’s skills. You can even have the correct furniture that will lend itself to ergonomics and saved space. But if you move all the clutter PLUS the clutter habits, the employees take the mess with them right into their new offices. Soon the new offices will feel just like the old offices.
Pretty and ergonomic, sleek and shiny, but cluttered. What a shame!
If you are moving offices or into a new home, consider hiring an organizer before the move. You will love me for that idea.