Professional O rganization

1. Professional Organization

2. Professional Organization Includes: • Office Spaces • Custodial Closets • Proper communication

3. Office Spaces

4. Office Space Organization Why is it important to have an organized office? • How your office space looks reflects on how capable you are at your job. • We have limited time to do our necessary office work so we need to do it efficiently. • Cluttered spaces can frustrate you or others when searching for something. • Not being in a permanent state of “catch-up” decreases your stress level and increases your self-esteem.

5. Steps to an organized office • Purge, Gather, & Redistribute • Revise Your Files • Organize Your Desk

6. Steps to an organized office • Purge, Gather, & Redistribute Purge – Eliminate clutter, get rid of broken junk (fix it or chuck it), and remove stuff that just collects dust (if you don’t use it, it just gets in the way). Gather – Create work zones and put the things that you need for certain tasks in close areas to be more productive. Redistribute – The things that you don’t use in your office should be moved to the work area that they are used.

7. Steps to an organized office • Revise Your Files Get a good labeler – Label shelves, drawers, baskets, and folders. Make it so that finding what you need isn’t a chore. Manage your file system – If you can eliminate paper you save space, choose whether to keep records and information in digital format or paper. Create work flow folders – Have a place for everything such as meeting notes, an “IN” box, an “in progress” box, & archive folders for finished projects.

8. Steps to an organized office • Revise Your Files Long term filing – Whether you need to use boxes or binders make sure to organize the information that you have to maintain long term. Assign a discard date to your files so you know when you can get rid of them. File weekly – Set a time and day to look at you filing once a week so that you can stay on top of it. When you do it regularly it takes very little time.

9. Steps to an organized office • Organize Your Desk Clean your desk – Remove everything and clean it thoroughly and put back only what you need on a daily basis Organize your desktop – Organize what is now on your desk so it makes sense. This same principle applies to your computer desktop as well. Organize your drawers – Have one drawer for personal items and keep like things together (sticky notes with notepads).

11. Steps to an organized office • Organize Your Desk Clear your stacks – Sort your mail or incoming stuff right away so you don’t get stacks. Take time to work through what stacks you have and eliminate them. Straighten up daily – Take a few minutes at the end of the day so that you don’t start the day with something that may frustrate you.

13. Custodial Closets

14. Custodial Closet Organization Why is it important to have an organized closet? • Clean closets are expected as part of a clean building. • How your closets and work areas look reflect on how capable you are at your job. • Bright and clean work areas improve moral – you feel better about what you do!

15. What’s Good & What’s Bad?

16. Points of a well maintained custodial closet • Safety • Painting • Fixtures • Organization • Inventory Control • Hand Cleaning Station • Storing Equipment • Cleaning Cart

17. Safety • Chemical storage • Store away from reactive chemicals, store hazardous chemicals low and acids in an acid cabinet. • Disposable products stored high • Light products such as toilet paper stored higher to prevent drop injuries. • Don’t store liquids above dry. • Proper labeling • De-junk the closet! • No food or drink in the closet! • First aid kit • It is extremely important that custodial closets and chemicals are properly locked up!

18. Painting & general appearance • Keep paint bright and clean • Repair chipping, flaking, and discoloring

19. Fixtures • Use correct shelving, revamp shelves if needed • Use hooks, tool bars, racks, & hose hangers

20. Organization • Put like things together • Organize the closet by processes (bathroom supplies, office supplies, classroom supplies, etc.)

21. Inventory control • Stock the closet for the tasks that you will be doing. (closet by restroom should have all the supplies needed for that restroom, etc.)

22. Hand cleaning station • Have soap, towel, trash can, sanitizer, lotion, etc. in the closets.

23. Storing Equipment • Store daily use equipment in main closets, keep other equipment in another area. • Store equipment based on manufactures’ recommendations. • Properly clean & store after every use. (ie. Hoses, cords, brushes, pads, etc.)

24. Custodial Cart • The custodial cart is an extension of the closet and needs to be just as organized and CLEAN! • Carry only the necessary items on the cart for the job.

25. Proper Communication

26. Proper Communication How is your message coming across? What the beta testers received How the customer explained it How the analyst designed it How the project leader understood it How it was supported What operations installed How the project was documented What the customer really needed

27. Aspects of good communication • Being a good speaker • Being a good listener • Following up and developing trust

28. Aspects of good communication Be considerate – Don’t over dominate the conversation and use questions to make sure that you are being understood. Speak clearly – Don’t mumble or speak in the opposite direction of the listener. Speak at a volume that can be easily heard but not yelling and a speed that is not rushed or to slow. Stay focused – Be in the conversation and nothing else. Don’t be looking around or at a cell phone or computer. Be brief and to the point so the listener can maintain focus as well. Learn to read the listener – Pay attention to body language; if the other person seems uncomfortable or inattentive either address the issue or have the conversation at a different time. • Being a good speaker

29. Aspects of good communication Eliminate distractions – If you can’t focus because of something around you, move. If you can’t focus because you are in a hurry let the other person know so that you can talk another time when you have more time. Practice reflective listening – Repeat what you think you heard to make sure you heard it correctly (“if I understand you correctly…” or “so what you’re saying is…”). If you don’t understand, ask. It is better to ask then to misunderstand. • Being a good listener

30. Aspects of good communication Don’t interrupt and pay attention – Wait for the speaker to finish and don’t spend that time thinking about what you are going to say back. Maintain eye contact – Whether you are speaking or listening, maintaining eye contact shows that you are interested in the conversation and helps the other person express him/herself more freely. • Being a good listener

31. Aspects of good communication • Following up & developing trust & respect Have weekly meetings – Having a weekly staff meeting gives you the chance to follow up on as well as deliver new assignments and information. It also gives the staff a chance to express concerns. Have team building activities – Schedule time to help your team feel like a team!