Many studies have shown that disorganization can indicate intelligence and creativity, explaining why some people excuse their clutter as a “creative mess.” Although a chaotic environment might work on a personal level for certain types of people, it can destroy a business if left unchecked.

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Lack of organization goes well beyond measurable losses, negatively affecting a company’s reputation, a chance for growth, or competitive edge, all the while increasing stress levels and lowering workplace morale. Here you will begin to learn to what extent disorder can be detrimental to your business as a whole.

Time Spent Searching is Time Wasted

In the business world, time is the most valuable commodity. While trying to save time, you might forget to identify and eliminate time-wasting activities. A study conducted by Express Employment Professionals illustrates this point through data; out of 18,000 business leaders, 57% said they lose six working hours per week as a result of disorganization. Disorganized employees who earn $50,000 annually foster companies an additional $11,000 in lost time.

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Disorganization can take many forms. Simple activities such as searching for misplaced tools, supplies or computer files quickly add up to become serious time wasters that cause distraction and dramatically affect productivity. Even though the time spent searching for items is generally not perceived as a waste, when translated into actual costs and multiplied, the tangible losses prove to be significant.

Missed Opportunities

The costs associated with missed opportunities due to poor organization happen daily. Missed deadlines can cause cost overruns or lost business deals. When remembered, details about product specifications, terms of sale, or terms of employment make your business successful. When overlooked or forgotten, details become an expensive liability.

Scattered attention causes people to misunderstand their objectives and waste resources. Failure to prioritize tasks often results in employees falling short of their goals and failing to fulfill their purposes. Disorganization can also cause communication failures that lead to expensive redundancy or lack of clarity in team efforts, which in turn generates even more missed opportunities.

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Businesses need well-defined goals and established priorities to create an environment that fosters innovation and growth. Similarly, companies need to inspire confidence in the hearts and minds of their existing and potential clients or business partners to maintain a reputation of excellence and professionalism. Disorganization jeopardizes everything.

Stop missing opportunities by making sure everyone on your team understands the purpose of your company, as well as the roles and responsibilities they have to ensure its long-term and short-term success.

Higher Stress Levels

Whether physical or procedural, lack of organization leads to situations that increase stress levels in the lives of your employees and your corporate culture. A chaotic working environment leaves people constantly wondering who they report to and what they are supposed to do while at work, leading to workload discrepancies and disengagement.

Stressful environments caused by disorganization create problems with employee retention and recruiting because top-quality talent will not want to deal with such toxic situations. After all, stress in the workplace leads to burnout and physical illness. It also leads to communication failures, resentment, forgetfulness, learning difficulties and a loss of creativity.

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Attack stress at its roots by removing clutter from your work environment. Establish a filing system for your physical and digital documents so everyone can find the materials they require without the need for frustrating searches. By creating a practical organizational structure, and implementing clearly identifiable and understood policies and procedures, your staff will be able to focus their energies on what truly matters. Human senses work overtime in the absence of a clear purpose, so make sure your team members know what you expect from them and how they can meet your expectations.

Lower Morale

The symptoms of disorganization lead to low workplace morale. Problems such as excessive workloads, fear of conflict and loss of trust inspire feelings of hopelessness that lead to a lack of commitment and accountability. Such an environment in your business will result in a cycle of poor productivity and employee dissatisfaction that will not stop until the order is restored.

Money Down the Drain

The cost of disorganization in your business will inevitably lead to measurable losses in profitability. Consider how much replacing lost tools, recreating lost files, or paying late fees costs your business. Think of the losses involved with forgetting to send invoices to customers, paying for overtime labor and dealing with employee turnover. Stop throwing money away. Take steps to organize your business and stop its financial bleeding.

Disorganization wastes money. You might think you lack the necessary time to reduce clutter and impose order on your business. When you realize the amount of money your company loses while searching for items, missing opportunities, and feeling stressed, you might want to reconsider your time allocation. The time spent getting organized will deliver a handsome return on investment.

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