
What your desk says about you
If you’ve spent any time at all working in an office, you’ll know that there are certain types of people who display very particularly types of behaviour at their desk.
As it turns out, the way we keep our desks at work says a lot about our personalities inside and outside of the office.
Lily Bernheimer, Environmental Psychology researcher and founder of Space Works, an environmental psychology consultancy, believes she can pick a person’s traits from their office habits.
She’s come up with five distinct, evidence-based personality types based on your desk at work:
The clutterer
With a desk covered with knick-knacks and colourful, interesting personal items, the clutterer is likely to be extraverted, busy, social and welcoming of other colleagues.
The minimalist
If your desk is sparse, organised and free from any clutter, you’re more likely to be – surprise, surprise – more organised, disciplined and cautious, though Bernheimer stresses this doesn’t mean you’re necessarily introverted.
It can also mean you may not be commited to staying in the role!
The personaliser
Personalisers like to bring a bit of themselves to their office décor, and are therefore likely to be more open, expressive, curious and creative.
The expander
Guilty of having your personal belongings spread out over your colleague’s spaces? You’re probably an Expander, which means you’re slightly territorial, with a focus on staking your claim in the workplace.
The surveyor
If you’re someone who enjoys setting up camp in a quiet corner with a great view of what’s going on with your colleagues, you’re a Surveyor.
You prefer your own space and dislike distractions, though you’ve usually got a good grasp on what’s going on around you.
The only question that remains is: which one are you?