If you’ve recently started a new temporary position, it’s
likely you may still be trying to find your niche within the company. Some questions
you might ask yourself are, “Where do I fit in?” and “What can I do to make
this company even better?” Meshing with a company’s culture is a crucial part
of owning your new position, but standing out can be even better. However, you
want to be sure it’s you that stands out, not your stuff.
Making yourself feel at home while still maintaining a
professional atmosphere can be a fine line. Some weeks you may spend more time
at the office than you do at home, so feeling comfortable is important. But how
much is TOO MUCH stuff? Many people enjoy having some personal knick-knacks on
their desks, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, you don’t want to go
overboard and turn your desk or cubicle into a dorm room.
If you are a temporary employee, personal items should not be
a priority in your workspace. A picture or calendar should be fine, but any more
than that may be too much. This is important because as an employee, you want to
be viewed as a professional. Always remember that first and foremost, you are
there to complete an assignment. Unless you’ve been hired permanently and given
your own personal desk, you should always keep personal belongings to a bare minimum.
A few reasons why you should keep your personal belongings
to a minimum include:
- Your things could be a distraction to others;
- In a cluttered workspace, you can become disorganized;
- Too much stuff can make you look unprofessional;
- Bringing a lot of stuff to the office can make you look too
comfortable, too soon; and - If you’re working for a third-party firm and your assignment
ends, it’s likely they will need to retrieve all of your items from your
worksite.
Some items you can definitely include on your desk:
- A calendar;
- A picture or two from home; and
- A picture drawn by your child.
It’s also a good idea to set time aside each week to tidy up
your work area. Remember, while you are there primarily to complete projects, a
“little” piece of home is always more enjoyable than a boring cubical.
