Only dull women have tidy desks........

For some weeks, I’ve been working regularly out of a “foreign” office, hot- desking at will. That this new and somewhat uncomfortable experience has coincided with a rigorous enforcement of a previously lacklustre “clear desk” policy probably has had something to do with my reflections on the de-personalisation of working environments.   Don’t get me wrong: I’m all in favour of a tidy and secure work area but the removal of personal items from a place where individuals spend upwards of 8 hours a day can and does have a significant psychological impact on an individual.  And it’s not always positive…..