Disorganization is a major cause of job dissatisfaction and a significant contributor to stress.
If the disorganization is your own, then you can choose to make changes. However, whether you are the disorganized one or the organized one working with a disorganized colleague, that lack of organization has an impact on you.
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Who does the disorganized person interrupt when they need something? After every interruption the more organized person has to field, it can take 20 minutes or more to get back into the flow of the work again.
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Who gets more stressed during the work day? Typical characteristics of the stressed person can include irritability, anger, and negativity. Have you ever had to "tiptoe" around someone, wondering what mood they were in that day? It does not lead to a comfortable working environment.
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With whom would your customers prefer to deal? Negativity and irritability do not usually equate with great customer service. It affects the bottom line and piles more work on the organized individual whose help is preferred.
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Who misses more days of work? Stress leads to absenteeism and illness. Who gets to cover for the stressed, disorganized person when they do not show up? And of course it is also harder to cover for the individual whose work is scattered everywhere and who did not set priorities before leaving the previous night.
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Who slows down project completion? When working as a team on a project where one piece hinges on the next, the disorganized person can create two problems:
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Sloppy work because it is done in a rush at the deadline.
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Pressure on others who are waiting, and they end up doing their own part in a time crunch.
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Who tends to be assigned additional tasks? The messy work area does not advertise that you are ready for more responsibilities. When a manager wants a task accomplished, he or she will be more likely to assign it to the person they perceive as reliable.
When you are organized and in control, your attitude is more likely to be positive. Nine out of ten people say they are more productive when they are around positive people (Gallup, 2004). A work environment that reflects organization and positive attitudes can provide great satisfaction.