| Many work environments now are open plan, | | | | unnecessarily. Try to answer your phone or |
| with only a few senior managers having | | | | have your voicemail pick it up within three |
| offices of their own. This style of work can | | | | rings. Select a mobile phone ring that won't |
| have great benefits for team building - | | | | annoy others. If you will be away from your |
| fostering cooperation and collaboration and | | | | desk for a prolonged period divert your phone |
| can be wonderful for developing the social | | | | to your mobile or voicemail.Take a message. |
| aspects of teams, but on the flipside, it can | | | | Answer your neighbour's phone if it is |
| drive some people crazy and be damaging to | | | | appropriate. If you take a message send the |
| productivity. Most open plan offices require | | | | details to them in an e-mail immediately to |
| large numbers of people to learn to work | | | | avoid lost phone messages on scraps of paper |
| together in very close proximity, which can | | | | and post-its.Hang a 'Do Not Disturb' sign. |
| present challenges, particularly relating to | | | | I've mentioned this one before, but it's |
| how we manage the physical environment, the | | | | worth repeating here. Agree among your team |
| noise and the constant interruptions. Share | | | | on a signal which will indicate to other |
| some of these strategies with your teammates | | | | people that you are unavailable - that you |
| to help you achieve a working environment | | | | are trying to concentrate on something or are |
| where everyone is respectful of the needs and | | | | on a deadline and do not wish to be |
| space occupied by others.Keep it down! It's | | | | disturbed. It might be an item placed on top |
| easy to overlook how far your conversation | | | | of your computer monitor or desk, or even a |
| can travel in a confined space - be mindful | | | | sign taped to the back of your chair. When |
| of what you can hear of others' conversations | | | | the signal is up, everyone agrees to not |
| and remember that they can hear yours too. | | | | disturb you, when the signal comes down, |
| Especially if you are loud or have a unique | | | | people know that it's business as usual |
| voice (like me!) be aware of your volume.Walk | | | | again.Clear desk policy. Adopt a clear desk |
| the floor. Don't yell across workstations - | | | | policy. It makes the overall environment more |
| walk over to the person's desk or use your | | | | pleasant and comfortable, rather than looking |
| e-mail or phone. Not everyone in the vicinity | | | | like a hurricane has been through, and it's |
| needs to be disrupted by your | | | | excellent for both personal productivity and |
| conversation.Careful where you stand. Don't | | | | security.Stash it away. If you need some |
| stop for conversations or hold impromptu | | | | extra storage space, make use of space under |
| meetings at other people's workstations - be | | | | your desk, rather than in walkways, but be |
| considerate. If you want to have a meeting, | | | | careful not to crowd yourself or to create a |
| choose a space that won't impact others.Get a | | | | cockroach haven.Smile. Include some personal |
| room. If there are two or more people and you | | | | touches on your workstation, but don't overdo |
| don't have a discrete space to meet, book a | | | | it - you and your workstation are on display |
| meeting room and be sure to tidy it up before | | | | to your teammates and others who pass by your |
| you leave.Anyone for music? If you like | | | | area and you want to leave a professional |
| listening to music, keep it down to a level | | | | impression. Choose a photo of your family, a |
| where it doesn't interfere with the | | | | picture of a place you dream of going to or |
| concentration or comfort of your colleagues. | | | | something else that inspires you and makes |
| If everyone agrees, you might choose a | | | | you feel happy.Neen is a Global Productivity |
| particular style of music and play it at a | | | | Expert: by looking at how they spend their |
| volume that suits everyone. Otherwise, buy | | | | time and energy - and where they focus their |
| yourself some headphones and keep the music | | | | attention - Neen helps people to |
| to yourself.Telephone etiquette. Be | | | | rocket-charge their productivity and |
| considerate about how you manage your phones, | | | | performance. A dynamic speaker, author and |
| the constant ringing of desk phones and | | | | corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how |
| mobiles with their various show tunes other | | | | boosting your productivity can help you |
| 'ditties' can be distracting and annoying. | | | | achieve amazing things. With her unique |
| Turn your ringer-volume down to the lowest | | | | voice, sense of fun and uncommon |
| level that is appropriate for you, rather | | | | common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson |
| than let it blare though the office | | | | in productivity. |