Fred Harteis News Articles – Decoding Your Office Decor

Fred Harteis News Articles - Look around your office. Are there Post-It notes plastered to your computer? Are the books on your bookshelf alphabetized? What about your picture frames--are they facing toward you or away from you? Whether you intend to or not, your office is filled with clues about what type of person you are. And like it or not, your employees are making judgments about you based on those clues.

A recent study published in Psychology Today identified the common clues we leave behind and which of the "Big Five" personality traits are associated with them: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. These clues, according to Sam Gosling, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology who helped conduct the study, "are the ways we construct our environment to try and affect how we think and how we feel."

To better understand what sort of personality evidence you're leaving behind, Gosling explains the three main reasons we leave these clues behind:

1. Identity claims. These are the most obvious clues into a person's personality because they're deliberate statements a person makes. For example, having a poster of Adolph Hitler on the wall gives others an immediate idea of the attitude and values you have. Where these identity claims are found also indicates what kind of person you are. If you place a poster on the outside of your door, you're clearly making a statement about yourself that's intended for others to see. However, a self-directed identity claim, such as a picture of your parents facing toward you or a poster on the inside of your door, is more symbolic and meant to reinforce a sense of who you are that others won't immediately recognize.

2. Thought-and-feeling regulators. These elements help us deliberately construct our environment but in a way that affects how we think and feel. So if your office is clear of clutter and you have music playing, you're most likely trying to create a space where you can concentrate. Other ways you try to construct a certain mood is by having plants around or displaying special mementos.

3. Behavioral residue. These are the unconscious clues you leave behind and are the most difficult to judge someone by. For example, an unorganized desk doesn't mean you're deliberately trying to tell others you're messy; it just means you don't put stuff back when you're done. If you have Post-It notes stuck everywhere, it's an unintended consequence of feeling overwhelmed. Behavioral residue also includes evidence of things you've done outside the office or intend to do, such as a ticket stub laying around or a pair of running shoes sitting in the corner. These all help co-workers develop a sense of who you are by indicating what your interests are.

So what's your office saying about you? Depending on your personality, here are some of the more common things Gosling says may be found in your office that define which of the Big Five personalities you have:

Open to new experience. These are the easiest traits to detect. Someone who's open will have things that indicate a broad range of values and interests, such as a wide variety of books; icons and objects that suggest travel to new places and an interest in other cultures; or even a collection of CDs indicating wide-ranging musical tastes. These offices are always very distinctive and often contain unusual or stylish décor.


Conscientious. This is the next-easiest personality type to identify. A conscientious person's office has signs that they're efficient and self-disciplined, that they focus on work, and that they think before they act. This person has a clean, neat desk; their books are arranged in order, maybe by height or alphabetically; their pencils are sharp; and their calendar is filled in. They also tend to have appealing, professional-looking spaces; however, they don't always make particularly good use of their space.


Extroverted. These offices come across as very inviting because they tend to be crafted to try and foster interaction. A person who's extraverted may have a variety of magazines lying around or a bowl of candy sitting on the edge of their desk. Their offices also tend to be colorfully decorated and "full." If their office is large enough, they may have a comfortable sofa and arrange their space so it feels roomy and there's no barriers between the desk and the people who come in. (Introverts, on the other hand, will steer clear of anything that encourages interaction with their co-workers.)


Agreeable. This is a hard personality trait to determine, but someone who's agreeable will generally have clues of sentimentality, such as a pebble from the beach where they had their first kiss or a postcard from an old friend hanging on the wall. These are all self-directed identity claims and thought-and-feeling regulators designed to remind the office owner of loved ones and happy memories. These offices also tend to be inviting and have a wide variety of magazines or CDs displayed.


Emotional stability. Gosling warns that this is the most difficult trait to identify: The study found there was no standard way to identify a person's mental well-being. An office that's decorated, comfortable and formal will usually indicate an emotionally stable person, however.

Family photos. Displaying pictures of your family shows others what you value in life. Where are the photos facing? If they're facing toward you, that suggests more of a thought-and-feeling regulator that indicates you're probably agreeable. If they're facing outward, you're probably more extroverted because you're telling other people what's important to you, or even using the photos as a status symbol.

Plants. An office that contains plants suggests you're trying to create an agreeable environment for yourself and others. It's also a behavioral residue, indicating you plan to stick around for awhile.

Calendars and clocks. A person who has an orderly, filled-in calendar is organized and ready to work. Having a visible clock also shows you're meticulous and hardworking.
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About Fred Harteis: Fred Harteis leads Harteis International. Fred Harteis has a background in agriculture and has created many successful business ventures.