A study conducted by Harvard University found that students in tidy work areas worked 7.5 minutes longer than those who worked in cluttered spaces. Although that amount of time may seem negligible, it can really add up throughout the year with multiple employees. Any increase in focus can help your employees feel less stressed since they won't be scrambling to look for papers or other office tools. According to research, untidy workspaces can affect your employees' mental health. One study found that the stress hormone cortisol was higher in people whose home environments were cluttered. Elevated cortisol levels can cause a person to experience anxiety and depression. Since workplace stress is costing American businesses up to $190 billion a year in health care costs, a clean workplace is an easy solution to improve your employees' mental health.