What to keep on your desk in a Vietnamese office: plants, small charms and shared-space etiquette
Short answer: feng shui and common sense agree on one thing about desks, which is that less is better. A healthy plant, one small object you like and perhaps a family photo are enough; papers waiting for attention go in one tray and cables are bundled out of the way. In a shared office, leave incense, candles, strong essential oils and bulky ornaments at home. The comfort of the person next to you counts for more than any lucky charm.
This article is for foreigners joining a Vietnamese workplace, or managing one, who want to understand the objects they see on colleagues' desks and the unwritten rules of a shared office.
Why a clear desk is considered good
Feng shui describes clutter as stagnant energy. Long-serving office workers would describe it more bluntly: you waste time looking for things, lose important documents and cannot dust. You do not need to believe in energy to see the benefit.
A simple way to zone a desk: keep the area directly in front of you clear for the task at hand; put an in-tray to one side; reserve the far corner for a plant, a photo or an ornament. Things you use daily go in the top drawer, things you rarely use go lower down.
Desk plants and their lucky names
Plants are the most common desk item in Vietnam, and many popular ones are sold under names that carry good wishes. The ZZ plant is called kim tiền, "golden money". The money tree, Pachira, is kim ngân, "gold and silver". Lucky bamboo is often sold as phát tài, "prosperity". Snake plants and pothos are everywhere too. The meanings come from the names, which is folk custom; what matters in practice is whether the plant survives in an office.
| Condition | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Low light and constant air conditioning | Shade-tolerant, low-water plants such as snake plant, ZZ plant or pothos |
| Long holidays such as Tết | Soil-grown plants that need little water, or ask a colleague to water |
| A small desk | A small pot with a saucer to catch water |
| Colleagues with allergies | Avoid strongly scented flowering plants |
Feng shui treats a dying plant on a desk as a bad sign. Practically speaking, a wilting plant with mouldy soil and standing water in the saucer attracts mosquitoes and dust. Replace it or take it home.
Several common houseplants, including pothos and dieffenbachia, have sap that irritates skin or is toxic if chewed. That is rarely a concern at the office, but keep it in mind if you take a plant home to small children or pets.
Small objects on the desk
You will see stone spheres, small tỳ hưu (pi xiu, the winged lion said to guard wealth), chunks of quartz and animal-shaped paperweights on Vietnamese desks. Before adding one of your own, consider:
- Size: it should fit your desk without spilling onto your neighbour's.
- Weight: heavy stone or ceramic belongs in a stable spot, not at the edge.
- Religion: Buddha and bodhisattva figures should be kept somewhere clean, ideally raised slightly, never among food or used as a paperweight.
- Colleagues: a mixed office includes people of many beliefs; a small, discreet object is easier for everyone than a miniature shrine.
What not to bring into a shared office
- Incense and candles: smoke in a sealed, air-conditioned room is unpleasant, can set off smoke detectors and is a genuine fire risk.
- Diffusers and strong essential oils: neighbours may get headaches or allergic reactions.
- Wind chimes or anything that rings: repetitive tinkling irritates the whole room.
- A large mirror facing the walkway: it startles people, and some find it uncomfortable to be reflected.
- Food left out on the desk: ants and cockroaches arrive quickly in a tropical climate.
Vietnamese office customs worth knowing
Many Vietnamese companies keep a small altar to Thần Tài, the god of wealth, near reception. Someone lights incense in the morning and makes offerings on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month. You are not expected to take part, but do not put things on it or move the offerings.
After lunch, many offices dim the lights and staff nap at their desks, on reclining chairs or thin mats unrolled under the desk. It can surprise newcomers, but it is completely normal. Keep calls and conversation quiet during that time.
Before Tết, the lunar new year, offices often hold a big clean-up: desks wiped down, old papers cleared, plants replaced. It is a good moment to empty your drawers, shredding documents according to company confidentiality rules. Colleagues and partners may also give potted plants or small ornaments as new year gifts, and the lucky names mentioned above are part of the appeal.
Hot desks and shared workstations
Many newer offices in Vietnam's cities have moved to hot-desking: first come, first seated, desk cleared at the end of the day. With that setup, plants and ornaments mostly fall away. A sensible routine is to keep personal items in a small box or pouch, take it out in the morning and lock it in your locker in the evening. Before you leave, wipe the surface, unplug your charger and throw away your cups, so the next person finds the desk the way you would like to. If you want a familiar object with you, choose something pocket-sized, a smooth stone or a keyring, rather than something that needs a permanent spot.
Photos and personal items
A small family photo makes a desk feel personal, and no feng shui rule forbids it. Do consider privacy: pictures of young children in a spot where clients and visitors pass may make some people uneasy. Never leave cash or jewellery on the desk when you step away.
If you want a single discreet object for your workspace, the Vietnamese-language shop Vật Phẩm Phong Thuỷ, which delivers within Vietnam, has a section of small pi xiu figures for desks; choose a compact one with a steady base that leaves room for your work.