A Clean Office is a Healthy Office

Your Employees Deserve a Clean, Sanitary Work Environment

Let's say you own a business. You have dozens of employees spending an average of 38 hours a week in the office space you procured to run your business. Over time, you notice a few alarming trends. Morale among your employees has declined precipitously, absenteeism is soaring, productivity has stalled and now the issue is starting to impact your bottom line. It didn't start off this way, but now it is a major problem and you need to know how to reverse the trend quickly.

Is Your Office Cleanliness to Blame? 

Barring issues with workplace culture, which is a topic for another article entirely, there is one thing that can have a negative impact - the cleanliness, or lack thereof, of your office space. Generally, people do not enjoy spending any time in an unkempt environment, so spending 8+ hours in a messy office destroys morale. Unhappy employees typically do not put as much effort into their work as satisfied employees. Furthermore, an unclean environment is usually not very sanitary, which helps illness spread quickly among your staff and leads to increased absenteeism. 

The solution to this problem should be pretty obvious by now - you need to provide a clean, sanitary office for your employees if you want to improve productivity and morale while also reducing unplanned absences. 

Daily cleaning is a must in office environments. A clean office is more professional and welcoming, but most importantly, a clean office is a healthy office.

Start with a Cleaning Plan

It's easy to miss workplace cleaning tasks, especially if you a do-it-yourselfer and are not entirely sure what needs to be cleaned and how often. Therefore, the first step toward a cleaner, the healthier work environment is to start with a cleaning plan and stick to it. 

Brighten Up the Office with Clean Windows

Clean the windows regularly. Dust and dirt accumulate quickly on windows and windowsills, reducing the natural lighting in your office. 

Keep the Kitchen Clean

Most offices have a kitchen, cafeteria, or break room where employees go to grab a bite to eat or take a short break. Keeping these areas clean and sanitary is critical to reducing the spread of disease and preventing pest infestations. Employees should be encouraged to clean up after themselves but it is also important to clean commonly used items including the refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot frequently. 

Don't Forget the Bathrooms

It doesn't matter if you have only a few employees or thousands, the bathroom is the dirtiest place in your office. It may look okay, but consider how many times in a day someone touches the toilets, sinks, counters, and doors. These are prime vectors to spread disease and failing to clean the restrooms daily creates an unsanitary condition that can lead to sick employees. 

In addition to keeping the bathroom clean and sanitary, it is also important to make sure the restrooms are well stocked with the items your employees will need to 'do their business'. This will help in keeping your employees healthy and happy. 

The Floors are Important Too!

As the single largest surface in your office, the floor is probably one of the first things you think of when establishing a cleaning plan. Floors are likely one of the dirtiest items in your entire office and need to be cleaned regularly and thoroughly to remove dirt, dust, and other debris that accumulate throughout the day. 

A Clean Office is Everyone's Responsibility

Regardless of whether you hire a janitorial service or you clean the office yourself, your employees can and should help in keeping the office tidy by cleaning their personal workspace regularly. 

An Organized, Tidy Desk Promotes Productivity 

Your employees spend most of their time in the office at their desk, so encourage them to keep their workspace organized by providing a place for them to store important documents, folders, and other items. If food or drink are kept at the workspace, the desk surface should be wiped down daily to remove visible debris. 

Clean Equipment Lasts Longer

In this case, I am referring to the electronics that are on your employees' desks including phones, computers, keyboards, and printers. These items accumulate dust and dirt quickly, which can reduce their operating capacity, and therefore should be cleaned with a microfiber cloth once a week. 

It is also good practice to clean your software, too, by running weekly disc scans and cleanups. Luckily, these tasks can be automated to run without any input from your employee so you won't run the risk of a less technologically inclined person breaking the computer. 

Not the DIY Type? Hire a Janitorial Company 

Keeping a clean office is not a luxury - it is essential to the health and well-being of your employees. However, you may not have the time or inclination to do the job yourself. Luckily, there are many janitorial companies that are more than ready to take on your cleaning tasks. Most businesses outsource cleaning to professionals, so you are in good company if you choose this route.