In a busy and bustling working environment, generally cleaning may fall by the wayside if the business does not employ an office cleaning company. It may not seem important, but a tidy workspace can do wonders for staff productivity and morale.
Research from the Work & Health Research Centre at Loughborough University suggests the average office employee spends a approximately five hours and 41 minutes sat at their desks.
Imagine what that would be like if the surrounding environment was grotty, the equipment was dirty and the floors were littered with bits of rubbish. It is highly unlikely that an unclean work station would inspire a person to work hard.
If the office boasts kitchen facilities it is vital cleanliness is maintained. Staff need to feel comfortable about preparing or re-heating food at lunch time or even making a cup of coffee. Rogue germs and bacteria can cause illness that could spread to more than one member of staff.
It’s not just employees who will be put off by an untidy workspace, prospective customers visiting the premises are unlikely to want to conduct business with a company that can’t look after its own building.
Improved motivation
Every business, no matter the size, wants to employ happy and productive staff. If they come into work every day and are confronted with mess, they are going to feel a bit down in the dumps.
The benefit of a cleaning service is that they can come in at night or early morning, every day or just on nominated evenings, and make sure everything is spick and span so staff are greeted with a fresh and clean office when they walk in the door.
Developing a ‘clean desk policy’ is also a great way to reduce the amount of clutter in the office. Such a strategy can be tailored to the needs of the employer and employees. It can be strict, meaning desks should remain as clear as possible during the day, or it can be more relaxed and just require workers to tidy up their stations before they leave at night.
Less clutter will help the office seem more open and staff will feel less boxed in.
Healthy staff
Working alongside other people means that coughs and colds will be passed between employees. Good hygiene habits and a pristine office can limit the possibility of illnesses spreading across the workforce.
Employers and staff both need to work hard in order to stop the spread of germs. Workers should be encouraged to cover their noses and mouths when sneezing, wash their hands after visiting the bathroom and stay at home when genuinely ill.
An employee’s workspace is a hotbed of bacteria that can be harmful to health. Researchers from the University of Arizona claim the humble computer keyboard harbours 70 times more germs than the average toilet seat!
They estimate that the entire desk can be up to 400 times grubbier than a loo, and the areas where we naturally rest our hands can house around 10,000 bacteria.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), sickness related absences cost UK businesses £29 billion a year. This means employers need to do as much as possible to keep employees healthy and happy.
