A typical office worker spends around 8 hours a day in the workplace. Given the amount of time this adds up to, it’s safe to say that most people would prefer to work in a clean and comfortable working environment.
There are actually very clear guidelines for what is expected in terms of cleanliness in the office. These guidelines cover all sorts of things from cleaning standards in toilets and communal spaces, right through to things like safely dealing with waste and refuse.
Regular janitorial cleaning is a great way to keep on top of the basics and make sure the office is compliant. However, keeping offices clean and safe is not just about keeping up with regulations.
It has actually been proven scientifically that clean work environments can improve staff health and wellbeing. Why is this important? Well… Staff health and wellbeing can seriously affect productivity and, ultimately, the bottom line.
So how can regular office cleaning help improve staff health and wellbeing?
Better Employee Health & Less Sick Days
Studies have shown that over 10 million bacteria are more than happy to use a typical office desk as their home (that’s more than can be found on a toilet seat!) So things like desks, keyboards and phones can be harbourers of germs.
Germs are not just restricted to desks either. Carpets and floors can hold a serious amount of dust and germs too. It’s well known that dust can cause respiratory problems and hold many nasty critters like dust mites and even things like fleas. These can pose long-term health risks if people are exposed to them day in, day out.
Dusty spaces also increase sneezing and coughing too, which will spread yet more germs between people in the office. So keeping floors and surfaces clean can go a long way to eliminating a range of health hazards and reducing the spread of germs in the office.
With these facts in mind, regular office cleaning is important because employees miss around 9 working days per year due to sickness. Employee sickness presents all sorts of issues for a business in terms of extra admin, arranging sick pay, and finding someone to cover work to make sure deadlines are not missed.
Keeping on top of things with regular office cleaning can reduce the potential hazards that contribute to poor employee health. This could go some way to reducing the number of sick days employees take each year that could be prevented.
Can Employers Get Staff To Clean The Office?
While employers can provide disinfecting wipes and encourage employees to wipe surfaces themselves, when you consider the time – and man hours – it takes to clean an office on a regular basis, it makes more sense to hire a company to do the work.
It is recommended that businesses find a reliable office cleaning company to provide professional cleaning services. Cleaning companies have got systems and processes to do things in the most effective and efficient ways possible. They have specialist equipment to make sure everything is done to a high standard. They will also be insured to perform the work too, which should not be overlooked when it comes to compliance.
