You might be surprised by how many people overlook the importance of office cleaning.
However, the benefits of maintaining a workspace can extend far beyond the mere comfort of having a nice and tidy environment to operate in.
Productivity and staff engagement are one of the many advantages of ensuring that an office remains clean and clutter-free. Failing to do so can potentially impact the profits of a business.
After all, if employees and managers are greeted with an untidy environment, then this can affect the reputation of your firm.
Similarly, if staff motivation is already an issue at your company, an unkempt office is unlikely to help.
So how do you kickstart the cleaning process in your premises? We give our tips below.
Hire a cleaning company
For most busy firms, enlisting the services of a professional cleaning company is the easiest and most practical way to maintain a work environment.
Unless your speciality is in cleaning, the chances are that neither you nor your staff want to spend their time on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor.
Thankfully you will not have to, as there are many firms, such as MaxxClean, that can undertake these menial tasks for you.
Just be sure to outline exactly what your requirements are and iron out the details ahead of time.
Rota
As mentioned before, the majority of companies opt for professional cleaners to save time and ensure the job is done properly.
However, in order to ensure that everything is as clean as it can be, you will also need to delegate tasks to individual employees or departments in order to maintain your office on a day-to-day basis.
This could include things such as installing a dishwasher and collecting dishes or rubbish from individual desks.
Many organisations draw up rotas for this purpose to ensure that nothing gets missed. You may even have a special department or individual who is specifically responsible for arranging this.
Things to consider:
Regardless of whether you take a DIY approach to cleaning or you get a helping hand, these are the main things that you will need to pay particular attention to:
Bins
Ensuring there are enough bins is an important but often neglected part of day-to-day maintenance.
Ideally, there should be a bin beside each desk. It will also make it much easier for any cleaning firm that you do bring in and means that staff are less likely to keep wrappers and other bits of rubbish on their desks.
Recycling
With many firms trying to boost their green credentials, a number of companies are looking for ways in which they can increase their sustainable practices.
An easy way to do this is to set up a recycling scheme, with waste and recycling being placed in separate bins.
In the long run, it will mean that you won’t have as many papers taking up space, and cluttering the office.
It also has wider benefits for the environment and promotes efficiency within your organisation.
Increasing general awareness within your company about the importance of sustainable practices will also help in the long run.
Clearing desks
Desk organisers are a fantastic way to prevent stationery, papers, books and other materials from cluttering desks.
This type of equipment prevents you from having to rifle through piles of papers to find important documents and helps to facilitate a healthy working environment.
Be sure to have some disinfectant wipes handy to clean working surfaces and stop the spreading of germs.
Sick leave
Each year, British companies lose up to 7.7 sick days on average, costing firms around £1.5 billion annually.
Keeping a clean and tidy office can help to reduce the likelihood of disease and infections spreading and contributes towards good hygiene practices.
Over time, it will save businesses from the costs and inconvenience involved from employees taking time off sick.
