Tips for a Healthier Office Environment
If you are an Office or Facilities Manager or Supervisor, you know how your employees’ environment can affect productivity. More light in a room often makes people more attentive. Staff can be more productive when comfortable with the office temperature, and having a clean office can also improve the atmosphere and increase efficiency.
Keeping a clean office will help keep you and your employees motivated and focused. Employees who work in a chaos or an unclean environment will undoubtedly produce work that mimics their surroundings.
If your want to keep your staff happy and productive, make sure you keep your workplace in its best condition.
Lobby, Foyer and Reception Areas
These are important areas to focus on – the first impressions to both your employees & visitors. Make sure windows are clean, counters free of clutter, and plants free of dust. Keep up on appearances by straightening area between your professional cleaning visits. Your employees will feel more contentment about coming to work if they are proud of the office, as well as proud to have visitors & clients into their offices.
Restrooms
Few people like using public restrooms but that doesn’t change the fact that they will be used. Keep restrooms clean. A dirty bathroom isn’t only unbecoming, it’s also unhealthy.
Offices/Desks
At the very least, wastebaskets should be emptied daily and a vacuum should be run every other day if not daily. Make your employees aware of your cleaning policy and the frequency of your professional cleaning service and have them straighten or dust their desks regularly to help cut back on germs and airborne illnesses.
Lunch Room/Kitchen Area
The lunch room and kitchen areas are used most often and tend to get dirty quickly.
It’s helpful to make sure paper towels and cleaning supplies are readily accessible. This will be beneficial should a spill or mess occur.
In a recent survey, U.S. office workers at businesses of all sizes were polled and results found that 73% stated that a well-stocked kitchen would make them happier at work, while 57% indicated that kitchen amenities could lead to a more productive workforce.
Phones, Keyboards, and Door Knobs/Handles
People are either acutely vigilant or not aware at all when it comes to these areas needing disinfecting. This is the way many germs transport throughout your place of business, onto your hands then onto your steering wheel and all the way home. Your professional cleaners should already be disinfecting these areas, however, having some kind of disinfectant available for your employees’ use throughout their day will let them know how important their health is to you, their employer.
Healthy employees = happy employees.