Cleaning isn’t easy
Who doesn’t want to have a clean office? Chances are that your company hires a commercial cleaning company to take care of the heavy lifting in regards to cleaning the office. But what about the time in between cleanings? Often times, for economic reasons your commercial cleaning team cannot be present at all times. Reality is that your team will create a mess in between the times that the commercial cleaning team visits the office, so it is crucial that you prepare for those situations. A clean office promotes efficiency and a healthy workforce. When an office space is dirty and gross, employees get sick, paperwork is lost into the abyss, and stress levels soar. Being able to find the tools you need to work make completing a job easier. So now that we know why you should want to have a clean office, how do you get a room full of grown adults to work together in a cleanly manner? How do you make sure that everyone does their part in keeping up with office cleanliness? The task can be daunting, but it is a necessary evil to keep your employees healthy and on track. So let’s take a look at some tidy team hack that will make you look awesome and your office clean.
Lead by example
First things first, the list of things you ask your team to do that you aren’t willing to do yourself should be pretty short. Being clean shouldn’t be on that list. Your team should see you taking an initiative to keep the workplace tidy. It’s pretty easy, make sure to keep your workspace organized and free of clutter. Use organizational tools like file folders and desk organizers to keep your primary work-space nice and clean. Be sure to sweat the small stuff like not keeping trash in your workspace and having an organizational system in place for all documents. For many offices, keeping documents with pertinent and personal data for clients unsecured can result in hefty fines and penalties. The hindering effects of searching for that spreadsheet you just put together through a pile of useless paperwork can be crippling to the efficiency of your office. Also, make sure to acknowledge those who are doing an exceptional job at keeping tidy and those whose efforts could improve.
Raise awareness
Make sure that your team knows when your commercial cleaning team will be in operation. Post a schedule to your office memo board or circulate an email with the schedule. Knowing when your commercial cleaning team is important. Your team will know to secure sensitive documents that aren’t meant to be thrown away or seen by outside parties.
Make it easy
Your team will tend to take the path of least resistance when it comes to cleaning your office. Many times the reason trash doesn’t find its way to your recycling or trash receptacles is that they aren’t readily available or easily accessible. Make sure that your team knows the locations of the appropriate place to dispose of trash. Making microfiber cloths, desk organizers, and other cleaning materials accessible will allow your team to take care of small, easily handled messes on their own. Providing filing cabinets, hooks and shelving also give your team an easy excuse to keep things organized and clutter-free
Sweat the small stuff
Your commercial cleaning team most likely will not be responsible for cleaning your team’s personal workspaces. By no coincidence, the germiest places reside where your team spends much of their time. Make sure your team knows to regularly clean their computer keyboards, mice, and other frequently used peripherals. Not only will this help reduce the spread of germs but also with the longevity of your office supplies. Computers and other electronic devices that collect large amounts of dust are sometimes rendered useless and need replacing. Regularly dusting your teams work-spaces can help reduce costs incurred by replacing these devices, reducing overhead costs.
Tidy Day
No matter how many days per week your commercial cleaning team comes to clean your facilities, it is important that you and your team take an initiative to make sure your space stays tidy. An easy way to make sure this happens on a regular basis is to observe a day of cleaning. Not necessarily the entire day needs to be devoted to cleaning (duh, you’ve got work to do). But one day out of the week, your team needs to pay attention to common areas and their personal workspaces. Setting weekly regimen will create a habit of staying clean throughout the whole team. Common areas like the break room(especially the refrigerator) and lobby should be focus areas as everyone benefits from their cleanliness. Make a point to have your team ‘de-clutter’ on this day as well.
Let there be light
Open the blinds! A dark, dimly lit office can be deceptively dirty. It’s hard to notice stains in the carpet, dust on surfaces and dirt building up in neglected corners of the office. You’ll be surprised how much grime is staring you right in the face! If your office is wall-locked, make sure you’re using lighting that is bright enough to properly illuminate your teams work-space. Replace dim bulbs with bright led bulbs and save some dollars on your electric bill while you’re at it.
Plants
This may seem a bit in orthodox, but adding some foliage to your workspace can make your office look and feel cleaner. Plants act as a natural air filter and can alleviate musty atmospheres. If your team adopts a few plants make sure they are taken care of because they can become eyesores very quickly. Properly maintain your plants and they can have the reverse effect and brighten up your workplace.
Conclusion
Every office is different, but one thing remains constant: a clean office is a healthy office. When your workplace adopts a clean first mentality, you will reduce the chances of spreading viruses and bacteria that can cripple your office’s productivity! What sort of clean office hacks does your team employ? Let us know on our social media pages: Twitter and Facebook.