In a post-covid work environment, cleanliness is paramount, making office cleaners an indispensable member of your team. Still not convinced you need one? Here are 10 ways office cleaners can improve the work environment:
1. Better Hygiene
Your office is a hub for germs and bacteria – whether you eat your lunch at your desk, bring your dog to work, or share communal facilities such as breakrooms, bathrooms and meeting rooms, there are plenty of opportunities for poor office hygiene to become a problem. In fact, one in ten office workers believe that their health has been compromised by poor workplace hygiene practices, leading to discontent amongst your workforce and unnecessary absenteeism. Hiring an office cleaner can help you mitigate these issues by regularly cleaning, disinfecting communal surfaces, and keeping your office space generally tidy.
2. A Place To Be Proud To Work In
Studies have shown that clean office spaces can boost morale across the workplace to create an environment that your staff can be proud to work in. One study in The Netherlands looked into the impact a clean office can have on staff, with the study noting that staff felt more productive and experienced greater workplace satisfaction when office cleaners were deployed. Similarly, having a regular office cleaner could encourage staff to come back to the office post-pandemic by having such a welcoming work environment that promotes cleanliness and productivity. So, if you think your staff need a morale boost, an office cleaner may be the key.
3. Aesthetics
A messy office is far from aesthetically pleasing and can create an unpleasant workplace environment that staff dread coming into every morning. This is especially true if you host clients in your office for meetings and pitches, with a dirty office being damaging to your reputation as a company. There is even evidence that workplace clutter can have negative impacts on your mental health – it can cause unnecessary stress, distraction and procrastination which is not conducive to a productive workplace environment. As such, a tidy workplace environment isn’t merely aesthetically pleasing, but it can improve focus and productivity for your staff.
4. It Shows You Care
Hiring a regular office cleaning service shows your staff that you truly care about creating a work environment that is safe, clean and a joy to work in. This will make your staff feel valued, contributing to greater employee satisfaction and even better employee retention rates.
5. A Familiar Face
Cleaners become a friendly and familiar face around many office buildings, and staff tend to build a rapport with their regular cleaning staff. This can contribute to creating a more uplifting work environment by fostering staff relationships in the long term.
6. Safety
Clutter and dirt isn’t just unsightly, but can pose a genuine danger to the health of your workforce. This can lead to poor overall hygiene, trip hazards and falls that can put your staff out of work in the long-term, and could lead to your staff claiming compensation from your business if you create an unsafe work environment. Office cleaners can help to mitigate these disasters before they happen by keeping on top of mess and clutter, removing trip hazards, and eliminating harmful bacteria and germs with regular visits.
7. Reliable
Leaving cleaning work to your cohort of staff is not a reliable procedure – staff take sick days, holidays, or may simply be swamped with other work responsibilities, meaning that their cleaning duties slip by the wayside. This isn’t to mention that many staff loathe cleaning and may be reluctant to dedicate their time to it, which can cause resentment and disagreements on responsibilities between your teams. Having a reliable office cleaner that visits your unit on a regular schedule adds a sense of stability to your office dynamic – it ensures that staff aren’t burdened with additional work and guarantees that your office will be clean by the end of the day.
8. Lets Your Workers Focus On Their Priorities
Mess can be distracting, and accumulating dirt and clutter across your office space can be detrimental to your workforce. Staff may take it upon themselves to spend hours cleaning areas which are particularly unsightly, meaning that they are spending less time producing the work you initially hired them for. By hiring an office cleaner, you allow your cohort of staff to focus on their priorities, thereby producing better results for your company.
9. Fewer Sick Days
Research indicates that the average office desk collects over 400 times more germs than a toilet seat, making it a haven for nasty bugs and bacteria. By hiring an office cleaner, you can keep on top of your office hygiene by scheduling regular desk cleans that keep these pesky germs at bay. As a result, you can expect your workforce to take fewer sick days which can contribute to increased productivity.
10. Post-Pandemic Peace Of Mind
Hot desking has become a popular post-pandemic work methods which encourages an array of staff to use a select few desks as and when needed. Although a convenient space-saving option that is fantastic for those who are only in the office a few days a week, this can undoubtedly contribute to the spread of germs from colleague to colleague. With 55% of adults and young people still feeling nervous about being close to friends, family and co-workers since lockdown restrictions eased, employing a dedicated office cleaner to maintain high levels of office hygiene could help to reduce the worry for many members of staff, especially those of a vulnerable disposition. What’s more, with isolation no longer mandatory for those who have contracted Coronavirus, offices should be even more alert to the potential dangers the virus still possesses and how this can impact the peace of mind of your staff.
Explore CleanPlus+ From Virtu
At Virtu, we understand the importance of a clean office and how it can boost morale among your staff, allow them to focus on their own tasks, and creates a safe and hygienic work environment. That’s why we designed CleanPlus+, a comprehensive office cleaning service that is tailored to your unique business’ needs. We like to think of ourselves as your hidden heroes in a world of messy offices! To explore the ways CleanPlus+ by Virtu can transform your office space, simply fill out the form below.