Last time we had a look at common dirty places in the office space, particularly at work that can be infested with bacteria. Up to 11.7 Billion in revenue is lost each year in the UK because of staff being ill. We aren’t putting this all down to a lack of basic hygiene at work but it certainly can’t help matters.
Know the difference
When we talk about bacteria not all of it is necessarily bad, there is such a thing as healthy bacteria and many types of this are found in the human body. You will have probably seen them advertised in various health shops or on TV adverts. At present, there are around 50 different types of bacteria that are known to be harmful to humans.
The most harmful bug that is commonly found is Staphylococcus Aureus, It can be found inhabiting our nasal membranes, skin and even hair follicles. Infections caused by this can include spots, rashes or pneumonia.
Staff being sick at work
Staff becoming ill at work is going to make their performance suffer or even worse, make them not turn in. Such symptoms often start with headaches and breathing issues. Stressful factors can impede production and impair the immune system in even the cleanliest working environments, so it is wise to consider what can be done to keep the work place as hygienic as possible.
In the last article we mentioned how the office space harbours a lot of health hazards and which equipment is often the dirtiest. Measures to improve the health of staff and cleanliness of the office space should be combined for maximal benefit.
Psychology of your workers
Unclean working environments have a negative impact on the moral of your employees and anybody else who is working in your office space. Think of it in the same way as your home, the cleaner it is the more relaxed you feel. (at least we would hope so!) Scheduled and well organised cleaning rotas can increase productivity in a way that is sustainable.
A study conducted in Canada was carried out by Staples Advantage, it found that 94 % of customers felt more relaxed at work when they could function in a cleaner working environment. 77% stated that they produce a higher quality of work when they can do their tasks in an organised work space. So the answers are pretty clear, a cleaner office means more bang for your buck out of your staff.
Some quick tips on how to get the ball rolling
- Involve everybody in a cleaning rota, especially for areas that everybody uses such as kitchens. You don’t have to make it intense but it will help make your staff make more informed decisions elsewhere at work too.
- Tasks can include wiping down keyboards every few days and door handles, or using sanitizer spray on desk worktops once a week.
- Look into hiring a professional cleaning service to make sure you and your staff will all have much less stress and can focus on the task at hand.
