Member Article

How to freshen up the annual office spring clean

The spring clean has been a tradition in one form or another for centuries. The act of cleaning out and de-cluttering our homes after the winter is not only hygienic, but acts as a rejuvenation; an opportunity for reflection and readjustment. The same should surely apply to the workplace. By taking advantage of an office Spring clean, businesses can reduce unnecessary stress associated with an untidy office and therefore boost employee productivity.

A spring clean can also have a positive impact on employee sickness rates as a hygienic office is less likely to engender the spread of harmful germs and bacteria. However, to truly achieve all of the potential benefits from a workplace cleaning strategy, attention should first be paid to the business’ facilities management strategy, which may also benefit from a similar overhaul.

Facilities managers (FMs) shouldn’t just see the spring clean as an opportunity to create a more sanitary working environment, but instead as an opportunity for reevaluation. Choosing products can often become routine, but selections should, in truth, always be changing and updating.

The specific products being procured should always be considered regularly, whether this be for their environmental impact or their cost efficiency. For instance, microfibre cloths are constantly improving, as they achieve a similar standard of cleaning while using reduced amounts of chemicals and water.

The search for products which are efficient, yet cause minimal damage to the environment can be confusing, not aided in the least by the vast array of accreditations and certifications which can be found on eco-labels. Proper research is key and manufacturers should ensure that cleaning product marques and labels are easy for customers to understand.

Where organisations may previously have been buying pre-diluted chemicals, a switch to buying bulk loads of concentrate and utilising a dilution control system may be a smart choice to make. These systems use dispensers to manage and regulate the amount of concentrate needed to achieve a high cleaning standard, requiring less storage space and fewer deliveries.

Reducing the number of deliveries is a key refinement to look at making in any review of supply activity, both from a cost and environmental perspective. By consolidating the supply chain and purchasing cleaning tools and chemicals from partners who can provide a range of products, rather than from a host of different suppliers, businesses can unlock hidden advantages. Overactive supply activities can have a huge impact on an organisation’s carbon footprint, so there are also huge environmental benefits to be had. Additionally, partnering with a single supplier will help to build a worthwhile and mutually-beneficial relationship, where trust and loyalty can result in discounts and other related perks.

When it comes to actually conducting a thorough clean of the workplace, effective communication with staff is key. Employees should all be made aware that they have individual responsibilities towards maintaining a tidy and hygienic working environment. While some employees may already be on top of this, it may still be worth regularly reminding the entire workforce to clear their desks at the end of the day, securely dispose of unwanted files and wash up any mugs, cutlery or plates they have personally been used. By creating a joined-up approach to office upkeep, wherein each employee does their bit on a regular basis, organisations can make sure the office is clean and tidy while also removing the need for expansive cleaning/tidying sessions in the future.

This also applies to workplace washrooms. Bad hygiene often begins in the washrooms, with poor personal hygiene leading to the cultivation of harmful bacteria. It is therefore of the utmost importance that employees are educated on proper practice when it comes to their personal hygiene. Employees will hopefully be washing their hands as an unthinking matter of routine, but many may be unaware that it is widely recommended that hands should be washed for a minimum of 20 seconds to ensure the process is effective. If simple signage reminding employees of this recommendation is not already on display in washrooms, the office spring clean is the perfect opportunity to set this right.

To ensure this is fully worthwhile, FMs should make sure to consider which hand soap to provide to ensure the greatest effect. Some consider alcohol-based sanitisers as a good way to go, and their effectiveness has been proven, but they can be harsh on the skin and employees may therefore be put off from using them. FMs should make sure to think through all possible ramificatons of their choice before it is fully made. Other potential provisions which may be able to stop germs in their tracks include implementing sensor-operated taps and pedal-operated bins. If handwashing fails to fully inhibit the spread of harmful bacteria then these will at least reduce the need for contact with any of the washroom’s surfaces.

The physical attributes and the design of a washroom can actually seriously impact hygiene levels when it comes to regular cleaning. More modern washroom designs tend to be less cluttered than traditional bathrooms, with less hard-to-reach fixtures and fittings, which can be difficult to clean. If budgets stretch to architectural considerations, then an overhaul of washroom design is certainly worth deliberating over.

An office spring clean presents the perfect opportunity for FMs to freshen everything up, rejuvenating cleaning policies, improving workplace hygiene and crafting a tidy and sanitary enivironment will help to develop a productive work ethic. Businesses need to make sure they look at cleaning and hygiene in context with the entire organisation, rather than viewing them in a vacuum. In this way, they can ensure that they are still reaching those all-important margin deductions without compromising environmental credentials, levels of hygiene or employee morale and productivity.

George Hand, sales manager for cleaning, hygiene and catering, Office Depot UK & Ireland.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Office Depot .