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Workplace Management: 6 Simple Tips to Maintain Office Hygiene

How to Maintain Office Hygiene

Now that you know what office hygiene is, it is time to learn how you can maintain cleanliness in the work area.

Implement the Office Hygiene Policy

An office hygiene policy educates everyone about the intention of having a clean workspace. This also communicates that you take cleanliness seriously.

 

An office hygiene policy should include personal hygiene and grooming guidelines. Because as mentioned earlier, an employee represents the company.

Other items to be included are workspace and kitchen cleanliness guidelines. It can be as simple as saying, "Have your lunch in the pantry instead of your office table" or "Wash your dishes and wipe the dining table after every meal." 

Lastly, you must include the office hygiene policy as part of your onboarding process. Sure, hygiene and grooming can be a touchy subject, but having such policies allows everyone in the office to avoid awkward moments.

 

Have a Clean Restroom

As mentioned earlier, an average toilet seat alone has numerous bacteria per square inch. Hence, the restroom must be cleaned regularly.

 

You should also have an ample supply of bathroom cleaning essentials like hand soap and hand towels. That's because other than the employees, your clients and customers are likely to use the office restroom, too.

 

Provide Cleaning Materials

The best way to encourage employees to maintain office hygiene is by providing them with the right tools. This includes a mop, bucket, broom and dustpan, wipes, and all-purpose cleaner. 

It is also essential that they know where to find these cleaning materials. That's because employees are likely to use the right cleaning tools as long as it is available. Look at it this way: if your office has the quality tech, cool plants and comfortable office chairs they would want to keep everything like it was before they came so they can be more productive.

 

Clean the Office Regularly

Of course, the best way to maintain your office's pristine condition is to clean it regularly.

Encourage the employees to clean their desk before or after work. You can also hire maintenance personnel who can clean the office at regular hours.

 

But if you want a cost-effective way to maintain office cleanliness, hire a professional office cleaner. Doing so allows your employees to work in peace. It also ensures that someone will be there to clean the office as per schedule.

 

Another thing you can do is to have a regular cleaning evaluation. Doing so allows you to identify whether a policy is effective or not. After all, telling the employees to keep their office desks clean can be a burden to them.

 

Offer Health and Safety Training

Keeping the office spick and span is more than just making a good impression on clients and customers. It also has something to do with health and safety.

To get everyone involved in office hygiene, consider hosting regular health and safety training. Doing so can educate everyone that even a safe environment like the office can pose a danger if not maintained well.

What kind of training should you provide? It can range from acceptable office hygiene practices, first aid training, and emergency response.

 

Discourage Presenteeism

Coming to work despite being ill or injured is called presenteeism. It also includes working longer hours when it is unnecessary.

Although it appears as a novel concept, presenteeism hinders productivity. For one, an employee may be present but cannot function because he is nursing a cold. Second, it puts other employees at risk.

Keep in mind that productivity is different from presenteeism. If you see signs of such practice, here's what you can do:

 

1. Determine how prevalent presenteeism is in the office.

2. Calculate productivity loss.

3. Create cost-effective solutions.

 

For instance, many employees would prefer to still go to work instead of file a sick leave. However, the number of tasks they get to accomplish is close to none. What can you do?

In some cases, it would be best to let your employee file a paid sick leave. You would rather pay one employee to call in sick than risk everyone's health.

Another solution is to offer a work-from-home setup. If your employee insists that he can work, he might as well allow them to render at least a half-day worth of work while resting at home.