The majority of work moved to remote working during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the work environment is seeing hybrid work as a good alternative. Hybrid working poses new challenges in office cleanliness that need immediate and effective solutions to be considered a successful work setup compared to full face-to-face and remote work.
Hidden Cost of Hybrid Workplace Cleaning
Well-maintained and clean office spaces contribute significantly to the productive working environment. It is not easy to concentrate in a cluttered workspace. The hybrid work setup also adopts ‘desk swapping’, so not paying attention to regular office maintenance may lead to health concerns.
My companies often explore alternatives to commercial cleaning services, such as delegating the cleaning responsibility to the employees. However, these substitutes are not as cost-effective as they may seem. Here are three limitations of getting the employees to do the office cleaning.
Added Responsibilities For Employees
Entrusting cleaning duties to employees may cause them to be displeased, particularly if these duties are added to a hectic work schedule. Even though the employees agree to this setup, they will likely rush to clean to return to their original tasks. Doing something outside the scope of their job could put them off. The result would often be an increase in employee turnover, which is costly. Productivity will also lag because they are not trained to provide specialised cleaning services.
More Supervision For The Establishment Of An In-House Cleaning Team
Hiring and managing your in-house cleaners is one alternative to corporate cleaning services. This unconventional approach worked well with 9-to-5 business models, but the hybrid work setup requires a different approach. Maintaining an in-house cleaning team adds up to administrative duties.
Office Cleaning Requires Specialised Skills
A misconception about janitorial and commercial cleaning services is that they require little to no knowledge or specialised skills. Every professional cleaner is trained to specialise in certain skills that an average person cannot do, such as hydrogen peroxide cleaning.
Maintaining Office Cleanliness
Administrators started looking for ways to modify the workplace to make it safer for people to return to work. Some companies have downsized their office space and encouraged desk sharing. Unfortunately, this creates a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Here are several tips to maintain office cleanliness while sticking to the hybrid work setup.
- Hand sanitising stations. Hand sanitiser is a quick way to disinfect your hands. Placing hand sanitiser dispensers at strategic locations lowers the risk of cross-infection between customers and employees. It is important to note that employees use their hands to shake, write reports, open doors, and others throughout the day. This concept delivers reduced company downtime and sickness.
- Cleaning wipes & disinfectant sprays. Aside from hand sanitising stations, each employee’s workspace must have cleaning wipes and disinfectant sprays. This is to ensure that the desk being used by the staff is disinfected after use, providing the next person with a sanitised work area. High-touch surfaces, like the desk, keyboard, and mouse, must be disinfected regularly. Microbes, including the common cold, can linger for up to three days.
- Enforcement of cleaning and hygiene protocols. Our perspective on cleaning and hygiene has changed. And as a manager or administrator, it is your duty to enforce policies that adhere to the minimum health standards. In addition to hand sanitising stations and individual use of cleaning wipes and disinfectant sprays, be firm in the use of masks, maintaining physical distance, and proper trash disposal. The office is still a closed area, and contaminants could pose health hazards by staying in the trash bins and later floating in the air.
- Engaging an office cleaning company. This is an investment that pays off. Employers benefit from hiring an office cleaning company by providing a more stable and healthy workforce. They employ a comprehensive cleaning program that minimises the prevalence of diseases and increases the lifespan of workplace assets.
Conclusion
Adopting many innovative solutions for office cleanliness is the first step in creating a conducive work environment. Avalon Services will complement your efforts to attain a healthy and productive working space.
