A Clean Office Equals Happy Staff

Our managing director, Katie Cruickshank regularly says, “a clean office equals happy staff,” and with good reason.

Having a clean and tidy working environment impacts on the workforce in many ways, both physically and psychologically.

Here are four areas in which the state of your desk space and overall office can have a big impact on staff happiness.

Mental Health

Contrast this with the dirty and messy office where rubbish bins overflow, grime covers the carpet and no one wants to go within a mile of the work fridge. Is it any wonder that coffee stains on employees’ desks go untreated or that workers find themselves rummaging through piles of paperwork. Disorganisation and lack of control can lead to feelings of stress and even trigger anxiety and depression.

Even allowing employees to spend their last ten minutes of each day simply tidying their desks is an investment towards creating a happy, creative workforce.

Physical Health

Office equipment such as computers and telephones can harbour many germs especially if employees are less than scrupulous with their personal hygiene (e.g. the one in three people who don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom!) With some studies revealing that keyboards may contain over 7,000 bacteria, the chances of contracting an illness increases with every day and week that an office goes without cleaning. Flu, for example, can survive on a hard surface for more than 24 hours and can quickly spread around the office once one member of staff contracts it (in fact, a virus can infect all workers in an office within just four hours!)

Ill staff are invariably unhappy but absenteeism also has a knock-on effect on the happiness of others. Absent staff place extra pressure on those left behind. With the additional workload to deal with, stress levels increase and this can make people more susceptible to illness.

To prevent this vicious circle, make sure you have a robust cleaning schedule set up – and stick to it.

Health and Safety

Untidy workplaces are not just unsightly, they can also be dangerous. Bags and coats littering the floor can become a trip hazard, spoiled food can lead to food poisoning and gunked up electrical equipment can even become a fire hazard.

Needless to say, injured employees tend to be unhappy and you are likely to also find yourself on the wrong end of health and safety or environmental health legislation.

Brand Sentiment

Most brands want to portray themselves as happy and caring but this can be difficult if the office is a mess. Disgruntled staff, even those who are good at hiding their feelings, will reflect badly on your business when answering phone calls and meeting clients.

Your staff will be particularly displeased if you invite customers into a dirty and messy office as the low standards inevitably reflect on them.

A Helping Hand from Best Clean Direct

By now you should be convinced that it is a worthwhile investment of your time to keep your ship in order. If the task seems too daunting to tackle alone, consider a ‘one off’ or deep clean from Best Clean Direct. We can have your premises looking spick and span in no time. If you think ongoing cleaning will be a challenge, we will be happy to discuss our contract cleaning options with you.