Last Updated AUGUST 2024
Hygiene in the Workspace: The Unseen Pillar of Employee Health and Productivity
A clean workspace is intrinsically linked to employee health and productivity. Discover how maintaining spotless restrooms and effective hygiene practices can prevent illness, boost morale and enhance overall performance.
In today's fast-paced corporate environment, where deadlines are tight and team collaboration is essential, employee health can often be overlooked in favor of more immediate operational needs. However, maintaining clean workspaces — especially restrooms — is crucial for ensuring employee well-being. These high-traffic areas play a vital role in preventing illness and fostering a healthy work environment, directly impacting employee morale and productivity.
Leaders understand that a healthier workforce translates to lower healthcare costs, fewer sick days and enhanced performance.
Let's explore practical strategies to improve restroom cleanliness and hygiene, supporting a healthier and more productive work environment.
The Hidden Costs of Not Prioritizing Employee Well-Being
Employees often feel obliged to stay productive even when unwell, but this "tough it out" mentality can backfire. It not only prolongs recovery, but also increases the risk of spreading illness, especially during flu season.
According to the CDC, seasonal flu outbreaks cost the economy $10.4 billion annually in direct healthcare expenses, excluding the indirect costs from lost productivity and absenteeism.1
Employee productivity is closely linked to health and well-being. Recognizing this connection is crucial for success. The care and support employees receive from their employers significantly influence their performance. Research shows that when health is impacted 69% of employees report a drop in motivation, and 55% struggle to concentrate.2
For facility managers, prioritizing employee well-being is essential for maintaining a motivated and productive workforce.
According to the CDC, seasonal flu outbreaks cost the economy $10.4 billion annually in direct healthcare expenses, excluding the indirect costs from lost productivity and absenteeism.1
Preventative Measures: Keep Your Employees Healthy and Productive
Employers need to enter cold and flu season armed with information and a plan to prevent the virus from spreading through the workforce.
By the time most organizations react to an outbreak, it’s often too late to contain it effectively. Prevention is essential.
Implementing simple, common-sense measures can make a significant difference: encouraging employees to wash their hands properly, offering free or low-cost flu vaccinations or routinely disinfecting work surfaces. Most importantly, workers who suspect they are ill should stay home from work.
Here are steps to help protect your workforce from the spread of illness:
Enhance Facility Cleanliness and Hygiene
Equip Your Facility
Ensure that restrooms are equipped with high-quality hand hygiene products to promote effective handwashing.
Consider installing touchless soap dispensers to minimize contact and reduce the spread of germs.
Use Paper Towels
The debate between single-use paper towels and jet air dryers continues, but science supports
that single-use paper towels are more effective at hand-drying and reducing germ spread. Studies have shown that jet
air dryers can disperse up to 1,300 times more germ particles in the surrounding air compared to paper
towels.3
Frequent Surface Disinfection
Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door handles, light switches and communal office
equipment. Using effective cleaning products ensures thorough disinfection. If you want to know more details about
how to optimize your office cleaning routine, click here.
Proper Waste Management
Provide clearly marked waste and recycling bins and regularly empty and sanitize them to prevent the buildup of
germs and odors.
Optimize Cleaning Schedules
Increased Cleaning Frequency
During peak cold and flu season, increase the frequency of cleaning, especially in high-traffic areas in your
facility.
Needs-Based Cleaning
Switch to a needs-based cleaning schedule rather than a traditional time-based one. This approach ensures that areas
are cleaned based on actual usage and necessity.
Smart Restroom Solutions
Consider using IoT technology to optimize cleaning schedules in restrooms. Access to real-time data allows
for more informed decision-making based on your specific restroom usage. Know when to order new supplies, when to
restock restrooms and identify busy hours for your facility to maintain optimal cleanliness.
Encourage Sick Employees to Stay Home
Did you know that 9 out of 10 employees would reschedule a doctor’s appointment due to workplace pressures?4
Work from Home Options
When feasible, provide remote work options for employees who may be feeling unwell, but are still able to work. If
an employee is genuinely sick, encourage them to take the necessary time off to rest and recover fully, preventing
their illness from worsening.
Support Doctor Appointments
Encourage employees to attend doctor appointments and prioritize their health. Many employees struggle to find
timefor medical visits due to work commitments. Providing flexibilityfor medical appointments helps ensure employees
stay healthy and address health concerns promptly.
Education and Training
Hygiene Best Practices
Conduct regular training sessions for employees on essential hygiene practices, including the importance of cleaning
and disinfecting personal workspaces. Highlight the use of high-quality hygiene products and effective techniques to ensure that employees understand
how to leverage these tools for their optimal health.
Advanced Cleaning Technology Training
Provide janitorial staff with training on the latest cleaning technologies and products. Ensure they are skilled in
maintaining touchless dispensers and smart restroom systems. Effective training enables staff to maximize the
benefits of these innovations, contributing to a cleaner and more hygienic facility.
Product Selection and Procurement
Selecting the appropriate hygiene products is crucial to maintain cleanliness and support employee well-being.
Choose products tailored to your facility’s needs and the specific tasks at hand — ensuring peak effectiveness and
smoother adoption. For assistance in finding tailored hygiene solutions, reach out to a
Kimberly-Clark Professional Sales Consultant.
Clean Workspaces Are More Than Just a Flu Prevention Measure
The benefits of maintaining a clean and sanitized workspace go far beyond just preventing the flu. Prioritizing the overall health of employees leads to significant improvements in morale, engagement, and productivity. A welcoming and hygienic environment, especially in high-traffic areas like restrooms, not only reflects professionalism, but also demonstrates a genuine commitment to employee well-being.
Research underscores the importance of cleanliness. Studies have shown that improved hygiene practices in the workplace can reduce absenteeism by up to 40%, leading to a significant boost in productivity.5
Leaders understand that supporting employee health involves more than just providing benefits or ergonomic furniture. Ensuring that workspaces, particularly restrooms, are consistently clean and free from harmful pathogens can effectively reduce the spread of illness and enhance overall efficiency.
Fortify Your Business Against the Unseen Costs of Illness
The unseen pillar of employee well-being lies in the hygiene standards of the workspace, particularly the restroom. By taking proactive measures to ensure a clean environment, businesses not only protect their employee’s health, but also enhance productivity and reduce costs associated with absenteeism and healthcare.
If prioritizing your employees' health and well-being is a goal, start with these essential strategies. Investing in comprehensive hygiene solutions does more than maintain cleanliness. It shows your team that you truly value their health and contributions.
Ready to enhance your facility’s hygiene standards?
Explore our suite of trusted restroom solutions to help reduce the risk of illness spread across your facility and increase productivity – improving employee satisfaction.
2 2024 Insights: Employee Health and Productivity Report (2024). In Personify Health. https://community.virginpulse.com/hubfs/2024%20Insights-%20Employee%20Health%20and%20Productivity%20Report.pdf
3 Jet Air Dryers vs. Single-Use Paper Towels: Which is More Effective for Restroom Hygiene? (2024, June 7). KC Professional. https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-ca/workplace-insights/health-and-safety/jet-dryers-vs-single-use-paper-towels
4 Virtual care for a healthy workforce (2022, November 21). https://business.kaiserpermanente.org/california/healthy-employees/innovation/virtual-care-healthy-workforce
5 Boosting hygiene in workplaces to cut post-Covid absenteeism. (2023, December 10) https://hygienesystems.co.nz/blog/the-bottom-line-boost-how-improved-hygiene-can-tackle-absenteeism
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