Elevating Workplace Efficiency: Navigating the Complexities of Office Cleaning

If you were looking for some motivation for office cleaning, here’s a statistic for you to think about:

One study suggests a clean desk increases the productivity and persistence of your workforce by 84%.¹

Effective office cleaning is more than just sweeping and dusting; it encompasses a strategic approach tailored to diverse workspace needs. Keeping the workspace clean is a multifaceted activity, which includes having an action plan in place, using good quality cleaning products, maintaining consistency of cleaning, factoring in time and cost efficiency, and so on.²

A clean office is vital for your business. Whether you want to boost the morale of your workforce or create a great first impression for your clients and visitors, a clean office is your best bet that you’ll get great work done.

Here are some recommendations that you can employ for Effective Cleaning:

Customised Office Cleaning Protocols:

Develop specific office cleaning protocols for different areas, considering their unique requirements. Developing protocols that are unique to your workspace can look like³
i. Creating a chore list to assign priority levels for different areas in the office 
ii. Assigning step-by-step cleaning guidelines for the frequency of cleaning and the staff members responsible, and 
iii. Keeping specific instructions in place if the cleaning requirements include specific equipment and electronics 

Tailoring Office Cleaning checklists:

Checklists can help you optimise efficiency and maintain the consistency of cleanliness. By setting an efficient cleaning schedule, you can enable cleaning personnel to prioritise tasks, and therefore help them focus on core cleaning responsibilities.⁴ For instance, if your cleaning tasks cover the cafeteria, the restroom, the common area and the reception of an office, you can maximise cleaning efficiency by placing high-traffic spaces such as the cafeteria and the bathroom at the top of the list.

Quality Cleaning Products:

Opt for high-quality, industry-standard office cleaning solutions. These not only ensure cleanliness but also contribute to the productivity in a workspace. The consequences of not using cleaning products of the correct quality or concentration, are massive. Doing so may lead to an impact on your budget and labour allocation. It could also put your workers at the risk of harmful exposure to chemicals. All these consequences might amount to a non-adherence to crucial compliance guidelines.⁵

Once you’ve created an effective strategy that is tailored to your workspace, you will see an increase in employee satisfaction, employee productivity and heightened work ethic. Keeping your office clean gives your employees that you care for them.

At the same time, we must address common cleaning challenges to employ these strategies effectively, such as: 

Time Constraints:

Limited timeframes for cleaning can hinder thoroughness. Implement time-efficient cleaning schedules for your workspace and consider off-peak hours for more comprehensive cleaning. (This will also mean that your employees will walk into a clean workplace, that will encourage them to start the day afresh.) 

Employee Training:

Educate your staff on proper cleaning techniques and product usage. Well-trained personnel significantly contribute to the effectiveness of cleaning efforts. This also helps reduce wasteful worker activity and help you maintain an inventory of fit-for-purpose products to tackle specific cleaning requirements in your workspace.

Waste Management:

you can reduce waste generation is by using high quality cleaning products that are effective and reusable. This helps reduce the use of rags in cleaning common office spaces. Rags can be inconsistent in quality which can lead to waste. 

Having a cleaning plan looks good, wouldn’t you agree?

However, a strategy isn’t the only piece of the puzzle – you must have a solid plan in place to continue and maintain the strategies that you find effective. You can amplify the potential of your workplace when you identify hidden opportunities, implement the action plan best suited to your workspace and sustain the cleaning best practices that work for you.⁶

Here’s to cleaning and maintaining happy, productive and motivated workplaces!

References:

¹ https://engineering-update.co.uk/2023/07/27/seven-reasons-to-implement-a-clear-desk-policy-in-your-workplace/
² https://safetyculture.com/checklists/office-cleaning/#:~:text=Using an office cleaning checklist helps improve productivity,focus on their core responsibilities and prioritize accordingly.
³ https://medium.com/@bettertoclean/the-importance-of-commercial-office-cleaning-services-for-a-productive-workplace-a0340c9b2788
⁴ https://www.3mindia.in/3M/en_IN/commercial-cleaning-in/resources/articles/chemical-accuracy-sustainability/
⁵ The Benefits of a Clean Desk Policy. (2018, August 24). Retrieved from https://www.shrednations.com/2018/08/benefits-clean-desk-policy/
⁶ https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-in/campaigns/wypall-efficient-workplace-program