Most think of a hazard as a tangible object or area that can be a harm to a person in the vicinity. What about hazards that aren’t so obvious, such as bacteria? A basic example is an unclean restroom sink and counter-top. With neglect of cleaning comes grunge, dust and worse… germs and bacteria.

Sure, certain objects can be harmful and should be looked as as a true hazard, but that doesn’t mean all attention should be turned away from something that can be systemically worse to the entire office, such as bacteria from a lack of cleaning.

To rid an office of bacteria, allergens and germs, keep a regular cleaning schedule, and if it’s needed, hire a local cleaning company to do the deep cleaning. Keeping an office clean can ultimately mitigate the risk of employees and customers contracting an illness from the exposure of germs and bacteria.

Think of it this way, office cleaning is just another workplace safety initiative.

 Image courtesy of Flickr / mandolux

After seeing this, you may think twice about neglecting certain aspects of your office…

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The fact of the matter is, when a work space is organized and clean, employees feel more productive, are likely to regularly keep it clean, and it may even provide unintended peer pressure for others in the office to do the same. Ultimately, this can keep cleaning costs down for the organization.

Here are some tips for office managers to keep office clutter from happening:

1. Keep cleaning wipes in close proximity. Nearby access to cleaning products will give employees the autonomy to clean their own work spaces. It’s likely they will do it more often, too.
2. Set a precedent for employees. Let new employees know that clean work spaces are expected. Enforce weekly cleaning for the rest of the employee base as well. After a while it will become part of the culture and it won’t even need to be enforced.
3. Reward the employee with the cleanest desk. Random on-the-spot awards for having a clean desk may give a boost to the excitement around cleaning.

The goal in all of this should be to give employees the best working environment possible so that they feel excited and productive when they come to work. If they see cluttered desks  and thick layers of dust coating shelves and books, it’s likely they won’t be too jazzed about conquering the work day.

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Owners are already stretching the dollar as far as they can by using their resources, and not everyone can afford to have a local janitorial service company at their disposal. Here are several ways to motivate employees to clean the office:

1. Create a reward or competition out of it
2. Make it mandatory
3. Once a week, hold a cleaning party

Once there is buy-in from the employees, owners can provide a cleaning guide that keeps them on track and ensures everything in the office is touched. It puts the responsibility on the individual rather than the collective group.

Here is a sample cleaning guide for download:

Sort of like a field goal kicker in football; you really don’t know how good a kicker is until you find one who misses the big-time, easy chip shots from 20 yards out. In that sense, janitorial services is the same way. You won’t even notice a great janitorial company because everything is spotless when you arrive to the office each day. You’ll notice a bad one, though, when the soap dispensers aren’t refilled, the trash cans still overflowing and the dirt tracked in is un-swept.

What are these janitorial companies doing in the off-hours? Here’s a short list:

• Interior window cleaning
• Replacing trash bags; removing trash
• Wiping sink and counters of men and women’s restroom
• Carpet shampooing (monthly, quarterly or semi-annually depending on the building)
• Vaccuming
• Floor waxing
• Dusting
• Toilet cleaning
• Restocking…well, everything!

Image courtesy of Flickr / daveaustria

Spring-time is a great opportunity for a refresh in the office, perhaps re-energizing people in the workplace due to an organized office.

Here are the spots in your office you should consider cleaning and organizing this spring:

Windows

As the sun begins poking through, into the office, streaks of dust and smudges become obvious. Not only should you consider washing the interior of windows, consider washing the exterior as well. Be careful, as washing exterior windows may be dangerous if it is a multi-level building. Consider hiring a janitorial service company for this.

Carpets

Sure, carpets are regularly vacuumed; but what about shampooing the carpets? Doing so will remove most of the dirt deep in the carpet. It will give it a nice, new smell and keep the carpets appealing to customers.

Trash and Recycling

If trash fills up quickly from cans, bottles, etc. now may be the time to create an organized trash and recycling system that separates trash from cans, cardboard, plastic and glass. Not only is it good for the environment, it keeps the office organized…much more organized!

Filing System

Everything is moving electronically. Perhaps it’s time to start saving electronic files and scanning hard copy documents in order to create an e-filing system. As hard copy documents pile up, workplaces tend to order more filing cabinets for the office, leaving less room for furniture or empty space. This can make the office always appear cluttered, leaving a lack of organization. Creating a filing system may be challenging to do all at once, but this spring will be a good time to begin the gradual move to electronic files!

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In an article entitled 4 Benefits of Your Business Hiring a Cleaning Service on yahoo.com, contributor, Shelly K., says one of the biggest benefits is that you don’t have to worry. She states:

“If you don’t like to clean or don’t want to clean your office yourself or hire an employee then you have a perfect good reason to hire a cleaning business.”

Shelly K. elaborates further:

“You won’t have to be concerned about personally cleaning your office each week. You don’t have to hassle with cleaning your office each week since the cleaning company will do it all.”

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? The truth is, all companies are different since they value different things. Furthermore, companies may opt to hire a janitorial services company for the simple fact it is not the highest and best use of their time to maintain it in-house. Other companies may not see the value or purpose altogether if they feel it’s not a burden to them or if the cost of hiring a third-party service provider is unbearable.

Companies should do this cost-analysis on an annual basis if they are considering hiring a janitorial service company. Cost savings and peace of mind are good enough reasons to consider hiring a janitorial services provider.

Image courtesy of Flickr / quinnanya

A business manager who builds and sustains a culture of cleaning up after oneself should be able to maintain a tidy office space and only bring in janitorial services when deep cleaning or refilling of supplies is needed. Over the long-term, this can save a company a lot of money.

How have you saved money on cleaning costs?

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The fictional scenario above  isn’t too far from reality for some building occupants out there. What would happen if the trend continued for another year or more? It’s safe to say the building would appear older than it actually is and may begin to have irreversible blemishes in some highly-trafficked spots. If it’s a place of business customers visit, you can kiss some of the customers goodbye; and for non-customer visited buildings, an owner might be able to get away with not cleaning for a while, but the downside risk may be long-term value of the building for re-sale purposes, not to mention safety of employees working in the building.

Put simply, an office that is not cleaned is likely a place none of us want to be in. Who wants to work in filth each day? Perhaps there are a few people out there, but most employees may jump ship if they have to work in unsanitary conditions.

It seems that the downside risk of losing employees and ruining the building makes spending a few minutes each day completely worth the effort. The again, each occupant treats their place of business a little different.

Create a cleaning a competition.

Employers who attempt to force cleaning duties on their employees may not get the best result. People tend to be competitive, so why not create a game out of it? For example, give an employee one star for every area in the office they clean. The first one to a certain amount of stars can choose from several prizes available (e.g. 1/2 day off, massage, lunch with the owner, Starbucks gift card, etc.). A little competition might spur some excitement in the office and keep employees happy and producing at a high level.

Reward cleaning habits.

Ever heard the statement “catch them doing something right”? Reward the habits you want to create among your employees. Humans are creatures of habit and you, as the employer, can shape their habits in the office. Catch someone cleaning and organizing their desk so it’s presentable to others? Give the person a $5 gift card. Catch an employee restocking soap and paper towels in the restroom? Let them leave 15-minutes early on a Friday evening. Bottom line is that you can offer rewards to those who are doing the kind of job you want done on a regular basis without having to ask.

Make cleaning a group party.

What’s more fun then snacks, drinks and music? Ummm…nothing! Schedule a cleaning party once a week and bring in snacks and drinks for employees and turn on their favorite music. Chances are they actually might enjoy partaking in this activity.

Image courtesy of Flickr / higgott