How Cleanliness Affects the Workplace

The average employee spends nearly a third of their life in the office. The surroundings and environment ultimately impacts how a worker’s mood. A employee that is satisfied with their workplace is more likely to hold pride in their work and be satisfied in their job.

Facility and Office Managers should understand how cleanliness can affect workplace productivity and overall employee well-being, and decide what small changes would work best for their facility.

Employee Health

Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases: A study conducted by CBT Nuggets has found that your computer or laptop keyboard is 20,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. A lab tested swab of these surfaces revealed that the most commonly found bacteria was Gram Positive Cocci which is also frequently the cause of pneumonia and septicemia.

Reducing Chances of Injury: A clean workplace is usually a safe workplace. Whenever an employee is injured on the job, the impact can be significant and increase overhead charges due to increasing premiums on workers comp.

Reducing Allergens: High concentrations of dust mite are a significant risk factor for the development of allergies and asthma. The most common place for dust in the workplace is the most used personal object: a desktop or laptop. On average, computers should be clean every 11 months.

A clean, orderly workplace not only reduces the risk of injury/health but also promotes productivity. Let’s look at how cleanliness and productivity go hand in hand.

Employee Well-being

Increased satisfaction and happiness: Employees in a cleaner environment generally have more pride and moral in their workplace, leading to a boost in happiness and creativity.

Positive correlation between cleanliness and productivity: A 2011 study conducted by researchers at Princeton University found that clutter can actually make it more difficult to focus on a particular task. A cleaner work area will lead to a higher cognitive focus, supplementing productivity within the office.

Here are some small, easy changes that can make a profound effect on your office.

Go Minimal: Less items on office desk means there’s more space for employees to work and less to clean!

Change your hazardous cleaning products to a more environmentally friendly alternative: Utilize green cleaning products to effectively reduce employee exposure to toxic and chemicals. Green products may reduce risks of asthma attacks caused by chemical allergens.

Add Greenery to the Room: Studies have shown that adding a few indoor plants can have major positive benefits for employees. Dr Fraser Torpy, director of the University of Technology Sydney Plants and Indoor Environmental Quality Research Group, has found that indoor plants can help reduce carbon dioxide levels by 10% in air-conditioned offices, and by 25% in buildings without air conditioning.

Request more information about how you can improve your office health and productivity here.