Whether you work from home or run a business with hundreds of employees it’s important to always maintain a good level of hygiene and cleanliness in your place of work. Maintaining a clean and tidy office space is not only conducive to better productivity but can also help to stop the spread of germs and diseases which can easily be harboured in an office environment. So if you feel that your workspace is getting a little grimy or you are seeing a high level of sickness in your office then here are 4 tips to help you improve your office hygiene.
- Declutter and organize
We all have a tendency to accumulate too much stuff, but an unorganized and messy environment can be a hazard to you or your employees whilst also providing a place for unwanted germs and microbes to hide out and breed. Try to keep your office clutter-free by using proper storage solutions and digitising as many of your office processes as possible. Also, remember to try and keep your working environment separate from your personal life, even if you are working from home – take personal belongings, such as your gym kit and lunch box, away with you at the end of the day and don’t let personal items pile up in your working space. - Disinfect your surfaces
With less clutter in your office space, it should now be easier to wipe around with a disinfectant wipe to get rid off any germs that may be living on your surfaces. Remember to wipe underneath items on your desk and to also disinfect equipment such as your keyboard and mouse which you touch multiple times a day. It can be tempting to purchase cheap cleaning chemicals, especially if you need to disinfect a large space, but cheaper cleaning supplies can be even more hazardous to the health of your employees and so always be sure to use a clinically approved chemical disinfectant. - Use hand sanitizer
Your hands are the single biggest distributor of germs around your workspace, transferring whatever you touch from one surface to another. Although you should always wash your hands when using the restroom or after touching anything that could be unsanitary there are many other ways in which you can pick up pathogens throughout the day, such as by sneezing or coughing. To keep germs at bay and stop illnesses from spreading between employees it is good practice to keep a hand sanitizer on your desk and to use it several times a day and especially between episodes of sneezing or coughing. - Employ a cleaner
Especially in larger workspaces with many employees, it can at times feel like an uphill battle to motivate everyone to stay on top of their own cleanliness and hygiene. To stay on top of things you may wish to learn more about employing a cleaner to do a daily tidy up and wipe round for you. Professional cleaners can also help with deeper cleaning operations too such as carpet and upholstery cleaning, and with cleaning up before and after special events.
