It’s why major corporations spend millions of dollars decorating, designing, and maintaining their buildings. And it’s precisely why your company needs to keep its office space clean and tidy.
Why Clean and Tidy Office Space Matters
When it comes to the topic of organization and cleanliness, there’s a mixed bag of opinions. Some people say that creative people thrive in messy environments, whereas others suggest that a sterile workspace is the only way to ensure mental clarity.
Interestingly, both schools of thought are right. There’s ample evidence to suggest that some people do just fine in messy settings, while others need pristine conditions in order to succeed. But as a business owner, manager, or CEO, you can’t focus on the outliers. You have to play the numbers game – and that means doing what works for the majority.
In most cases, businesses thrive when office space is reasonably clean and tidy. Here’s why:
- Improves productivity. In a clean working environment, employees are less likely to be distracted by clutter. This amplifies their concentration and allows them to channel their energy towards the right tasks. When you combine this increased focus with less stress and irmproved morale, you get greater productivity across the board.
- Ehhances company image. Is your office space used to meet with clients? If so, the cleanliness and organization of your workspaces has a direct impact on your company’s image. A disorganized office will communicate the wrong message, whereas a clean office cultivates feelings of professionalism and adequacy.
- Fewer sick days. As you know, a particularly strong flu virus can wipe out your workforce and signficantly impact your company’s productivity over a period of a few weeks or months. And when you consider that infectous flu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 24 hours, it’s easy to understand the importance of regular cleaning and disinfecting.
Practical Ways to Keep Your Office Space Clean
Clearly, it’s in your best interests to keep a clean and tidy office space. Here are some practical ways you can accomplsh this:
- Set clear expectations. Some employees are naturally messy. Others are disorganized simply because they don’t have a system in place for keeping their work areas clean. You can avoid a lot of problems by setting clear expectations up front. Every single employee should know exactly what is expected of him or her. If you don’t blatantly discuss something, you can’t expect it to be followed.
- Clean at the end of every day. Every employee should be encouraged to clean off their desktop/workspace at the end of every day. Try implementing a policy in which only certain items are allowed to be visible when an employee leaves work (such as a computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, and other items that are integral to the job). This habit of regular cleaning will make employees more conscious of how all of their small habits throughout the day impact the big picture.
- Hire a commercial cleaning service. Even with all of the regular cleaning you do on a daily basis, it’s wise to hire a commercial cleaning company – such as Carpet Bright– to come through at least once or twice per week and conduct a “deep” clean. In addition to making the office look cleaner (visually), this also protects valuable investments like carpet and furniture from premature wear and tear.
- Make things easy on yourself. You can do yourself a favor by rethinking certain processes that unintentionally fuel messes and disorganization in your office. For example, try transitioning to a paperless office. With less paper, you’ll find that desktops are less cluttered, trashcans don’t need to be emptied as frequently, and there are fewer issues related to organizing physical files.
Cleaning With a Purpose
Most people don’t get excited about the physical act of cleaning. From a business perspective, the key is to tie your organization and cleanliness to a larger purpose. As this article shows, maintaining a tidy office space helps improve productivity, enhance your company’s image, and keep employees healthier. The more you focus on these benefits, the more sustainable your results will be.