A clean slate: why office cleaning is important in 2024

In today’s piece, BIC plc will discuss why office cleaning is important and how it can help your business and its employees to thrive in 2024.

Why office cleaning is important for your business in 2024

Cleanliness in the workplace is critical to the success of any business. It can create a healthier environment for your employees while significantly increasing workplace efficiency and productivity, leaving teams feeling motivated, safe and productive. If you’re hoping to hit the ground running in 2024 and create an environment for your team to thrive, consider the positive impacts that office cleaning can have on your team.

What are the benefits of a clean workplace?

Productivity

Often going unnoticed, a cluttered or untidy workspace can drastically affect your team’s productivity. Research has shown that employees who work in an organised and clean environment reported feeling more productive in a clean workspace (94%) and, said they felt they produced a higher quality of work in a cleaner environment (77%). To ensure you and your team reach maximum productivity this year, consider outsourcing professional office cleaning solutions and providing a tidy, well-kept environment.

Employee retention

Retaining talented team members should be a priority for every business owner. A low retention rate creates issues within the organisation, including higher workloads for other team members, disruption to your team and can tarnish the organisation’s reputation.

A clean workplace can increase employee satisfaction and retention, allowing team members to thrive, enjoy and simply exist in a positive, healthy environment.

Absence reduction

In 2022, it was estimated that 185.6 million working days were lost in the UK due to sickness or injury; the most common reason for sickness-related absence was minor illness (29.3%). Reducing employee absence and sickness is one of the major reasons why office cleaning is important to maintain morale and prioritise employee health in 2024.

A recent study as part of the ‘Healthy Workplace Project’ showed that implementing a strong, robust cleaning process can reduce illnesses such as the common cold or flu by around 80%; by eradicating exposure to bacteria and illness within the workplace, there is a clear connection to fewer absences.

Brand impression

The look and cleanliness of your office space can impact the impression your business leaves on clients, prospective customers and your team. It’s important to remember that the first thing a visitor or your team will see when arriving at the office is the grounds. Consider investing in grounds maintenance as an extra service to ensure your business shines from inside to out.

For more, see our blog on ‘The benefits of a clean office.’

Why is office hygiene important?

The basics of office hygiene include ensuring that the environment is kept clean, safe and sanitised for as long as possible paying attention to workspaces, desks, kitchens, washrooms, communal areas and stairs/lifts.

In most office spaces, some areas see more footfall and levels of social interaction than others. These can include break rooms and meeting rooms, with other areas of your space having a more considerable number of touchpoints – think lifts, doors, sinks, and kitchen appliances.

These particular areas and touchpoints require extra attention and consideration to minimise the risks of spreading bacteria.

Although professional office cleaning services are the most secure way to achieve a tidy office and a safe and hygienic environment, it is worth encouraging your teams to sanitise their hands to maintain a high standard of office hygiene.

Office hygiene is critical to eradicating the risk of infection, sickness and bacteria transmission and contributes to a positive, healthy work environment. Poor hygiene can result in increased employee absences, a decline in employee morale and overall harm to productivity and well-being.

What is involved in office cleaning?

Office cleaning services aim to deliver a quality workplace cleanliness and hygiene standard. These services are flexible, with most organisations offering tailored services around your needs and specific business hours.

Regular office cleaning tasks include:

• Carpet deep cleaning to clean carpet fibres and rid the carpet of dirt and bacteria.
• Hard floor cleaning and maintenance, including machine scrubbing, waxing, polishing, and sealing if required.
• Replenishment of paper products, hand soaps and sanitisers.
• Deep cleaning of breakout areas, including kitchens, breakrooms, and washroom facilities.
• Workstation products supply. This will enable staff to clean personal equipment as and when they want.
• Supply and fit of consumable product dispensers.

Check out our other blog ‘Revitalise your workspace: your office deep cleaning checklist‘ to secure your cleaning checklist today.

Conclusion

Regularly cleaning your office space is critical to achieving a clean work environment. It ensures your external visitors’ and team’s health and safety, promoting hygiene, professionalism and safety within your office space.

By investing in a professional cleaning company, you and your team can rest assured that they are working in a clean workspace within an environment that is as clean and safe as humanly possible, thanks to highly-trained, professional cleaners.

Visit our office and commercial cleaning services page for more information on our professional cleaning services.