2 Ways to Encourage Employees to Maintain a Clean Office

A tidy office is one of the traits of a successful business and it’s not hard to figure out why; people are more productive working in a clean and well-organised space.
Whilst a professional cleaning service is pivotal to a healthier office, it’s also important for employees to take part in contributing to the cleanliness of their work environment. We’re aware that motivating staff to take part in this can be tough, but with cleaning being our area of expertise, the team at JAN-PRO have put together three ways in which employees can be encouraged to keep their workspace clean, tidy and free of food crumbs!

 

1. Put an Office Cleaning Policy in Writing

A clean office is just as important to workforce productivity, as language is for workplace communication. So, if you’d like your staff to maintain a tidy workspace or clean up after themselves, put it in writing. Use clear language to explain what is expected of employees, what is unacceptable, and how employees are required to maintain a clean workspace.
If you have an employee handbook or a written set of workplace policies, use these platforms to make clear any written office cleaning policies and standards. It’s also a good idea to post written notices in areas with specific cleaning requirements; for instance, you may post signs above the office microwave about how to avoid spatter and reminders to clean up any interior messes.

 

2. Lead by Example

Many of us can agree that the fastest way to upset your employees is to implement ‘do what I say’ policies, as opposed to ‘do as I do’ policies. Bosses are just as guilty of leaving cups unwashed in their office and the staffroom or letting papers pile up on their desks. Sure, you’re busy, you may not think you have time to give that mug a proper scrub or properly sort through your papers, but it is unfair to ask your workers to clean up after themselves if you’re not willing to do the same yourself.
Make sure that you’re holding yourself equally as accountable and set a strong example for your workers. Ensure that you’re not cherry-picking your office cleaning policies; if you’ve conveniently skipped mug cleaning and paper tidying yourself, but put strict standards in place for other aspects of office cleaning, it can send conflicting messages to employees.

 

3. Leave the Dirty Work to the Professionals

There’s a certain level of cleaning that most employees are more than happy to perform, but employees shouldn’t have to roll up their sleeves for the dirtiest jobs in the workplace when it isn’t even in their job description.
By hiring office cleaning specialists and having professional cleaners take care of restroom cleaning, staffroom cleaning, the vacuuming of floors and other big cleaning tasks, you’ll only need to ask staff to tackle small jobs. It also means your office will look cleaner on a day-to-day basis, subconsciously encouraging workers to maintain the cleaner space.

Was this article informative? For a free initial quote on office cleaning services in your local area contact your local JAN-PRO franchisee.