Keep Your Office Clean and Healthy to Reduce Germs and the Spread of Sickness Among Employees

[Ryan Heatherson]

Hi Every Body,
If you're the owner or manager in an office environment, then you probably realize how quickly germs and sickness can spread among employees. And it seems that the more employees there are in an office, the more likely a virus or the flu bug will spread like wildfire. More sickness leads to more employee absences and slowed productivity. That's why it's important to keep your office environment clean and as germ-free as possible.

Are you in charge of hiring professional janitorial services for cleaning the office building after hours? If so, be sure the cleaners use disinfectant, germ-killing cleaning solutions in all the bathrooms and kitchen areas. Instruct them in how you want these areas cleaned so there's no question about cleanliness. Also, check behind them frequently to be sure they're doing a thorough job.

If your office is located in a larger office building, one in which you only rent a small office for your business, you can still check behind the cleaning service in the restroom areas and in your own office, and report any signs of neglect to the building's property manager.

Kitchen/Bathroom Cleaning

In the kitchen and bathroom areas of an office, there should be continual cleaning to ensure a germ-free environment. Even mirrors, faucet handles, napkin holders, and door handles (particularly those on bathroom stalls and entrance doors to the bathrooms) should be wiped down with a disinfectant cleaner. Toilets should be cleaned from top to bottom. If your office has a private kitchen or break area, you might assign cleaning chores to your employees to keep it clean on a daily basis. If everyone pitches in or rotates this assignment, it won't become a burden to any one individual.

Cleaning in the Office

Give employees an extra 15-minute break just for cleaning out their desk once a week. This will help desks stay neat and organized. Remind employees to keep their desks free of clutter so the after-hours cleaning crew can do their job thoroughly. Also, provide each employee with a bottle of hand disinfectant to keep at their desk so they can keep their hands germ-free while working with paperwork and office equipment throughout the day. This will help minimize the spread of germs, especially during flu/cold season. Place reminder signs at the bathroom and kitchen doors about washing hands.

Electronic items can harbor germs if dirty and dusty. Use a safe cleaning solution, such as an electronic cleaner, to reach all the hard spots without harming your electronic device. Electronic cleaners are designed to clean without harming wires or other electronic areas. These can also be used as a keyboard cleaner, auto cleaner or dashboard cleaner for work vehicles, and even as a household electronic cleaner.

Computer keyboards are where employees' hands touch every day - all day long! Keeping keyboards clean can help prevent the spread of germs throughout the office. Don't forget to wipe fax machines, phones, printers and other devices frequently with disinfectant during flu/cold season.

If employees often have food and drink at their desk, make sure they understand it has to be cleaned daily of any food crumbs or spills. Have them use spill proof containers, and ask them not to dispose of food in their desk trashcan. Food and drink containers should instead be disposed of in the kitchen trashcan.

Electronic cleaners and auto cleaners can be purchased online if you want to stock your office area with these. Encourage your employees to take a few extra steps daily to keep their work area clean and germ-free. It only takes a moment, and they will minimize sickness as well as improve their productivity!

Best Regards........

[khushi]

Once the flu or a common cold hits the office, it is only a matter of time before you lose half of your staff for several weeks or days. Employers are always trying to reduce workplace illness to keep their employees healthy and at work. When an employee uses their sick leave, employers are automatically going to lose money
because they need to pay them for their sick leave benefit and they also need to pay for the lost production costs. So what can you do to reduce the spread of workplace illness? Here are some tips that may help:

Tip # 1 - Clean
This may sound basic, but you would be surprised to see how many germs are living on the surface of your keyboard. It may also shock you to find out that almost half of your employees do not properly wash their hands after using the bathroom. To prevent workplace illness from spreading you should provide employees with an effective and convenient means of disinfecting their workspace. Disinfect everything that is touched regularly. Clean telephones, light switches, doorknobs, filing cabinets, keyboard and break areas frequently. Encourage washing hands regularly and the use of hand antiseptics. Viruses spread through the air and by touching any surface so minimizing the amount of germs on common areas will increase the health of your workplace.

With the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and its integration into the United States, it is more important than ever to encourage your employees to start washing their hands often. Give them disinfectant lotion to carry around and use if they are in a situation where they cannot wash their hands. This way you can at least cut down on the spread of the flu in the office.

Tip # 2 - Offer Sick leave
Sick leave really doesn't cost your company as much money as you might think. It is important to offer sick leave to your employees, especially when they are really sick. The last thing you need is to have someone come into the office and spread their illness to everyone else and their families. Suggest employees stay home when they are sick, and support that policy. Studies have found that employees that feel like they will not face discipline for taking time off when they are sick are more willing to use it sparingly and appropriately.

Ask yourself if it is really worth having a sick employee come into the office and infect their coworkers, causing the entire office to become less productive. The risk of infecting coworkers with colds and flu viruses is not worth the limited work a sick employee will accomplish by coming in.

Tip # 3 - Encourage Exercise
A great way to prevent illness from spreading in the workplace is to encourage your employees to stay physically fit. When people exercise and take care of their bodies, their immune systems are stronger and they are able to resist getting sick. Exercise and a good diet will also improve their stamina and energy when they are at the office. If they do get sick, they will bounce back faster because they are healthier.

Although you can't stop the spread workplace illnesses, you can greatly reduce it from taking out every staff member you have. Keeping the office clean and healthy will increase the physical well-being of your employees, and the overall mental attitude of your employees. Employees will be able to perform their jobs easier because they are healthier and more productive. This in turn will lead to greater profits for the company and it will increase employee satisfaction and retention.