Squeeky Clean

Like it or not we make snap judgements every day about everybody and everything. Upon first meeting someone we form an opinion about what that person is like. The same holds true for businesses. Walk into an office that is unkempt and immediately you start to question if you want to do business with the company.

A dirty office shows more than just stained carpets, dusty surfaces or overflowing trashcans. It shows an overall lack of concern. If one cannot be concerned enough to maintain a clean office perhaps they are not going to be concerned with maintaining you as a customer by providing a good product and good customer service.

Providing a clean work environment is important to employees as well as customers. An office that has been cleaned properly will provide a more positive work environment and will also reduce illnesses from germs spread from dirty shared areas therefore less illnesses means less sick days which means happier bosses.

Keeping an office clean can be a daunting task no matter how big the company. Ideally every employee should be responsible for their own mess at their individual work stations. Even if this happens every time, and let’s be honest it doesn’t, there is still the matter of the shared spaces like bathrooms, reception area and break room to be cleaned. Some companies prefer to stock cleaning supplies and have employees take turns cleaning up. If the office itself is very small and there are not many employees this might be a viable option. The only issues are creating a schedule that will be adhered to and storing and stocking the cleaning supplies.

An option for businesses to consider is hiring an individual outside the business to do the cleaning. This might be a cost effective option for smaller offices. One thing to check regarding hiring an individual is what type of insurance they provide. This is important just in case a cleaner were to be injured while cleaning the office space.

Some businesses choose to hire a cleaning company to clean not only shared spaces but the other areas as well. A professional cleaning service usually brings its own supplies and equipment. Oftentimes a commercial cleaning company will use products and equipment on a regular basis that a small business owner might not have access to. Equipment like steam cleaners and products like industrial strength cleaners are perhaps more effective than products that are readily available to the general public.

If you choose to employ an individual or an outside company to clean your office make sure you do your due diligence. Cleaners will more than likely be in the office after hours and could possibly have access to confidential information. It is imperative that they are trustworthy individuals. Check references and run background checks if necessary.

Keeping the office clean doesn’t have to be monumental task but it is an important one not only for the benefit of customers but for employees and bosses as well.