OFFICE
5 ways a clean office boosts productivity
September 30, 2021
While many Sydney office workers are working from home right now, we all look forward to a return to normalcy soon. That means a return to the office. If you’re an office manager planning to reopen, this article is for you. If you want your team to hit the ground running, getting prepared with a clean and clutter-free office is the best way.
These are the top 5 proven ways a cleaner office can help boost your employees’ productivity.
1. A CLEAN OFFICE KEEPS EMPLOYEES HEALTHY.
Whether you have a small, medium, or large team, a shared office can be the ideal environment to transmit communicable diseases. As a rather icky example, a typical office keyboard can hold 7500 bacteria at once! And viruses can hang around on surfaces in office kitchens, bathrooms, and meeting spaces. Less sickness means fewer sick days, healthier, happier employees, and a more productive team in general. Regular cleaning keeps bacteria at bay and is essential to care for the health of your whole team.
2. A CLUTTER-FREE OFFICE IMPROVES CONCENTRATION
When working on a large and complex project, the last thing you want is an environment that is cluttered. We humans are easily distracted creatures. It feels reasonable to assume that a cleaner and more orderly workspace contributes to increased focus. But that assumption is even backed up by a Harvard University study. The study split students into two groups; one group of students spent time in a cluttered workspace, and one group spent time in a tidy workspace. Then, the two groups were given a complex puzzle and researchers timed how long it took before each student lost focus. The students who spent time in the cleaner workspace were able to focus on the puzzle for twice as long as the students who had spent time in the disorderly workspace. While you want your office to feel homely and comfortable, decluttering shared and individual workplaces can help to improve productivity.
3. CUT DOWN ON LOST TIME
Think about how much time you spend looking for a pen or a piece of paper with some essential piece of information on it. That time adds up! Summed across your whole team, that lost time results in serious drops in efficiency and productivity. Keeping your office organised is the best way to avoid this common problem. You might consider de-papering your office for the same reason. As well as it being good for the environment, going paper-free can help keep things orderly and easy to find. It makes offices easier to keep clean as well!
4. ADVERTISE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM
If your business offers client-facing services, or sometimes hosts meetings in-house, keeping your office clean and tidy is a great way to showcase your organisation’s professionalism. Your office is just as much a part of your brand as your logo, your marketing plan, and the quality of your services. Make a professional impression with a clean and neat office.
5. DECREASE STRESS LEVELS
It’s been a tough year. And when you get your team back to work it will probably be a big transition. We all know a supportive and healthy workplace looks after the mental wellbeing of its employees. Ensuring your employees have an organised and clean office is one way you can decrease overall stress levels and take mental wellbeing seriously.
AQWA services has been offering commercial, office, and industrial cleaning services in Sydney for more than 10 years. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you get ready for a transition back to the office.
