Many illnesses—such as the common cold, flu, and stomach viruses—can wipe out numerous people at once, especially in the close-quarters of the office. Being proactive in the fight against these illness can reduce lost productivity in the office.
Start With Furniture And Electronics
Although chairs with cushions are comfortable and can make the office environment appealing, they are difficult to keep clean, especially when disinfecting. Choose office furniture, such as table and chairs, that are made from easily cleaned materials like vinyl, plastic, finished wood, or metal. This means the surface can be wiped-down with antibacterial wipes regularly. If a worker wants a more comfortable chair, they an bring their own cushion.
At the end of the day or after each shift, areas that are frequently touched should be wiped down, including electronics used at workstations. Also encourage employees to use antibacterial wipes to clean keyboards, mice, and headsets at the beginning of their shift as an extra layer of precaution.
Minimize Break Room Germs
The break room can be just as problematic as the bathroom when considering sanitation. Grabbing drinks and food often results in many people touching the same items throughout the day, which can quickly spread germs. Encourage employees to use tissues or paper towels when touching items, such as the refrigerator door or the coffee pot handle. When this behavior is encouraged, no single person feels uncomfortable for using extra caution.
Also try to use appliances that are designed to minimize contact. For example, instead of a traditional coffee pot, a self-serve kiosk that dispenses coffee by the user pushing their cup against a lever requires less contact with the appliance and keeps it more sanitary. Just like the rest of the office, the break room should be routinely wiped-down to increase sanitation.
Invest In Professional Cleaning
Many office environments do not need excessive cleaning, so janitorial staff may only do basic tasks each night. During certain times of year, mainly during the cooler months, you should increase your deep cleaning schedule to two or three times each week.
A deep cleaning should include thorough sanitation of furniture, walls, floors, and other surfaces. As part of a deep cleaning, you should have the air vents and any air filtration system checked to ensure everything is working properly and any filters are changed regularly. Air filtration systems can be a useful tool in the fight against spreading airborne transmission of viruses.
The cooler months are especially troublesome when considering the transmission of viruses. Being diligent about sanitizing surfaces throughout the workplace can minimize widespread illness among your employees. For more information and help with your cleaning needs, contact a professional cleaning company, like OFFICE-KLEEN.
