If you have ever watched one of those cleaning shows like ”How Clean is your House” or ”Extreme Hoarders,” then you know how easy it is to accumulate dirt and grime in a room.
While this doesn’t sound like a problem that could affect a business, you’d be surprised at how common the dirt problem is, especially among smaller organizations.
In this post, we will discuss:
- What causes dirt in office settings
- The cost of dirt on your business and how being clean improves revenue
- Recommended products for keeping your office clean
Causes of Dirt in Office Settings
Germs Spread by People
With employees, customers and vendors coming in and out of your business all day, it is no surprise that work places are filled with germs. These are some common, highly touched areas where germs can build up:
- Faucet handles in break rooms and restrooms
- Microwave and refrigerator door handles
- Keyboards, computer mice and shared printers
- Counters or reception areas
- Water fountains and vending machines
These areas are known for having high levels of bacteria and viruses that can spread illnesses to the people who come in contact with them, which is not good for you, your employees or your customers.
Cleaning regularly, with a multi-purpose product such as Spic and Span 3-in-1 All-Purpose Spray and Glass Cleaner, is the best way to keep dry surfaces clean and disinfected. For wet surfaces, like those found in bathrooms, multi-purpose products like Comet Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner get the job done quickly.
Scuffs and Dirt Particles
Scuffing and dirt are especially common on office floors, walls and baseboards, while fine dust is common on elevated surfaces. If not cleaned, dirt that accumulates on floors can make your business look old and dingy while causing floors to become discolored.
Regular soap and water is a good start, but if you want an easier and better cleaning option, consider Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser. It’s particularly designed for effective multi-purpose cleaning.
How Will Keeping Your Office Clean Affect Revenue?
Reduce Absenteeism and Related Costs
Illness is one of the major causes of employee absenteeism.
The 2003 Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine puts revenue loss at $1,320 per employee, due to absenteeism. Another report by the EPA, shows that productivity increases when employee absenteeism decreases.
Absenteeism costs can be broken down into two areas: Direct and Indirect.
Direct:
- You will keep paying the absent employee
- Overtime costs paid to other workers who take on the extra work load
- Workman compensation
Indirect:
- New replacements will take time to onboard before they become productive
- Cost of hiring and training new employees
- Staff taking on extra responsibilities will become less productive due to more stress
- Heavier workload leads to reduced quality of work, hence lower customer satisfaction
- Unsatisfied customers will take their business elsewhere
The indirect costs are especially concerning, because they show that one person’s illness can be a problem for the whole organization.
There is only one way out of this: If you keep your office clean and disinfected, the likelihood that your employees get sick will go down and these costs will not be in your books.
More Motivation, More Work – More Work, More Productivity
You may not have thought about this, but dirty office premises can be interpreted by employees as meaning that their priorities are not important to you.
Your employees will be more motivated when you show them you appreciate them, and that their happiness is important.
Less Time Wasted = Less Money Wasted
Some examples of how dirty office premises can contribute to time wastage include:
- When people can’t eat in the office because the kitchen is too grimy
- If employees are forced to visit restrooms in another building because the one at your office is dirty
Such activities count as ‘non-work’.
On average, an employee wastes 34 minutes a day on non-work. This is an equivalent of 8,160 minutes annually (or 136 hours). Assuming an employee is paid $40 hourly, they will have wasted $5,440 of your money in a year.
Less Frequent Asset Replacement
Assets undergo faster wear and tear if they are not cleaned and maintained properly. For example, if you don’t clean office restrooms, the sinks, toilet bowls, floor tiles and walls will stain and need to be replaced more frequently.
A practical solution to this problem is Comet Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner, which is great for cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing bathrooms. While cleaning areas like bathrooms is usually a laborious task, we find that Comet make for easier cleaning, by removing scum and grime with very light scrubbing.
While you are at it, make sure to restock your bathrooms with Charmin for Commercial Use, which is noticeably thicker and more absorbent and is long lasting to help your company save money.
You Will Attract More Customers and Investors
A lot of organizations lose potential business because their premises are dirty, smelly or disorganized. When customers see dirt and disorganization, they think all sorts of things like:
- Their important documents could get lost
- Your accounting practices are just as disorganized, so you won’t keep track of their money
- Your business is not legitimate
The Swiffer Professional range of dust-busting products will help you improve the image of your business among potential customers. These easy-to-use products will help you reduce dust on your furniture, walls and window treatments. In addition, pollutants such as dust mites, pollen and mold, build up in fine dust, causing coughs, sore throat, inflamed mucous glands and itchiness. They even exacerbate respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
You can also refresh your space with Febreze Professional, which is especially helpful in waiting areas and restrooms.
Conclusion: Image is Everything
When your business is clean, your customers can focus on your products and service and are more likely to return. P&G Professional products are specifically formulated for use in a commercial environment and are the same brands you know and trust for use in your home.
With the right cleaning products and a little daily cleaning time, you will turn your business into an organization that is trusted by customers and that employees love working for.
P&G Professional sponsored this post, but all opinions are my own.
Photo via Shutterstock