The best way to protect employees’ health is to prevent sickness first; as the pandemic altered the way employers think about wellness, it’s essential to address how office cleaning habits can affect workers’ mental and physical health.
People may fall ill from an unclean workplace, but the anxiety and stress of a messy office or fear of infection can be just as damaging. Falling behind on deadlines can lead to increased pressure, which worsens the impact of illness on the immune system.
To take care of your employees, you need a strategic cleaning and sanitation strategy. Hiring professionals to keep your office sanitised and clean can improve absenteeism rates and reduce the quantity of sick leave used.
Lost productivity from an unorganised workplace can cost businesses as much as $2.5 million a year. A messy office can also increase stress, one of the leading causes of absenteeism in Hong Kong. Each year, the average employee in Hong Kong misses 8.3 days of work, leading to an annual economic loss of HK$5.3 to HK$14.9 billion.
Within four hours of entering the work environment, employees can spread a virus on as much as 50% of all surfaces—the more interaction between workers, the greater the risk of infection. Increased exposure through cross-contamination leads to a prolonged illness, increased absenteeism and even recurrent infection.
Employees may avoid going to work because of heavy workloads, stressful meetings/presentations, and sentiments of unappreciation. Absenteeism can also be caused by personal stress outside of the workplace.
Employers are concerned about decreased productivity and absenteeism, which commonly accompany workplace stress and conflict, especially in nations struggling with staffing after COVID-19. According to the WPO's workplace wellbeing study, one out of every three employees who reported workplace problems missed at least one day of work as a result.
Presenteeism can be characterised in various ways, but it most typically relates to situations in which people continue to work despite being sick and not performing at their best. Evidence is mounting that presenteeism is more common and costs more than absenteeism.
Presenteeism due to infectious disease is widespread. Organisations should foster a pleasant working culture and develop sickness absence policies that limit presenteeism to address the circulation of viruses and illnesses within the workspace.
Professional cleaning services offer thorough decontamination that kills bacteria and protects everyone in the workspace. Typical cleaning products, or even just soap and water, are ineffective at killing the bacteria and germs that live in the workplace.
Investing in a professional cleaning service, such as those offered by Move It Cleaning, is an affordable way to protect workers drastically lower the risk of illness and reduce employee absenteeism by scheduling services for ongoing cleaning.
Using the wrong, or cheap general cleaning services can lead to more damage than good. In turn, this could worsen hygiene in the workspace. So, it’s important to use a cleaning service company that understands a client’s specific needs. This level of care can be demonstrated in small and effective ways, such as using professional grade disinfectant products, specialised tools and cleaning equipment.
In addition to cleaning services, there are also many steps managers can take to keep their employees safe. Protecting the office starts by developing a personalised prevention plan. Proactivity is the heart of health and wellness; this approach can prevent illness in the first place and offer greater peace of mind to everyone in the workplace.
These tips will help offices establish guidelines and protocols to protect everyone without disrupting office productivity.
Ensure that any products you purchase explicitly state that they clean and disinfect. Some products are designed only to clean a surface, but they do not effectively kill most bacteria.
All workplaces should have proper air filtration and good ventilation to prevent particle build-up. Any droplets, bacteria, and pathogens in the air can eventually infect workers and contaminate surfaces. Even opening windows and doors can lead to improved ventilation, so management should be conscious of how space is being utilised in their respective offices.
While expenses are a strong motivator to improve workplace cleanliness, personal health and safety are the most important reasons to consider upgrading your current solutions. A professional cleaning company allows organisations to protect their greatest assets: their employees. Creating a healthier, happier work environment can lower health risks, increase job satisfaction, and reduce absenteeism rates.
Hiring a professional cleaning service company can ensure your office is safe for everyone. If you are interested in scheduling office hygiene services Hong Kong, please contact us today.