Clean desk policies are important, especially when it comes to keeping shared desks and workspaces clean. Sharing a desk is similar to living with a house mate. Everyone needs to respect each other, following basic cleanliness rules, from securing confidential documents to throwing away tissues, wiping down the desk, and removing any crumbs and dirt.
Shared desks and hot desking has grown exponentially over the past few years, especially with many businesses now enabling their employees to work from home and at the office. How you handle cleanliness and hygiene in the workspace is imperative to ensure that you foster a positive, safe, and healthy working environment.
Clean desk policies are in place to ensure your office remains clean and healthy. It encourages employees to clean up before they leave, leaving the desk ready for the next staff member. These must be clear rules that maintain cleanliness and hygiene, offering an added layer of protection.
Traditional offices often encourage a clean desk policy, and it has become imperative for shared office spaces. Leaving the workspace messy and dirty isn't an option, especially when another employee will be coming into work and sitting on the same chair, using the same phone and computer within the next couple of hours.
If you provide your employees with shared desks, then you will want to ensure you have cleaning rules in place to enhance workspace cleanliness:
When employees don't respect each other, they will leave their desks dirty and messy, they will leave dirty dishes in the communal kitchen, and they will not top up on toilet paper and hand soap if they use the last in the bathroom. This creates a bad atmosphere in the office, often resulting in employee conflicts, especially if one employee seems to take on the majority of the cleaning roles, as no one else is bothered.
If you have implemented a flexible working schedule and a hot desking model in your office, then a clean desk policy is vital. This means having a set of rules that is equal and applies to every member in your team. When your employees respect each other, they are mindful when it comes to leaving the office, ensuring they leave the workspace clean and hygienic.
It is a fact that when the workspace is clean, employees are more productive and creative. This is heightened when you have a shared desk policy. When employees arrive at work to find dirty and cluttered desks, it impacts their mood and ability to focus. Often resulting in the employee having to clean the desk before they can start work, negatively impacting their productivity.
Sharing a desk makes it easier for germs and bacteria to spread from one employee to the other, which can increase absenteeism in the workplace. Team members should ensure that they clean and sanitise the desk after use, having it ready for the next employee, fostering a safe and healthy working environment.
We recommend putting a clean desk policy checklist together that employees can use as an easy resource. This should summarise what employees must do to maintain a clean, safe, healthy, and neat working environment where everyone can feel comfortable, boosting staff morale, productivity, and creativity.
Don't forget in order to encourage a clean desk policy, you will need to have the right cleaning products available.
Professional cleaning companies can help in keeping shared workspaces clean and healthy, but it is up to you and your employees to maintain the cleanliness of shared desks and workspaces, especially in-between professional cleans. Do you need help keeping your shared workspace clean? Get in touch with Sloane Cleaning Services today to find out more.