Employee wellness programmes have become an important part of human resources in today's modern workplace. These programmes are designed to improve health, mental well-being, along with productivity, and can include gym memberships, flexible working hours, mental health resources, and more.
The one area that is most overlooked is cleanliness, which plays a major role in workplace wellness. There is a direct link between employee wellness programmes and hygiene.
Hygiene is more than simply tidying a desk or cleaning your hands. It impacts employee morale, health, and productivity. Poor workplace hygiene can increase absenteeism, lowering morale, and productivity, as a result. A clean workplace boosts concentration, reducing distractions, and stress, creating a sense of responsibility and respect.
When workplace wellness comes to mind, you probably think of mental well-being and physical fitness, maybe even healthy eating, yet hygiene is the foundation that supports all of this and more. When the workplace is unclean and unhealthy, it can complicate even the most comprehensive wellness efforts. You cannot encourage fitness when you neglect to clean the office, which sends a mixed signal about your commitment to employee wellness.
It's important to take a holistic approach to align hygiene with wellness. Some tips include:
Just as you educate your employees about mental health or nutrition, hygiene should be part of your regular training. This can include training sessions of respiratory etiquette, digital hygiene, and hand washing, to name a few. Place signs and posters in communal areas to remind employees about the importance of hygiene.
You cannot expect employees to maintain high levels of hygiene, if they don't have access to the products needed. Ensure you provide ample hand sanitising stations, anti-bacterial wipes, stocked bathrooms, and paper towels. This helps encourage employees to maintain hygiene levels with ease. If your office is open plan, incorporate a clean desk policy.
A tidy work environment is linked to reduced stress and improved concentration and focus. Regular cleaning schedules support a healthy workspace. When you encourage employees to keep their work desks clean, creating a culture where cleanliness is respected, rather than being seen as someone else’s job.
Encouraging any sick employees to stay at home can help to prevent the spread of illness, showing your commitment to your employees well-being. You should combine this with monitoring, such as temperature checks, ensuring health and hygiene is constantly maintained.
Hygiene isn't only preventing illness, it plays a role in the emotional well-being of your employees. Dirt and disorganisation can result in stress. You can support employees by holding decluttering workshops, along with mindfulness programmes to encourage cleanliness.
We have stressed this in our previous blogs, but you cannot expect your employees to follow hygiene requirements, when you don't lead by example. When management embraces a clean and tidy work desk, takes part in wellness activities, and supports sanitary practices, it helps to reinforce the culture, motivating employees to do the same.
There is a direct link between employee wellness programmes and hygiene, as you can see from the blog above. It's about creating a caring, respectful, and accountable culture, while showing employees that they are valued. If you need help keeping your premises clean and hygienic, Sloane Cleaning Services are here to help! Contact us now to find out more.