When there’s a cold going around the office, it’s probably only a matter of time before most of your staff are sneezing and coughing. Aside from ensuring employees stay away from the office when they are poorly, there are many ways employers can prevent the spread of germs in the workplace.

There’s a huge list of reasons why tackling hygiene and health in the workplace is a smart move for businesses. Whether you’re keen to reduce sick leave or want to ensure productivity remains as high as possible, taking steps to keep your team in good health is a worthwhile investment. Being seen to care about employee health is beneficial in its own right. Staff who feel cared for – and invested in – are more likely to feel engaged at work. This increases employee happiness, productivity and even creativity.

Unfortunately, as workplaces become more flexible, practices such as ‘hot desking’ have an unintended downside: germs spread more quickly. Last month we highlighted the hidden germ hotspots in your workplace. This month we’ll be sharing some handy hygiene hacks that should help to stop the spread of nasties in professional environments…

1. Hands up

Hands are the biggest source and transporter of germs in almost any given human environment. While staying on top of the germ hotspots our hands come into contact with (such as keyboards, computer mice and phones) is important, it’s also important to ensure employees’ hands are as clean as possible.

From automatic soap dispensers in the bathrooms to providing antibacterial hand gel at each desk, focusing on hand hygiene will help keep your team as healthy as possible. No-touch taps are a particularly beneficial option, while ensuring door handles are regularly cleaned with antibacterial spray will also make a big difference.

2. A clean start

Instilling a workplace culture of high hygiene is one of the very best ways to keep your office healthy and happy. While it’s often impractical for businesses to arrange daily professional cleaning, it is possible for companies to provide the tools staff need to maintain hygiene levels between professional cleans. Encourage all staff to wipe down their work areas before the start of each shift (especially in hot desking businesses). Ensure antibacterial wipes are readily available and visible to promote this practice.

3. Get some air

Addressing air quality is an important and often overlooked way to improve employee health and workplace hygiene. Over the colder months, when windows stay closed, stale air can become a breeding ground for germs and nasties. Consider investing in air filtration systems to help keep your premises fresh. But don’t forget: air filters and vents must be cleaned regularly to keep them dust-free and effective. Check out our guide on how to clean vents properly.

The Abbey Cleaning Service are commercial cleaning specialists. We work to ensure that the workplaces of Cardiff and the South Wales area are pristine, hygienic and spotlessly clean – we’ve been doing so for over 40 years. Arrange a thorough deep clean of your professional space or set up a complete cleaning rota with our team today. Contact us on 029 2067 9323 to find out more.