From paperwork and files to snack packets, cables, chargers, nail files, stationary, lunch debris and all things in-between, there’s a huge amount of mess and clutter which can quickly turn an otherwise organised office into a chaotic heap of clutter.
Even with regular professional office cleaning, messy employees can cause havoc in the workplace – taking offices from professional to stressful over the course of just a few hours.
If surface mess and clutter are a problem at your premises, these four office tidying hacks will banish the trash and encourage your team to keep your workplace looking smart…
1. Hold tidy-up Thursdays
When your professional commercial cleaners do all the work after hours, employees can sometimes forget that their mess doesn’t get magically tidied away. Forcing your team to take ownership of their spaces will encourage them to keep their workstations tidy on a daily basis.
Consider instigating a 10-minute “Tidy-up Thursday” session once a week during, which staff have 10 minutes to get rid of old paperwork, chuck out trash and generally deal with any built up clutter to help encourage this mindset. Their productivity could grow as a result.
Additionally, if you and your team work in a primarily online capacity and the Internet ever goes down, that is the perfect time to be encouraging your employees to have a general tidy-up around their desk area, rather than them waiting around twiddling their thumbs until it’s fixed.
2. Get ‘green-fingered’
Another good way to make sure staff take responsibility for their mess and the tidiness of their workstations is to help them to feel proud of their workspace. Giving each employee their own plant to care for will encourage them to take pride in their part of the office. It could also persuade them to keep their area tidy in order to best care for their plant.
Why not host an end-of-quarter competition with awards for the best specimen? The oxygenating properties of plants – plus the vibrant, cared-for look they give professional spaces – are awesome side-benefits too!
3. Make it easy
Sometimes all that stands between an employee and a tidy desk is laziness. Making it as easy as possible for staff to have a quick tidy up will make all the difference. Ensure clearly marked recycling and general waste bins are close to every workstation. Also make sure that cleaning equipment such as dustpans, dusters and cleaning spray are accessible and readily available.
4. Penalise the worst culprits
A culture of shame isn’t something that anyone wants to nurture in their business, but sometimes a little gentle ribbing can be enough to prevent the least tidy in your team to up their cleanliness game. From writing names on staff mugs and taking hostage those belonging to serial cup-neglecters, to forcing the employee with the least tidy desk each month to perform every tea round for an entire day, there are a lot of “soft” ways to encourage staff to stay tidy.
No matter how tidy your team are, rigorous office cleaning is crucial if you want your workplace to look spotless. The Abbey Cleaning Service has kept the offices of across South Wales in pristine condition for over 40 years. Why not give us a call on 029 2067 9323 today?
