In teams working on the hybrid model (working from home with some office days mixed in), the humble office has shrunk down to a more cost-effective, manageable size. But its importance has only grown as a hub for information sharing, workplace culture and team collaboration.
People in offices, no matter how big or small, equals a mess to be cleaned. And if anything, it’s more noticeable in a small space. So, even though some offices might be smaller than they used to be, the need for office cleaning absolutely has not shrunk.
Read more: Hybrid Office Cleaning
But you might be wondering if cleaning rotas and checklists (in place of commercial cleaning contracts) are a better way to manage small office cleaning. Asking your staff to share the duties of even just basic stuff – like doing some hoovering and dusting down desks – could streamline your cleaning costs.
Right? Well…
Let’s be real for a minute: cleaning is not their job. And if they’re having to do it on company time, that’s just wasted productivity. Plus, we might all think we know how to clean – but there’s a big difference between a professional clean and an amateur one.
If you’re the person trying to run a business, there’s just no way you’ll have the time to take care of your customers, your team and your office cleaning all at once.
“But it’s a tiny space!”, we hear you cry. “If we all chip in, it’ll be done in no time!”
If we got a penny for every time we’ve heard that one!
The simple fact is this: it just won’t get done. Even with the best will in the world (and an office cleaning rota to match), cleaning will always be less important to your team (and to you) than the job they were hired to do.
Even if they manage to do some of it, they won’t be able to do all of it. There are some places in the office that everyone forgets to clean – like the light switches, blinds, and underneath furniture. Cleaning can sometimes be dangerous, too. And then there’s cleaning office toilets… Who’ll volunteer for that one?!
But even with these long forgotten (and avoided) areas ripe for cleaning, there are just so many little details that need to be addressed – adding up to a comically long scroll of a cleaning checklist.
Read more: How to Deep Clean an Office: The Ultimate Office Deep Cleaning Checklist
Here are just a few little examples of what you’ll likely need to clean, even in a tiny office:
- Computers: keyboard, screen, mouse – plus PC towers and laptops
- Phones
- Printers and photocopiers
- Whiteboards
- Desks and chairs
- Floors
- Ceilings (yep, really!)
- Walls, skirting boards, door handles, windows…
And all of this before we’ve even gotten to the office kitchen or toilets.
It’s a lot.
And if you leave it, things get out of control fast. Trust us… even with just one person working in a small office, dust, hair, skin cells (and more gross stuff) can build up to nasty levels in a matter of weeks.
Chances are that the whole reason you still have an office is because your company does face-to face meetings with customers and clients. A clean space is essential for this.
Putting it all on your staff isn’t fair. And if it’s not in their contract, you can’t make them do it!
So, are small office cleaning services worth it?
Definitely.
On average, costs for commercial cleaning in small spaces are low, because small spaces take fewer professional cleaners and fewer hours to clean. It’s certainly still an expenditure, but we’re talking a tiny fraction of your overall services and utilities budget.
Consider how much time it’ll save, how much stress it will save, and how much cleaner and more enjoyable your working environment will become. It is so worth it.
Cleaning for small offices can be done less frequently than larger ones, with spaces catering for up to twenty or so able to be done weekly. Cleans can be timed effectively around hybrid working, to minimise the impact on productivity when teams are in and working together.
Still feel like roping your staff into it, or are you ready to get the pros in? Let’s talk about a small office cleaning schedule that works for you.
Small Office Cleaning Services
The Abbey Cleaning Service is a team of professional office cleaners in Cardiff, with experience in small office cleaning services that work for everyone.
Call 029 2067 9323 today and find out how we’ll keep your small office clean and safe – without disrupting work (or breaking the bank).