Germs are all around us – at home, at the store, and even at work. Many people don’t realize how easily illness can spread through things like doorknobs, keyboards, coffee pots, and other shared surfaces. When employees come to work sick, they risk infecting their coworkers and negatively impacting productivity. However, by following some simple cleaning and hygiene practices, businesses can help stop the spread of germs and keep their workforce healthy.

In this comprehensive blog post, we will discuss the importance of workplace cleanliness, how germs spread in an office environment, and best practices any business can implement to improve cleaning and stop germs in their tracks. From disinfecting high-touch surfaces to promoting hand washing, read on to learn how to create a culture of cleanliness at your company.

The Importance of Workplace Cleanliness  

Keeping the workplace clean should be a top priority for businesses who care about the health and safety of their employees. Consider the following benefits of maintaining cleanliness:

– Reduced Illness & Absenteeism – When offices are properly disinfected, employees are less likely to get sick or spread illness to others. This means fewer sick days taken.

– Increased Productivity – Employees who come to work healthy are more energized, focused, and diligent in their work. A clean space helps maximize productivity.

– Improved Company Culture – Clean, well-maintained offices make employees feel valued. This boosts morale and contributes to a positive company culture.

– Reduced Healthcare Costs – Businesses pay less in healthcare expenses when employees stay healthy. So cleaning helps company bottom lines.

– Peace of Mind – Clean spaces are inviting and professional. Employees and customers alike can relax knowing cleanliness is taken seriously. 

– Reputation – Clean offices project an image of reliability to visitors. This strengthens community reputation.

When it comes to business success, cleanliness clearly pays off. So what steps can companies take to stop the spread of germs? Let’s look at some best practices.

How Germs Spread in the Workplace

To develop effective cleaning policies, it helps to understand how germs spread in office environments. There are three main ways germs travel around the workplace:

Shared surfaces – Doorknobs, copy machines, keyboards, coffee pots, and other commonly-touched items can collect and spread germs rapidly. Employees touch these items throughout the day, transferring germs from surface to surface.

Person to person – Coughing, sneezing, or shaking hands with someone who is ill can directly spread germs person to person. Ill employees often come to work even when they aren’t feeling well.

Poor hygiene – When employees don’t wash their hands regularly or cover coughs, they enable any existing germs to move around freely.

Understanding these modes of transmission allows companies to target high-risk areas in their cleaning strategy. Next, let’s explore some tactics for improving cleanliness.

Best Practices for Cleaning to Stop Germs

There are many simple yet effective ways businesses can incorporate cleaning into their everyday routines to cut down on germ transmission.

Cleaning High-Touch Surfaces

Disinfecting high-touch areas should happen continuously throughout the workday. These include:

– Doorknobs and handles

– Light switches

– Kitchen and breakroom surfaces

– Bathrooms 

– Copy machines / shared office equipment

– reception desks

– Conference room tables and chairs

– Company vehicles

Provide disinfecting wipes and sprays for employees to quickly clean these areas as needed. Post reminders to wipe items down in shared spaces like copy rooms or kitchens.  

Disinfecting Shared Equipment

Shared phones, computers, workstations, and tools are common ways germs spread in offices. Make disinfectant wipes available by shared office machinery like copiers or printers. Place hand sanitizer near shared electronics and remind employees to sanitize hands before and after using.  

Disinfect shared tools, machinery, and equipment between uses or reassign to single users. For shared workstations, provide disinfectants for employees to wipe down their space at the end of each shift.  

Encouraging Handwashing 

Frequent handwashing with soap and water is one of the best defenses against any kind of germ spread. Post handwashing signs in bathrooms, breakrooms and other sink areas. Make sure bathrooms are always stocked with plenty of soap and paper towels.  

It’s smart to have alcohol-based hand sanitizer easily accessible around the workplace too – in conference rooms, at reception desks, around shared equipment, etc. This encourages quick hand sanitizing between handwashings.

Educating Employees on Prevention

Make sure employees understand how germs spread and how to prevent illness. Share CDC guidelines and post reminders with tips like:  

– Stay home if you are sick 

– Avoid close contact with those who are ill

– Cover coughs and sneezes

– Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

– Wash hands thoroughly and often  

– Disinfect personal and shared surfaces

– Get a yearly flu vaccine

Periodic staff meetings or emails allow leadership to instill prevention best practices across the company.

Promoting a Culture of Cleanliness

Cleaning initiatives require buy-in from everyone in an organization to be truly effective. There are several ways managers can promote a culture of workplace cleanliness:

Providing the Right Cleaning Tools and Products  

– Stock disinfectants like wipes and sprays in common areas and make sure they are accessible to employees.

– Verify stock does not run out. Monitor product levels diligently.

– Buy disinfectants that destroy illness-causing germs. Look for EPA-registered products.

– Provide disposable disinfecting cloths to make cleaning easy for employees.  

– Ensure bathroom soap dispensers are kept full at all times.

Developing Cleaning Procedures and Schedules

Create policies that outline cleaning tasks, frequency, and who is responsible. For example:

– Employees wipe personal workstations daily

– Disinfectant wipes available for employees to wipe down shared surfaces after each use

– Bathrooms professionally cleaned nightly

– Office deep cleaned quarterly

Post cleaning schedules prominently and email reminders to staff regularly.  

Hiring Professional Cleaning Services

While employees can handle basic disinfecting tasks, bringing in professional cleaners periodically is ideal. janitorial services can deep clean carpets, floors, air ducts and accomplish thorough disinfection difficult for employees to manage daily. 

Staying Home When Sick

Encourage employees to err on the side of caution if they feel ill and stay home to recover, even if symptoms seem mild. Make sure sick day policies are flexible and non-punitive so employees don’t feel pressured to come in sick. 

Managers should urge obviously ill employees to go home immediately to prevent disease spread. Enforce a strict 24 hour fever-free policy before returning to work.

Conclusion

Stopping germs at work requires vigilance, but with management commitment and staff cooperation, businesses can significantly reduce the spread of illness. By providing proper cleaning tools, disinfecting high-touch areas, educating employees, and promoting cleanliness, companies can create a healthier, less contagious environment. 

Remember that simple handwashing goes a long way towards preventing transmission. Frequently disinfecting shared spaces and equipment is also critical. Managers should foster a workplace culture where keeping clean is everyone’s responsibility. 

With the right prevention strategy, businesses can reduce absenteeism, improve wellness, and maximize productivity by stopping germs in their tracks. The health of a company’s workforce is critical to success – so keep illness at bay with proper workplace hygiene and cleaning.