Workplaces and offices always have communal areas. If you are a building owner or office manager, you surely know that there are several issues associated with keeping the break area or kitchen clean. Well, there’s no need to worry as you are not the only one facing this predicament.
Based on a study, it has been revealed that around 44 percent of workers pinpointed making messes for other people to clean up to be the most annoying trait in workplace break rooms.
With the kitchen being a common space, there are workers who believe that it is the responsibility of others to keep the area organized and clean.
A messy and dirt communal area can frustrate employees and cause them to have a negative mood during work, which can then reduce productivity levels. It means that a dirty communal area can make employees feel miserable, which can then affect their work as a whole.
If plates are starting to build up, and you are tired of the crammed fridge and overflowing trash bins, there are a few ways you can follow to tackle cleaning issue in the communal workplace:
Come Up with a Policy
For you to improve the cleaning standards in your communal areas, it is important to set certain guidelines that your workers can follow. These can include putting trash in bins, wiping down surfaces after every use, storing only properly sealed food inside the fridge, and not leaving dirty dishes, mugs, or cutlery in the sink as everything must be dried, cleaned, and put away after every use.
Delegate Responsibilities
There is always one employee who basks in the idea of being responsible and having some kind of power over their fellow workers. In case there is someone who fits into the description in your office, he or she is the ideal person who can help in keeping the guidelines in check and encourage other workers to do exactly the same.
Clarify Everything to Employees
After you have devised the policy, make sure you let your workers know about it. An ideal way of doing so is placing a sign on communal area’s walls where the new guidelines are clearly stated and notify your staff via mass email or during meetings.
Offer Reward for Success
You can only hope that your workers are going to be understanding and mature enough to adhere to the new guidelines and may also want to make their workplace cleaner. But, you could reward great results by treating them now and then. It could be in the form of adding a better biscuit brand or installing a high-quality coffee machine in the break room.
Hire Reliable Cleaning Experts
If you don’t have spare time to include cleaning to your to-do list, and you can’t expect your workers to do the cleaning, you can always hire experts who can handle the job for you. A commercial cleaning company like Courtesy Building Services, Inc. can efficiently do the task for you and ensure that your communal areas will stay clean and tidy at all times.