Latest News & Updates

The Impact of Hybrid Working on Workplace Cleaning

The workplace is constantly changing to reflect employee needs and environmental factors, this is particularly evident over the past two years. It is therefore important for organisations to ensure they have a high-quality facilities management plan in place which can meet these evolving requirements.

Organisations have witnessed many changes over the past few years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In some instances, this has resulted in organisations moving to hybrid working, offering their employees the flexibility of combining remote and office working. In fact, The Office for National Statistics (ONS) states that most people who took up homeworking because of the Covid-19 pandemic plan to both work from home and in the workplace in the future, according to data from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).

Organisations who have adopted the hybrid model may believe that their cleaning requirements aren’t what they were pre Covid-19. This is a misconception, and with employees working on different days or different times, keeping premises thoroughly clean and safe is even more critical to help reduce sickness and boost the productivity and wellbeing of employees.

Hiring a facilities management team helps to ease operational burdens through ensuring your organisation is fully compliant with all health and safety regulations to cover employees, visitors, and the general public.

The Impact of Hybrid Working on Workplace Cleaning

Impact of dirty workspaces

Unclean working environments can negatively impact the morale of employees. Cluttered workspaces, dirty toilets and untidy common areas can lead to stress and lack of focus amongst employees. Higher frequency of cleaning and the visibility of these services will give employee’s reassurance, especially with the winter season and the increase in Covid-19 cases and other seasonal illnesses such as flu and colds.

A clean and tidy working environment also instils confidence and helps to create the right first impression of a professional and respectable organisation. If a workplace is cluttered, dirty or disorganised, it could impact the judgement of a potential client or employee.

What’s more, according to Census 2021, an estimated 149.3 million working days were lost because of sickness or injury in the UK in 2021, equivalent to 4.6 days per worker. Covid-19 accounted for nearly one in four of all occurrences of sickness absence in 2021.

How can you help reduce the risk?

Without regular office cleaning there’s an increased chance of surface germs spreading from employee to employee which will then lead to increased sickness and absences amongst staff and have an impact on the overall productivity.

High contact areas such as work surfaces, communal areas and shared equipment need to be sanitised and disinfected regularly as they can become breeding grounds for bacterial growth.

Examples of these areas are:

Work surfaces: Telephones, desks, keyboards, monitors, and mouses.
Communal areas: Door handles, stair railings, windows, light switches, chairs, and tables.
Shared equipment: Printers, fridges, microwaves, cupboards, and water coolers.
Toilets– Toilets, floors, sinks, basins, floors.

With the increase in hybrid working, some facilities have changed or reduced their working space to meet the change in working patterns and for many this means hot desking or desk-sharing. To reduce the risk of germs spreading, it is important to ensure thorough cleaning of these surface areas and of desk spaces between the use of each user.

It is also important that personal hygiene is encouraged with hand washing and sanitising products made available through the organisation. A professional cleaning company will conduct regular stock checks and replace key items like disinfecting wipes, hand sanitiser, paper towels, and toilet paper before they run out. It is also worth having extra supplies during times of increased illness, such as winter.

Ensuring the safety of employees and visitors is key and cleanliness can also help prevent or reduce the occurrence of slips, trips, and falls in the workplace. For example, addressing spills and leaks quickly and moving any obstructions from entrances and exits will improve safety for everyone.

Gary Breach, Managing Director and professional cleaning expert, explains: “Maintaining a high standard of hygiene in the workplace doesn’t just have physical benefits, it can also have a positive is impact on employee health and safety, morale and productivity. Remember a happy employee is a productive employee!

“NECS has extensive experience in providing office cleaning services to multinational companies as well as smaller independent businesses. So, whether you operate a single site or multi-site, we can provide you with a tailored and effective cleaning strategy.”

As your professional cleaning and facilities management partner, NECS can ease your operational burden. Contact our team find out more.

< Back

Our Certifications

You can be confident you will receive a safe, dependable, and high-calibre cleaning service from NECS as we are ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Constructionline Level 2 and BICSc certified.

View All

Latest News & Updates

The Impact of Hybrid Working on Workplace Cleaning

Get a Quote Today

Our Certifications