Clutter and mess does not make for the most productive workplace. Have you ever tried working in an office which was full of papers, rubbish, boxes, and all manner of other un-needed equipment lying around?
If you have, the chances are you didn’t get much work done.
There are many reasons why having a clean office space is important, at least from a health and safety point view. If you have too much clutter around, the chances of someone tripping or falling and hurting themselves is much higher.
Basically, as an employer, you have a certain duty to your employees, to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Clutter doesn’t equal safe or healthy.
All parts of your workplace need to adhere to this rule, including the meeting rooms, the general office space, canteens, toilets, and the reception area. If any of these spaces are cluttered or untidy, productivity is low, health and safety is compromised, and the first impression of anyone walking into your workplace is not going to be the most positive.
To further reinforce this point, let’s check out the main benefits of having a clear office space.
Customers and Clients Form Their Opinions Quickly
If you’ve ever walked into a messy and dirty workplace, you probably didn’t feel the greatest need to continue to do business with them, right? This is because we form our opinions very quickly, and most of it is visual. Of course, the customer service we receive comes into play, but we see things before we hear things, so it’s vital that your reception area in particular is clean and tidy, with quality reception office furniture in site. Of course, if you have a cafe or canteen area, clean and tidy also gives the impression of a hygienic workplace.
Clean and Tidy Means Superior Service
In our minds, if a place is clean and tidy, they must do a superior job, compared to someone who has a messy and unkempt space. This is the way the human mind works, and whether it is true or not, again, those opinions count. If you have a clean and tidy space, your general reputation and therefore brand will be much more highly regarded. Word of mouth counts for a great deal in business, even these days. To tick that box, make sure you have enough office storage, to ensure that clutter doesn’t end up lying around on desks.
Staff Are Happier and More Productive in a Tidy Environment
Most of us work much better when we have everything organised and in place. If your desk is full of paper, notes, and things to try and remember, you’re not going to be the most productive, and the same can be said for the general workplace. If you think about how many hours your employees spend in the workplace, you can understand why they want it to be somewhere modern, clean, and innovative in design. If you do this, your staff will be happier, morale will be up, and productivity will be booming.
A Healthier and Safer Environment For All
We mentioned this at the beginning of our discussion, but it is so vitally important that it needs to be the takeaway message above all others. A clear workplace means less chance of accidents, and it also means the space is healthier to work in. Germs and bacteria all dwell in unclean and untidy spaces, and this can cause staff to become ill and take time off work. You’re not going to have a productive workforce if they’re all off sick! If you don’t have time to do the cleaning yourself every week, why not hire a professional office cleaning service?!
Of course, as an employer you have to meet health and safety regulations, which you can’t do if your office space isn’t clear or tidy. For this reason, investing in quality furniture, such as office chairs which are adjustable, and call centre desks which support workers sat in them for long periods of time, is just one thing to tick off the list. Ensuring you have a regular cleaning schedule in place, and that you have all equipment checked periodically is also something you need to do.
Do you agree with the benefits we’ve listed? Most of us would agree that an untidy workplace doesn’t give the best impression of the company overall, and that’s not something that needs to be debated over a conference table! Health and safety has to come first, no matter what part of the workplace we’re talking about, but in terms of the general impression of the business, a tidy space is imperative.