Best Office Hygiene Practises — How To Keep Everyone Safe and Healthy

The world has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, and people from all walks of life have made health and hygiene a top priority in their daily life. You’d be hard pressed to find someone walking around without a small bottle of sanitiser in their pockets or purses, and retail stores and offices are also doing what they can to make sure that customers, guests and employees are considered every time they enter the premises. Heading into the new year, what are some of the best office hygiene practises you can implement in your business, to keep everyone safer and healthier? We’ve got all the details for you right here. 

The Importance of Office Hygiene

Office hygiene has always been an important topic, especially when it comes to restroom policies and the respective amenities on offer to give everyone peace of mind about their wellbeing. Its importance has expanded tenfold thanks to COVID-19, and now applies to all corners of an office space. All it takes is for one person to get sick, one coffee cup not to be washed thoroughly, and suddenly an unwitting user gets exposed to it. Companies should continue to prioritise office hygiene even once the world has a firm grip on the COVID-19 vaccine, as it is general good practice and shows employees that they are considered and cared for while they go about their daily tasks.

Start With Targeting Communal Spaces

If you’re wondering how to go about introducing a more formal office hygiene policy, start with the most obvious communal spaces. We’re talking about the reception area, kitchen and bathroom. In an open plan setting, you may well consider the entire office to be a communal space, so factor this into your initial planning too. Communal spaces can become somewhat of a haven for germs and bacteria, which is why having a strict schedule for cleaning is a must, including having the right products for the job, and making sure you schedule a regular deep clean too for added protection. Encourage employees to take responsibility for their own spaces too, as another step in the process. 

Hand Soap and Sanitiser for the Win

When the pandemic runs its course, it’s important to continue offering a steady supply of hand soap and sanitiser across the office. Now that a more hygiene conscious way of life has taken hold, people are going to be experiencing anxiety around cleanliness and the spread of germs for years. Hand soap is a must in every bathroom space, along with signs to encourage at least twenty seconds of thorough washing every time. Provide plenty of sanitiser around the office, especially at the entrance and in communal hotspots for germs. It’s never a bad idea to have some spares around, and to have travel-sized options for any team members that spend most of their days on the road.

Schedule a Regular Deep Clean

You’ll be well aware already that germs and bacteria thrive in even the most “basic” of unhygienic conditions, multiplying at a rapid rate and potentially causing great harm to people that come into contact with them. At Bidvest Steiner, we don’t like taking chances when it comes to any office space, which is why we’ve designed a state of the art deep cleaning process to give customers added peace of mind about their health and safety. Our process even touches on ensuring better odour control in areas that might be vulnerable to unsavoury smells. A deep clean is a must in these times, and we would encourage you to make sure that you schedule one every six months, if not every quarter during these unconventional times.