As an employer, you are responsible for providing your employees with a safe and hygienic working environment, and there are laws in the UK governing this to which you must adhere. You can do many things to help create a safe and hygienic workplace for your employees that can also help make them more productive. You can see some ideas below that you can use to help keep a clean and sanitary workplace that can help keep your employees happy and also reduce absenteeism through sickness.
Provide Hand Sanitiser
Ensuring that your employees wash their hands regularly can help prevent the spread of germs and infections, such as Covid-19. You will want plenty of antibacterial hand wash for your employees and have this located in suitable workplace areas, such as the canteen, bathroom, reception, and employees’ desks. You will also want signs strategically located throughout your workplace to encourage your employees to wash their hands.
Empty Bins Regularly
If your workplace has multiple bins, you must also ensure that they are emptied regularly and do not get filled up until they overflow. Bins and other places where you dispose of rubbish can be breeding grounds for germs and bacteria and emptying them regularly can also help prevent foul odours in your workplace. Encourage your employees to empty bins before they overflow and not wait until the cleaner comes around to do it.
Provide Clean Air
If you use an air conditioning system to cool and heat your workplace, you must also ensure that this is cleaned regularly. You will need to clean or replace the filters, which can help prevent germs from spreading, and it can also help stop nasty odours from developing. You can do some things yourself to clean your air conditioning, but you will also need to have it professionally serviced to help keep your workplace clean and germ-free.
Clean Your Windows
It is also an excellent idea to ensure that the windows in your workplace are regularly cleaned inside and out to keep your workplace bright with natural light. It will help to maximise the natural light in your workplace, which can be vital during the darker winter months, and help prevent the lack of sunlight from affecting your employees too much. Have a window cleaner come and clean the outside of your windows once a month, and have your cleaner do the interior of them every couple of weeks.
Designate Zones For Eating
You will want to prevent your employees from eating at their desks and provide them with somewhere comfortable where they can eat their meals. It will help prevent food from making a mess in the workplace and getting crumbs in your keyboard that requires cleaning and ensure your employees rest during their breaks.
Get Everyone To Help Keep The Workplace Clean
You will also want to encourage all staff members to be responsible for messes and help clear them up instead of waiting for the cleaner to do it. Encourage employees to take pride in their working environment, which can help keep it clean and hygienic and ensure it is safe for everyone.