Office Worker Health Tied to Facility Cleanliness

Is your cleaning crew doing everything it can to protect the health of facility residents? Recent data from the Office for National Statistics in the United Kingdom found employee sick days for minor and preventable illnesses, such as colds, have increased by 12.5 million since 2011. These illnesses can be spread through pathogens on high-touch objects found throughout the workplace.

A survey by GCC Facilities Management found that many officer workers are dissatisfied with the cleanliness of their workplaces. According to the survey:

• Only 35% reported their desk was cleaned daily, either by themselves or a professional cleaner
• 28% said their office phone was never cleaned
• 31% revealed their computer keyboard was never cleaned
• 36% reported their computer mouse was never cleaned
• 39% said they were satisfied with the cleanliness of their workplace toilets
• 38% believed their office kitchen was clean enough
• 37% reported they were happy with the cleanliness of the office fridge
• 32% admitted to bringing in their own kitchenware because they did not trust the cleanliness of the office supplies.

CMM offers advice on how to keep the office kitchen or breakroom clean and healthy, such as keeping hand soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, and facial tissues readily available tohelp workers practice good hand hygiene.