Our professional cleaning blog

If there’s one thing that can be said for the pandemic, it’s that application of new technologies has been catapulted forwards. Organisations have embraced remote working, virtual meetings and information sharing. This has enabled these organisations to continue being productive. Whether this is a good thing or not is subject of another debate entirely. Some of these technologies will stay, and some will likely drift out of use in certain industries. When it comes to the world of commercial cleaning, though, will the future be one of automated technology or is there really no substitute for hands on cleaning?

Robot Cleaners

When it comes to automated cleaning technology, there’s more already in place around the office than perhaps you recognised. 

Daily Use

You’ll be so used to coming into contact with this kind of technology that you’ve probably forgotten that it’s there! We’re talking about automated soap dispensers, air fresheners and rubbish bin lids. Touch-free technology is much more likely to be embraced by offices in the near future as more workers return to the office. This is because these multiple contact points are hot spots for virus transmission. So replacing all of your dispensers with touchless alternatives goes a little further in protecting office workers. 

Service Cleaners

By this we mean the technology that provides an unseen service, rather than the kind of technology that is automated for the user. Basically robotic vacuums and mops are the centre of this side of automated cleaning gadgets. Robotic floor cleaners are great for the every day, but often require human supervision. The same can be said of equipment required to clean at height. Jet wash technology is vital to achieve a great external building clean at a fraction of the time. However without the expertise required to use it, results can be unreliable.  

Electrostatic Cleaning

In some ways, technology has revolutionised the quality and speed of cleaning that our commercial cleaners are able to achieve. This is no more true than in deep cleaning contracts. One major implication of Covid 19 is that business premises and offices have needed, and will continue to need, more regular deep cleaning. In the world of ‘before’, a deep clean may have been a very occasional part of the commercial cleaning schedule. One which would dovetail with an office shift around or refit. It now needs to balance with an ongoing business timeline, and somehow not disrupt the flow of work. In this way, electrostatic cleaning technology has stepped up to make all of this possible. 

How does it work?

Electrostatically charged chemical particles disinfect the workplace by clinging to and coating all visible surfaces. Using a spray system, the surfaces and objects can be evenly sanitised, even when targeted from one direction only. 

Where does it clean?

This is the great thing - it cleans everywhere. The mist of positively charged particles reaches awkward and hard to reach nooks and crannies. This is ideal for personal or communal technology items that are prevalent in work places.

What are the benefits?

As well as offering a superior level of hygiene in a deep clean, there are cost and value benefits too. The time that the process takes is comparatively short, so there’s no disruption to business activity. In addition, the extra sanitisation prevents staff illness and the cost implications of office infections and subsequent time away from work. 

Attention to Detail

Of course, even top technology like electrostatic deep cleaning requires human application. And there are some things that will always benefit from the attention to detail that hands on cleaning provides. 

Workdesk Cleaning

There’s a lot to be said for good old fashioned hard work when it comes to office cleaning. The subtleties required to assess where and when something should be cleaned are uniquely human. There’s no algorithm for coffee ring marks. Especially around desk and workstation areas, it’s hard to foresee a time when technology can replace the ability of hands on cleaning to achieve a great result. 

Washroom Services

From sanitary refills to waste management, ensuring that nothing runs low can be overlooked if an organisation doesn’t include this aspect in its cleaning contract. It’s not just hygiene that is impacted here, but also employee satisfaction. It’s something that cannot be remotely undertaken. Office washrooms can be irregular places; depending on meetings and attendance, they may get more or less use. So it takes human attention to detail to ensure that supplies are always topped up. 

Planning and Scheduling

We’re always saying that one of the most important parts of commercial cleaning is in the planning. By maintaining a schedule of activity that covers daily tasks and more periodic maintenance tasks, a work environment can be kept perfect without being distrupted. In scheduling, therefore, we find one major aspect of commercial cleaning to fully benefit from technological developments. Commercial cleaners can work at their most efficient when they have a comprehensive plan. It’s for this reason that we embrace scheduling technology and pass those benefits on to our clients. 

The Perfect Balance

What is the way forward, then? The march of technology will, no doubt, continue apace. And while it does, it will require human expertise and knowledge to use it at its most productive. We foresee great technology being harnessed to raise standards of hygiene within commercial and office environments. Moreover, we believe that it also takes great cleaners to implement those technologies.

The value of having a clean and hygienic working environment is not in doubt. Especially during a time of the pandemic, employers and business owners have been quick to realise how the health of their workforce and productivity of the business relies on maintaining a healthy workspace. So why not just delegate cleaning tasks to staff under the job description note “any other duties”?  There is a multitude of reasons that this approach will not help your business. It’s what has made commercial cleaning services so popular. We’ll look here at the different areas of value that commercial cleaning services bring to the businesses who utilise their expertise.

A Clean Space

Really, the biggest thing that makes commercial cleaning services so popular is that businesses want to have a clean environment. Any potential clients who visit an office will make judgements on the business by what they see there. Similarly, to attract high-quality staff during an interview process, it is vital to make a good impression by the cleanliness of a working environment.

Quality of Work

Commercial cleaning services must provide a high-quality result. Their business relies upon it! When you outsource to a dedicated cleaning company, you know that they place the satisfaction of their client at the top of their priorities. Staff who are expected to add cleaning duties to their existing workload are likely to do so begrudgingly. And this will show in the results! Professional cleaners have the experience and skills to ensure high quality and immaculate finish, which will benefit your business.

Reliability

As part of your contract to receive commercial cleaning services, reliability and regularity will be key. It is the responsibility of your service provider to ensure consistency of cleaning. So any absence of cleaning staff is not your problem, and you can rely on the service organisation to arrange cover. This is a huge benefit of any outsourcing decision, and commercial cleaning is no different.

Timing

Most workplaces are already stretched in terms of working hours. Staff put in a lot of time, and with global relationships to foster, the hours that an office is in use can be extensive. Offices are busy places, where ongoing activity makes cleaning the space even more of a challenge. Commercial cleaning services are scheduled specifically to the organisation when the workspace is not being used by the business. This means that cleaners can work efficiently and thoroughly, and business can continue uninterrupted.

Equipment

When you engage in a commercial cleaning contract, one of the benefits that you are buying into is the specialist equipment that they utilise. This ranges from the ability to work at height to specialist IT cleaning kit to electrostatic deep cleaning. Such an extensive range of capability is not something that can be provided in house. 

Staff Focus

A working space should foster a positive environment for workers to function productively. That is, one that is not cluttered and grimy! A clean space allows for clear thinking, so commercial cleaning services can actually be paramount in building the kind of innovative space that progresses and grows a business.

Healthy Workforce

The health of a workforce has a huge impact on the performance of a business. From days absent to problems in staff turnover, the condition of an office environment can make a difference. Office desks and communal areas can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so by regularly and thoroughly cleaning these areas, staff health can be improved. Similarly, staff are more likely to remain satisfied in their workplace if it is a clean and constructive place to be. More and more business leaders are beginning to appreciate this, which has led to a further rise in the popularity of cleaning services.

Logistical Load

Cleaning a commercial space isn’t just about the act of cleaning itself. There’s a huge amount of logistical workload which goes into the process. These include maintaining the stock of cleaning and washroom items, managing schedules and annual leave, legislative and accreditation requirements and insurance administration. By outsourcing to commercial cleaning services, all of this logistical load is removed from your organisation.

Range of Services

Of course, commercial cleaning services cover more than simply managing the daily clean of your office. Part of the popularity of these services comes down to the breadth of a provision that a business can access. You can amalgamate daily cleaning with window cleaning, flooring upkeep, washroom provisions and waste management. All integrated under one service provider. This means that your business has fewer liaison points, and can realise overall cost benefits too.

Long Term Impact

The thorough standard provided by a commercial cleaning services provider pays out long term. You’ll find that areas such as IT equipment will perform for longer when they are regularly cleaned. The external maintenance of your building will be improved by jet washing, which prevents a damaging build-up of grime and pollution. If you benefit from the use of solar panels, the business will reap up to 20% more energy output when the surfaces are cleaned.

Sustainability

Many businesses now have environmental and sustainability commitments within their policies. A benefit to engaging commercial cleaning services is that you can select a provider who implements eco-friendly products and practices.

The benefits of outsourcing the cleaning requirements of your business are significant, then. And they offer in return much more value than you outlay in the initial cost. When it comes down to it, then, this wise financial investment is fundamentally what makes commercial cleaning services so popular.

As more people return to partial working from the office, there follows a responsibility to maintain workplace hygiene in between different staff members accessing the space. This may simply mean altering your existing commercial cleaning contract. Or, perhaps your organisation is considering a commercial cleaning contract for the first time. For businesses changing or entering into a commercial cleaning contract, it can be helpful to have an understanding of the process in advance.

The quotation process

CJH Cleaning is not alone in providing a free, no obligation quotation process. However, beware of standardised quotations. Every business and building is unique, so it is vital that a commercial cleaning contract is based on detailed understanding of the company and space. Your initial quotation will take into account the area of the space that is to be cleaned and the regularity of the tasks required. In addition, you can outline seasonal maintenance cleans that should be included, such as windows, carpets and solar panels.

What your cleaner needs from you

In short, the more information the better. Be completely honest about your expectations. Remember that no detail is too specific. If you want telephone handsets to be sanitised daily, simply specify this requirement. A positive relationship between the business and the cleaning supplier relies on openness and clarity. So make a good start with coherent information from the outset. Explain to them how the space is used. When and where things get busy, and which areas come under the most scrutiny from visitors.

What you need from your cleaners

We know that performance, reliability and efficiency are top of the list of requirements for commercial cleaning contracts. When you’re looking at how commercial cleaning contracts work, don’t forget about such aspects as insurance and liability. Reputable and recommended suppliers will always carry insurance for the work that they undertake. This is especially true of cleaning at height, for jet washing building exteriors, window cleaning and solar panels.

Regularity

So how do you identify the regular tasks that make up your commercial cleaning contract? Hot spots are office desks and communal areas such as receptions, kitchens and bathrooms. Some may require daily cleaning, and some weekly cleaning. Regardless of the responsibilities that you carry as an employer to maintain hygiene across shared areas, workplace dissatisfaction is often down to divisions of cleaning duties. So actually, outsourcing the everyday cleaning of your office can benefit staff satisfaction as well as their health.

Speciality

Some cleaning tasks require specific equipment, experience and processes. Your commercial cleaning contract will not only maintain hygiene, but can also support your waste responsibilities and equipment maintenance.

Technology

With moving parts and small gaps, office desks with IT and phone setups are a breeding ground for bacteria. This is down to dropped food particles and contact with hands and faces. Although daily wipe downs are helpful, a one off or occasional deep cleanse can prevent the spread of workplace illness and increase the lifespan of your technology.

Waste Management

It may not have occurred to you to include this speciality as part of a commercial cleaning contract. However, recycling and waste management is incredibly important. Especially as businesses become increasingly responsible for their waste and recycling. Professional waste management service providers have access to the correct recycling and waste processes. This ensures your business meets its environmental commitments in terms of recycling and waste responsibility. 

Flooring

Maintaining office carpets and other flooring requires specific kit. This is all part of a commercial cleaning contract. When office carpets can deteriorate to such an extent that they affect first impressions, it’s important not to overlook this area. A commercial cleaning contract can be structured to refresh flooring so that it doesn’t fall into decline.

High working

Some aspects of commercial or office cleaning require working at height. This may mean windows, ceilings, solar panels or signage. This type of cleaning is subject to stringent health and safety requirements since it may require a water fed pole system and powered access platforms. A professional contractor will have access to this equipment to make the job quicker, safer and more thorough. 

Planning

Cleaning is a task which is continuous. This is one thing that domestic and commercial cleaning have in common - it’s never finished! For this reason it’s important to implement a schedule for your regular daily or weekly clean. By using this structure you can also plan for seasonal requirements such as signage and flooring.

Your quote

Every cleaning contract is different. This is down to variety of specialism, detail and frequency, along with differences in size and scale of building. Once a schedule is agreed, your cleaning and waste management requirements can be consolidated with one supplier. This tends to benefit your budget.

Communication

Good commercial cleaning contracts work as an ongoing agreement. So continued communication between the business and the supplier is paramount. At CJH Cleaning, we maintain responsive relationships with our clients. This allows us to use feedback and knowledge to continually provide the best service.

A constructive and professional commercial cleaning contract works in the same way as any other agreement between supplier and client. The initial quote and schedule of cleaning should be built on a bespoke basis. This can only really be achieved with a site visit and ongoing communication. These are the building blocks on which we build our business here at CJH Cleaning. So for confidence in your commercial cleaning contract, just contact us to begin the process.

Should your organisation consider hiring a cleaning company? Of course, we think it’s probably a good idea, that will come as no surprise! So how do you work out where the benefits may be for your own organisation? There are naturally pros and cons of hiring a cleaning company that you should balance. It’s vitally important that you budget appropriately when it comes to your ongoing business maintenance costs. Therefore it makes sense to carefully consider how hiring a cleaning company may benefit your productivity and your staff. We look at the impact that a professional cleaning contract may have on your business to help you to decide.

How does professional cleaning affect…

Work Environment?

The condition and hygiene of a working space mean something. First and foremost, the environment that a business provides for its staff can have an impact on their health. By this we mean both physical and mental health. Indeed, employers are more often prioritising this in their policies.  Access to natural light is key; there’s no point in an office space benefiting from huge glass frontages if light can’t permeate the grime. So professionally cleaned windows and glass partitions can benefit the health of those staff within. 

BUT

Could it be that professional cleaners disrupt the flow of work in a business?

All businesses keep different hours and have very unique requirements. If you work with your cleaning company to schedule daily, weekly and monthly tasks around your business calendar, your flow of work can be uninterrupted. The key is in selecting a cleaning company who works collaboratively, as we do here at CJH Cleaning.

Sustainability?

The eco responsibilities of a business are formed of both legal duties and pledges within a mission statement or other such policy. Recycling and waste management contracts are key ways in which a business can fulfil its green policy. So ensure that your cleaning company follows stringent processes that reflect your business values.

BUT

Are you worried that hiring a cleaning company means the use of harsh chemical products?

This entirely depends on the cleaning partner that you select. Many organisations are extremely conscientious when it comes to the products that they use. Indeed, here at CJH even when we deep clean spaces, we have made sure to find the least abrasive way of working.

Budgets and value?

It’s easy to cut expenditure by slashing cleaning and maintenance budgets. However the impact of this on your building could be financially huge. Your building will always be a flagship when it comes to making that impression that may seal a new contract. Larger commercial buildings have the power to influence its whole surrounding area. So a jet washed exterior has the power to make a whole area appear not just clean, but prosperous.

BUT

Isn’t professional cleaning more expensive than doing it in-house?

This concept really is a fiction. Yes, not having a cleaning section of the budget may feel like you’re saving money. However, by expecting cleaning to be undertaken by other employees means that these members of staff aren’t actually spending time on their preliminary tasks. Those tasks which are in their areas of expertise and which could be winning more business for your organisation. This approach also has a detrimental effect on staff morale and productivity.

Staff Productivity?

Office hygiene is one of the most frequent sources of workplace dissatisfaction. A clean space enables clear thinking, so hiring a cleaning company can actually be influential in growing your business. Staff turnover costs can be considerable. So it pays to ensure your staff feel appreciated as they’re more likely to stick around! And the most fundamental way to appreciate staff is to provide them with a clean and hygienic working space.

BUT

If the business has not appointed individual cleaners, can you trust them?

By hiring a cleaning company, you enter into a partnership where the cleaning supplier ensures the quality of their staff for your peace of mind. With a focus on selection and training, at CJH Cleaning our clients can attest to the skill and dependability of our cleaning staff.

Where in the office requires professional cleaning?

Technology

Office desks, keyboards and phones are a breeding ground for bacteria. A detailed technology clean job can prevent the spread of workplace illness and increase the lifespan of your technology.

Waste Management

Professional waste management service providers have access to the correct recycling and waste processes. This means your business can meet its environmental responsibilities. 

Carpets

Your professional cleaning contractor’s kit can give your floor a new lease of life. Experience and equipment will rejuvenate your business floor efficiently and effectively.

At Height

Cleaning at height requires stringent health and safety regulation, and equipment. A professional contractor has access to this equipment to make the job quicker, safer and more thorough. 

How to optimise the benefits of professional cleaning

Planning through the seasons

To achieve real cost savings through commercial cleaning and maintenance, it is vital that work is planned. This means you can balance daily, weekly and monthly activity to be spread over the year to benefit from seasonal weather conditions.

Regularity means prevention

Regular cleaning prevents a build-up of detritus and decay that can contribute to major building faults. While some structural problems cannot be avoided, the health of a building can be prolonged through regular upkeep.

To discover more about how hiring a cleaning company can benefit your organisation, just contact us at CJH Cleaning.

The exterior of a building needs to be cleaned. You may see buildings where this has not happened for a long time, and this makes an impression. And it’s not a great one! When it comes to building exteriors, you can even maintain structural longevity through regular cleaning. So when a business plans a commercial cleaning schedule, why has pressure washing become such a popular method? When and where is this an appropriate form of cleaning? And what are the key benefits that pressure washing might bring to your business?

Cost

Across all of the benefits of pressure washing that we will look at, one theme is recurring. That is how this method of cleaning reduces costs in other areas of your business. Although business leaders increasingly respond to their responsibilities for the welfare of their workforce and the environment, budget constraints are never far from view. However, making long term savings is much more complex than simply cutting departmental budgets. Regular pressure washing is a great example of how this can work. Long-term cost savings can be achieved from this one outlay. Examples include workforce retention, branding perception, maintenance, and energy bills.

Looks Matter

Value

The value of both your building and your business can be affected by the exterior appearance of a building. As they enter the building, visiting clients will form a first impression based on their surroundings. Similarly, the sale or lease value of a building very much depends on the condition of the exterior. By this, we mean both the structural condition and aesthetic appearance. So by keeping this part of your building clean, a business can realise some very real benefits.

Worth

Value and worth are different things. A feeling of worth is increasingly important as businesses seek to improve productivity and staff retention. It may seem minor, but the feeling of worth that both staff and visiting clients experience when entering a well-maintained building directly impacts performance and reactions. In this way, the surrounding environment of a business can direct human behaviour to benefit the business.

Manage Maintenance

Prevent Decline

Cleaning is a very important part of regular maintenance. The build-up of grime, mould and algae can contribute to the structural decline of parts of the building. In addition, it could mask the beginnings of structural problems from your view. This means that potential faults remain undetected until they can cause more dramatic problems. By pressure washing a building exterior, you will avert these problems. Clean joints, window seals and roofs generally perform better for longer. And when something begins to fail, it will be spotted far sooner: before any severe damage occurs to the building.

Decorative Costs

Exterior masonry should be painted to be protected. This can be an expensive job, especially for larger commercial buildings. Comparatively, an annual exterior pressure wash incurs far less cost. With an annual pressure wash, an additional 3 years can be added to the longevity of an exterior paint job. With this maintenance, exterior paint should last a decade, which prevents unnecessary costs to the business.

Human Health

Windows

The impact that natural light has on human performance is well documented. However, it’s pointless to enjoy office space with large windows if those windows are unable to diffuse light due to the build-up of dirt. This is especially so in the UK when, let’s face it, some months of the year are pretty low on natural light. So regular cleaning will have a positive effect on the health of your workforce. Pressure washing is a relatively low cost and quick method of keeping windows clean.

Pollution

For offices which are positioned within cities or on major roads, the impact of pollution will be very visible on walls, windows and signage. If that build-up remains unchecked, not only does the place start looking pretty depressing, but particles find their way into the air system of the building. Regular pressure washing of walls and windows can maintain the integrity of your internal airflow, which can only be a good thing for the people inside!

Green Policies

Eco-friendly approach

Pressure washing uses just water to remove the dirt, grime and unwanted marks. So no additional chemicals are finding their way into local sewage systems. As technology in the industry has improved, the machines used to pressure wash increasingly consume less energy to operate. The method emits low carbon emissions, so, all in all, is one of the most effective and green methods of building maintenance.

Energy efficiency

Pressure washing is a relatively speedy process. In this way, machines aren’t in operation for excessively lengthy periods. In addition, the process helps buildings to maintain their own energy efficiency. If a commercial building benefits from solar panels, the build-up of dirt and grime decreases the efficiency of this technology. Up to 20% of solar panel efficiency can be lost due to dirt build-up. So regular pressure washing can actually reduce your energy bills!

Pressure washing is increasingly the go-to method of cleaning the whole of the exterior of a building. This method of cleaning performs equally well from windows to walls and solar panels to signage. So really it’s pretty obvious to see why this method of cleaning has grown so much in popularity. It’s quick, thorough and low eco-impact. To find out more about how CJH Cleaning can improve the health and appearance of your building, just get in touch.

As more and more workers return to offices, managers and business owners are planning how to protect their staff. What at first may seem fairly straightforward often ends up far more complicated than you imagined! There are hygiene procedures and schedules to consider, along with protocols and compliance measures to implement. For businesses to thrive, though, adaptation must happen. Central to it all is maintaining and managing hygiene. So we look at the trickiest of all office spaces; the communal ones. 

Scheduling

Plan when specific people are in the office to maximise the potential for social distancing. This means that communal spaces are never in danger of becoming overrun. This is more complex than simply dividing the workforce down the middle. Every business and industry faces different pressures, but aspects to consider include:

Meetings

Businesses have embraced video conferencing like never before during this pandemic. However, in some circumstances physical presence is unbeatable. So are there regular meeting which requires specific attendees? Make sure you structure your schedules to allow for colleagues to meet and allow enough flexibility to facilitate those last-minute emergencies.

Communication

Most remote workers have missed the flow of office communication. And they probably never before noticed that it was happening! We all take for granted the ability to ask a quick question or shout out for feedback across an open-plan space. So consider how you can install a similar dynamic work ethic within your attendance planning.

Cleaning

With more workers requiring office access, try to schedule attendance without compromising cleaning time. Regular cleaning of hot spots and communal areas is vital in protecting and maintaining the health of your staff. So within your schedules, ensure a sufficient period is allocated daily for cleaners to properly disinfect communal areas.

Building Flow

Once people are present in an office building, it is critical to plan the way that they move around. This is especially so in communal areas. Direction can help to avoid congestion and help your staff to adhere to social distancing guidelines. If possible, consider one-way movement on staircases and narrow corridors. Plan flexibly so that you can respond quickly to changes in official guidance.

Visitors

Visitors to your office building will predominantly be in communal areas. So it’s vital that they are informed of protocols and policies. Discourage unplanned visitors to the office. It shows consideration to your visitors as well as your resident staff if you are able to convey requirements in advance. Clear temporary signage around the building will help both visitors and staff.

Reception

Of course, you may have added a hand sanitising point to your reception area a long time ago. However, it’s vital to keep these facilities regularly restocked. Otherwise, there’s little point in having them there in the first place! Reception is a great place to display detailed protocols of moving around your office building. Display guidance notes, floorplan maps and arrows to indicate the direction of flow. 

Meeting rooms

You may need to limit numbers within meeting rooms. So clearly display the maximum number of occupants at the entrance to each meeting room. Don’t forget that meeting rooms house a large number of contact points: door handles, communal telephones and connection points. Be stringent with regular disinfection of these areas.

Facilities

We can’t emphasise enough the importance of regular cleaning and vigilance in these areas. Your staff will appreciate hand sanitising points so make sure supplies are restocked and bins cleared; if you don’t already have these aspects professionally managed, now is the time! While you may have turned office kitchen hygiene over to staff members in the past, consider adding this room to your daily cleaning contract. With the crossover of staff that socially distant office use requires, this is the only way to ensure that the space meets hygiene requirements. 

Kitchens

There’s a lot of touching that goes on in an office kitchen! Microwaves, kettles, coffee machines and fridges. You can’t sanitise each one every time it’s touched. So include clear signage to direct staff to wash hands on both entering and leaving the kitchen area.

Bathrooms

We’re sure your office bathrooms are covered in signage about correct hand washing! The key now for office bathrooms is in implementing a procedure for waiting to use the facilities. Mark an area for staff to queue outside the bathroom itself and encourage people to leave the area promptly to allow for the next person to use the facilities.

Social

Humans are social beings so as your business welcomes staff back into the office building, it is natural that they will interact socially. So make sure that social areas are equipped to accommodate this. Implement directional flow, usage time limits and maximum occupancy numbers. Encourage taking breaks out of the building where staff can interact in local green spaces.

Once you have constructed and communicated your office protocol to staff, you obviously expect them to comply. As a business owner or manager, it’s your end of the bargain to maintain facilities to a high standard. Perhaps this means increasing the frequency and level of professional cleaning, especially in communal areas. It is these communal areas which carry the highest risk of transmission. So an office cleaning contract should focus on these areas in the medium term.

A good professional office cleaning organisation is able to work in an agile way; making changes and adaptations to the requirements of their client. And this is what office buildings need now, as we gradually adapt back to some form of normality. Just contact us to work out your plan.

There comes a point during our existence in the shadow of COVID-19 when we must consider the future. For office-based businesses, this comes in the form of working out what the new office normality is going to be. Because one thing is certain, and that is that working life in the UK is not going to simply slip back to how it was ‘before’. So, what is the new normal going to look like? How will our working patterns impact our use of space? And how can we best protect our workforce in the months and years to come?

Up your Hygiene

Clearly, ongoing hygiene practices will be placed under increased scrutiny as we venture into a ‘new normality’ within office spaces. So, where should businesses focus their attention?

Regularity

Maintaining a regular cleaning schedule is pivotal when it comes to meeting ongoing hygiene standards. Office spaces will undoubtedly begin to house regular employees again. And when they do, many existing cleaning schedules may come up against some scrutiny. So this is the time to begin a ‘new normal’ schedule of office cleaning. One which regularly sanitises shared spaces and heavy duty areas.

IT Focus

Of course, the key area for germ cultivation within an office is around IT equipment. Keyboard, mouse and phones combined harbour on average 30,000 germs. More importantly, IT kit is the most common shared facility within an office. So, where you may have not focussed your office cleaning on your IT equipment, now is the time to shift the focus.

Hand Care

As a business, you carry a duty of care for your staff. So, with the added emphasis that government advice now places on regular hand washing, you should include guidelines for this within your standard policies. Pioneering employers will think further than this, though. With widespread reports of the decline in skin condition on account of continuous hand washing, the ‘new normal’ within an office should offer advanced skin care and moisturisers alongside basic hand hygiene. 

Ongoing Social Distancing

Maintaining some kind of distance between people will likely continue way after the most stringent lockdown procedures are over. But how will this work in the office?

Meeting Rooms

We’re all getting used to online meetings. However, this does not spell the end of the meeting room. However, it will mean that in the medium term, meeting rooms must be cleaned more regularly and thoroughly than perhaps you have been used to. The number of people who can attend will also be much smaller.

Break Time

Personal desks are a real hygiene hot spot. Much of this is down to food detritus. When workers begin to return to the office, you may want to consider laying down some ground rules when it comes to eating at desks. You may also need to put a framework in place which enables some level of social distancing to be practiced during breaks.

Touch Points

These are the most commonly touched surfaces across the office building. For example, tables, light switches, appliance handles, toilets and door handles. When staff return to the office, these are areas you will need to ensure are wiped at regular intervals across the day. Gradually the need for this will decrease, but expect the need for a sliding scale of requirement.

Increased Remote Working

Of course, since most office workers have been working remotely, business leaders should expect a legacy here. We’ve all seen the possibilities that flexible working can offer and can understand just how feasible it actually is.

Reliable IT systems

For your remote workforce arrangements to work effectively in the longer term, you must maintain reliable IT networks and systems. So you should ensure the maintenance and longevity of your servers and other equipment through regular cleans and servicing.

Phone Hygiene

Because of the prolonged contact with the face, telephones carry a lot of potential for transmitting illness and viruses. Headsets aren’t much better. But while we remain spread out, we rely much more on this technology. So try to include phone hygiene in your office culture with a daily wipe down practice.

Coordinating schedules

With a greater proportion of flexible and remote workers, schedules of office time will become increasingly important when it comes to the gradual decrease of social distancing requirements. Construct a schedule which ensures that a limited number of people from each area of the office are present in the office on any one day. Certainly in the short term, this will assist your business as we find the new office normality.

The Future of Contact

One thing is clear: there is no substitute for personal contact. We are all missing it, and for us to retain our humanity, it needs to return at some point.

Physical meetings

Perhaps business will now value the importance of face to face meetings, and schedule them only when necessary. We may be able to rid our timetables of those pointless, unnecessary meetings which drain productivity from your workforce.

Office Social

A lot of people have really missed the social activity of their office. So it may be that new office normality prioritises social time. Casual networking is often where some of the best ideas are sparked, so this could be a great thing for your business. If you utilise office space for this, just make sure the activity is correctly cleaned up afterwards!

First Impressions

In a world where site visits may be less frequent, they will count all the more. When a potential client visits your office you know that they are serious about partnership with your business. So the last thing you want is for them to be instantly put off by the state of your building exterior. All the more reason to ensure windows and brickwork are regularly cleaned and maintained.