5 Signs You May Need To Hire A New Office Cleaning Company

When it comes to facility management, the cleanliness of your building is of critical importance. The benefits of a clean, and sanitary environment are numerous and has many positive effects on the workforce. However, many of these benefits are not realised in offices where standards are not up to scratch. Here are 5 signs that you may need to consider a new office cleaning company:

1. Productivity drops.

It’s well known that people work better in a clean and clutter free environment. A fresh and pleasant workspace coupled with clean and clear desks allows employees to work at their best. In fact, a new study by Florida State University found that a dirty working environment can have long-term cognitive effects.

If your office cleaning company doesn’t maintain standards, more often than not a member of your own staff will feel to take it upon themselves to clear up: this can often fuel squabbles and create tension amongst workers.

Take a walk around your office and see if the simple things are being taken care of. Are bins being emptied daily? Are desks being wiped down and waste removed? Are window sills and other surfaces dusted regularly? Is the kitchen area clean and well maintained? If not, highlight these to your office cleaning company to be rectified.

2. Employee absence

The cleanliness of your workspace has a huge effect on employee health. Did you know that the average desks harbours over 400x more bacteria than a toilet? Still fancy eating that sandwich at your desk?If you find that your staff are starting to take more time off work it could mean that your workspace is harbouring harmful bacteria or viruses.

Its not only your health it could be damaging but your bottom line as well. A report carried out by the accountancy giant PwC found that absences related to sickness cost UK business £29 billion every year.

Simple actions like regularly sanitising surfaces, placing hand sanitiser in easy to access places, and promoting proper hand washing can vastly minimise the amount of bacteria in the workplace and the risks associated with them. Very simple things to do but not all office cleaning companies do them.

3. Poor first impressions

What was the first thing you noticed as you entered your office this morning? Hopefully nothing negative to do with its appearance but if it was, you need to fix it. First impressions count and we firmly believe it plays a huge effect on a potential clients opinion of your business.

If you find yourself clearing up mess in the morning, or notice bins full from the day before – your cleaning company isn’t playing its part. Deals can be made or broke on first impressions so it is essential that the appearance and cleanliness of your offices and buildings are always first class.

4. Supplies are sometimes low or empty

Consumable supplies such as toilet paper, hand towels, and soap are essential items in any washroom and should always be available. Proper restocking and proactive monitoring of supply levels should be a staple part of any office cleaning contract.

If you find that supplies run low or are even empty it could be a sign that your contractor is cutting corners or does not have a proper restocking program in place.

5. No inspection reports or audits

Any office cleaning company who are committed to excellent service should perform inspections or audits to monitor the quality of services being provided. These proactive monitoring allows contract managers to catch small issues before they turn into bigger problems. They also give you an idea of how good the service is that your paying for.

If you find you don’t receive reports from your office cleaning company, raise this with them and ensure that they perform regular inspections. Its an important part of service delivery and gives you a real measurement of their performance.

Choosing the right cleaning company

So you’ve seen the signs and you need a new office cleaning company – how do you know who to choose? Luckily for you, we’ve written an article just for that: Changing cleaning provider: a simple guide. Our guide tells you all you need to know about changing your cleaning company, from what accreditations to look for and what TUPE means to you.