How to Start an Office Cleaning Program

January 18, 2018

Are you frustrated because your office is always a mess? Some employees are just messy by nature, but others may not know what’s expected. Businesses that use a professional cleaning service often still need employees to do their part in keeping the workplace in good shape. Here’s how to get everyone to pitch in.

Plan Together

Plan a staff meeting at which the sole purpose is developing guidelines and procedures for routine tasks. Invite employees to be a part of the process from the beginning. Make it clear that everyone will be expected to participate, but that the overall goal is to come up with a system that doesn’t put too much of the burden on anyone. Instead of starting by pointing out everything that’s wrong, allow staff to brainstorm a list of problem areas and suggest solutions for each.

Write It Out

Once employees have identified both problems and solutions, develop clear written policies and procedures. Instead of just agreeing everyone will clean up after themselves in the breakroom, spell out the steps each employee will complete when they finish their meal, return their coffee cup or store leftovers. Develop a procedure for dealing with violations and a tracking system so you can identify repeat offenders.

Provide Incentives

Most of the time, people don’t intend to be messy – they just get busy. You don’t want office cleanliness to drive a wedge between supervisors and staff. People are more likely to form new habits when they have motivation. Come up with a list of rewards that’s easy to administer. For example, you offer participating employees entries in a drawing for prizes at the end of the week.

Management and administration can set the tone leading by example. Let them see you not just cleaning up after yourself, but also wiping the front of the refrigerator and picking up the wrapper someone else dropped in the hall.

Sources:

https://bizfluent.com/how-12025241-motivate-employees-cleanup-after-themselves.html
https://www.seattletimes.com/nwshowcase/careers/when-co-workers-dont-clean-up-after-themselves/
http://www.arcocleaning.com/blog/how-to-create-an-office-cleaning-program