The Hidden Costs of a Dirty Office

September 18, 2020

In an effort to save money, some businesses might look to cut corners on key office necessities. One of these is office hygiene and cleaning, as most organizations find the expenses for this to hinder them from maximizing their profits. The cheapest office cleaning can be as low as $0.05 per square foot per month, but that doesn’t include necessary services like refinishing floors, cleaning kitchens and windows, and intensive vacuuming which will raise the price.

However, reducing the frequency of office cleaning and scrimping on cleaning services has a direct impact on the performance and profits of your organization. Saving money in the short term by contracting the budget for cleaning will lead to a dirty working environment ⁠— and this has real repercussions that will cost your business. In this post, we’ll explain the hidden costs of a dirty office.

It Creates an Unsafe Working Environment

Cleanliness is directly related with safety. When you regularly maintain the cleanliness of your office, it can avoid workplace bumps and accidents. In the event that a workplace accident happens due to an organization’s neglect for office cleanliness, an employee can seek financial compensation by filing an accident at work claim. According to OSHA, the current cost of a workplace accident if negligence is proven to amount to over a $100,000. So, offices should work towards creating a safe working environment through regular cleaning and maintenance if they want to avoid paying hefty claim fines.

It Pulls Down Company Morale

Company morale pertains to the overall satisfaction, attitude, and outlook your employees have at work. Keeping company morale high is important because it enhances employee retention rates, improves office relationships, and keeps your employees productive. However, an unkempt and unhygienic office can easily pull down company morale. Clutter can slow down work and an untidy office can make your workers feel demotivated ⁠— leading to subpar work quality and in the long run, lower profits.

It Exacerbates Stress

Work’s already a key source of stress for many employees, and a disorganized, cluttered, and dirty office can amplify this ⁠— leading to both short-term and long-term effects on your workers. Not only that there will also be a financial cost to your company through lost productivity, with one study finding that the average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for paper. This only adds to the stress of both employee and employer, which can manifest itself in different ways. Resilience coach L. Barbour points out that most people respond to stress in three ways: fight, flight, or freeze. This just means that most people react negatively to a stressful situation, usually through self-criticism, isolation, and overthinking. Over time, stress can make it hard to sleep and even maintain motivation — which not only affects your employees, but your team as a whole. And as an employer, a messy office will tell any clients that visit that your business is not organized, which could affect your financial future in a negative way. This is why it is in the organization’s best interests to uphold office hygiene and cleanliness in order to reduce stress at all levels.

It Can Affect Your Employees Health

Filthy offices are a hotbed for microorganisms, bacteria, dust, and mold which can put the health of your workers at risk. Unclean vents and windows can easily circulate airborne diseases and pathogens which can make your employees sick ⁠— leading to sick days and an incomplete workforce. By making sure that your office maintains its cleanliness and hygiene, you can mitigate sick leaves and absenteeism in the office. It’s estimated that U.S. employers collectively lose $260 billion every year because of poor employee health, so the cost of maintaining and cleaning an office is surely lower compared to the costs of always having absent and sick employees.

All in all, your office’s budget for cleaning and maintenance is something that you should invest more money in. A ton of financial and productivity issues are linked to a dirty office, so putting more money into keeping your office clean is well worth the price.

Exclusively written for IMAGEONEUSA.com

By: Rosanne Jayde