Office Cleanliness Etiquette: Maintain Health and Hygiene at Work

Our ability to follow the etiquette of rules distinguishes us from animals.

Following the etiquette of cleanliness and personal hygiene at work, every employee contributes to the maintenance of a safe and healthy environment for each member of the workplace.

Besides that, working in a clean office space improves employee morale, efficiency and productivity.

The problem is that some employees still keep their desks in improper manner, don't flush the water after using the toilet or leave unwashed dishes in the kitchen. They are no following the good manners of cleanliness at work.

What can you do about them to have them follow the guidelines?

Find bellow tips on how to remind your employees about the necessity of following the cleanliness etiquette when using office shared facilities.

The office etiquette of using shared facilities

It is important to remind your staff that they are not the only person using the office facility.

And if they make a mess, they are responsible to clean the mess.

Following a cleanliness etiquette in the office ensures that the environment where all of us are working stays safe and healthy.

Kitchen cleaning etiquette

Wash and dry your own dishes.
Scrape uneaten food into the trash. Do NOT put food down the drain.
Reseal any uneaten food and store it neatly in the refrigerator.
Remove throw away any expired food from the refrigerator.
Clean up the microwave after using it.
Immediately, clean up the spills on the floor to avoid fall incidents.
Don’t bring odorous foods and stock them in the fridge, together with another employee’s food.
Don’t leave your unwashed dishes in the sink.

Office Toilet etiquette

Flush the water after using the toilet to prevent unpleasant smell.
Don’t leave water droplets on the toilet seat.
Wash your hands with an antiseptic soap or sanitizer after using the restroom. Wipe off your hands with a tissue paper or towel.
Don’t spit, write names or make designs on toilet walls. It’s childish.
Don’t occupy the restroom for too long. Avoid using your phone inside the toilet. Do your thing and get out.
Don’t throw anything in the commode. Throw the tissue paper into the bins.
Don’t smoke inside the office restroom.
Switch the lights after leaving the office restroom.

I also want to share the this great office bathroom etiquette infographic I found on The Muse. Hope you find it useful.

Office Refrigerator rules

Remove rotting or spoiled food out of the refrigerator.
To easily find the food that belongs to you, label your lunch.
Wipe up any spills from the inside of the fridge.
Take home your leftovers home if your company has weekends off.

Cleaning sanitary bins

Empty your trash everyday.
Make sure to maintain separate dustbins for paper garbage and food waste.

Cleaning workstation etiquette

At the end of the working day make sure to clean your desk area.
Throw excess paper, food wrapper and all other trash.
Wipe down the dust from your desktop with a clean microfiber cloth.
Clean and disinfect your keyboards, mice and telephones at least once a week.
Remove all unnecessary clutter off your working desk.

Eating etiquette at workplace

Don’t eat at your working desk if you have special eating facilities.
Don’t warm odorous foods in the microwave, like fish.
Any plates, bowls or silverware that haven’t been cleaned since your last meal should be taken to the kitchen.

Tips on how to remind your employees to maintain the office clean and hygienic

1. Write a memo email

Reminding your employees about the importance of following the office cleaning etiquette is important but providing each employee with the necessary information, especially if the company is big, becomes an impossible task.

Write a short email to remind your staff to maintain the office clean.

2. Signs

Another effective way to remind your employees about the cleaning guidelines is by posting signs requesting that each staff member should leave the facility clean after using it.

3. Policy rules

Have all the hygiene and cleaning guidelines mentioned in the company policy.

Whenever you need to approach an employee about his cleanliness or hygiene issues it's best to make this a company-wide standard rather than having the employee take it personally.

Conclusion

In the end, everyone wants to work in a clean environment. The more each staff member can do to keep their office clean, the better for everybody.

On the over hand, the effect of poor personal hygiene in the workplace will negatively impact your career.