66% Of U.S. Employees Want Better Cleaning Protocols In The Workplace
By Space Coast Daily // July 26, 2022
Although workplace hygiene wasn’t a key concern for most pre-2020, 66% of U.S. workers now consider workplace cleaning practices “extremely important”, while almost 90% say they’re “very” or “somewhat important”, a recent survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America, an organization representing America’s cleaning companies and employees, reveals.
More than ever before, employees are highlighting the importance of visible and effective workplace cleaning protocols for maintaining mental and physical health and wellness. In fact, nearly 40% of survey participants even say poor cleaning in their place of work may even trigger them to look for a new job elsewhere.
Cleaning visibility
Josh Feinberg, President of the Cleaning Coalition of America (CCA), says employees are particularly concerned about cleaning visibility and frequency in the workplace with “peace of mind” being a priority for many survey participants while at work. In fact, 62% of employees say that merely seeing commercial cleaning professionals regularly on the premises would promptly quell concerns and make them feel safer. “If you go back pre-Covid, you don’t see very many cleaners during the day, most of our industry cleans at night. Since Covid started, the trend we’re seeing is visibility. Switching from night cleaning to day cleaning, so that they can visibly see that it’s being done”, Feinberg explains.
Effective cleaning practices
In particular, workers say they’d be reassured if high-touch areas (including, railings, elevator buttons, doorknobs, and bathrooms) were visibly cleaned regularly. Thorough and explicit cleaning practices are key to disinfecting high-touch areas (the prime harborers of germs and bacteria) and alleviating employee concerns. Additionally, eliminating touch points altogether where possible is another powerful solution. Touchless fixtures and hands-free door pulls in bathrooms, for example, can further minimize the spread of germs and bacteria and ensure a sanitary experience. Moreover, building exteriors and outdoor surfaces also typically accumulate plenty of dirt, oil, and grime over time. Commercial pressure washing is fortunately a successful method of cleaning exterior premises and therefore leaving a good impression on employees, customers, and clients alike.
General workplace health and hygiene
The CAA survey participants were also emphatic that their concerns aren’t just limited to Covid-19, but also cover wider health and hygiene in the workplace. For example, one participant said they want their employer to understand that “cleaning and disinfecting is important in any workplace to prevent any infection, not just Covid.” Another participant also thinks employers should be responsible for ensuring workplaces reach the same standards of health and hygiene as their own homes since employees technically also live at work, too.
Ultimately, “it’s not just about the cleaning and the science of it”, Feinberg explains. “For many people, it was ‘going to work and seeing a professional cleaner relieves my anxiety’. We saw a recurring theme of there being an impact on mental health just as much as physical health”. Visible and effective cleaning protocols in the workplace are therefore more important than ever for maintaining overall employee holistic health and wellbeing going forward.
