Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the way we work has changed considerably.
The traditional five-day working week is now a distant memory as many businesses now adapt to a more hybrid working model.
A model where remote working and the concept of working from home are no longer alien to us but instead part of the norm.
This is welcome news as we now sit back and enjoy avoiding the long commute to work, we see more money in our bank accounts as we experience fewer travel costs, and we can now actively achieve a much calmer work-life balance.
But what does this mean for your office cleaning service? Should you cut back? Do it yourself (please no), change your rotas, move to smaller offices, so you have less to clean?
Read on to find out more.
Adopting hybrid working
Today, many offices have embraced a new working model – hybrid working, i.e, Some days, employees will spend their time in the office, and others they will work from home or anywhere with an internet connection.
This hybrid work model offers excellent flexibility, with 63% of high-growth businesses now opting for a mix of remote and in-house working.
And when the benefits include:
- Increased employee productivity
- Reduction in sick days
- Improved wellbeing
- Reduction in business costs
- Avoidance of loneliness,
And more, we can begin to understand its popularity.
These changes have also led to a change in cleaning services and routines.
However, it’s important to remember that dust and dirt don’t work hybridly, mess still accumulates, and cobwebs are never too far away in an empty, unused room.
In addition, this hybrid working model sees a varied influx of staff within the space with various schedules and timetables that can make it difficult to schedule full office cleans.
Hot desking is also a key ingredient to hybrid working, which unfortunately has seen an increase in less hygienic spaces, leading to increased illness among staff.
This means you must think carefully about your cleaning schedules and ensure regular cleaning schedules are maintained, albeit with slight changes.
Office cleaning for hybrid working
Just because you have fewer people in the office doesn’t mean that dust and dirt took a work-from-home day too.
Cobwebs still gather in empty rooms, and dust, dirt, and grime always gather and find a way into your office environment, settling on desks, furniture, and carpets.
However, now this dust and dirt aren’t being moved about, cleared, and brushed onto another place when someone takes a seat. Instead, it is simply settling, building, and causing more problems.
It’s also at this stage much more noticeable, which is never good when you have visitors or business meetings scheduled to take place in the office.
From general cleaning to cleaning the office toilet and communal kitchen, even with a skeleton staff in the office, these areas still require attention, and it is your facility manager’s and your responsibility to ensure that these spaces are clean, safe, and remain comfortable.
Strategically targeting very specific areas, cleaning processes are now being redesigned and reassessed accordingly, with office cleaning schedules matched to office use, i.e., cleans carried out before the busiest days, taken into account daily priorities, etc.
The focus is on meeting key priorities and adjusting schedules as required.
So, how do cleaning services for hybrid offices work?
Simple, we work with you and your office schedules. For example, cleaning services can now be staggered between the teams entering the office, i.e., cleaning can occur before most members return to the office and afterward. This helps reduce disruption when employees are working, letting them focus on the job.
Prioritise communal areas – there is often an increase in the use of meeting rooms and communal areas when people use their office time as a chance to come together; this means these areas may require enhanced and more frequent cleaning.
Introduce hand sanitisers – hand sanitisers are an effective way to minimise sick days and reduce the spread of infection. These should be placed in high-traffic areas such as kitchens, meeting rooms, reception areas, bathrooms, etc.
Hire a professional office cleaning company – a reliable and flexible team of commercial cleaners who can tailor a schedule that suits your new working requirements. Such a hire gives you one less thing to worry about, allows you to concentrate on other business areas, and improves the quality of your office cleaning.
Benefits of office cleaning for hybrid working
- Provides a safe, clean space to work.
- Helps to keep germs at bay and reduce the spread of infection.
- Boosts productivity as employee morale is high.
- Presents a good impression to visitors to your offices.
- Professional cleaning teams have the tools and equipment to tackle a wide range of jobs.
- Creates an all-around healthy and happy work environment.
An office cleaning company you can trust
We firmly believe that you shouldn’t reduce your cleaning schedule as you implement a hybrid working model but rather maintain and adapt to meet the changing demands of your business and team.
At Clear Choice, we provide office cleaning services that work around you. Providing you with a team of experienced cleaners, we provide office cleaning in Leeds that suits your requirements.
Looking for an experienced and trustworthy team of commercial cleaners? Call us at 01132 711 432 or email your requirements to info@clearchoiceuk.com.
