Anyone who has ever managed staff before will tell you the two most challenging areas is that of maintaining the staff’s productivity and morale.  However, what many of those that are tasked with managing staff do not realize is that these two areas may be effectively handled by merely keeping a clean and tidy workspace.  Furthermore, this can be accomplished by the routine office cleaning and daily tidying up of the workspace.

Studies in this field have shown that a cluttered and untidy workspace is counterproductive and can sometimes we detrimental to productivity.  Scientists have found that when our workspace is messy and unkempt, our brain becomes tricked into thinking that the work we are doing is never completed.  Stress levels become elevated, which in turn will prove to work against an individual’s abilities to be productive.

There are several areas of the workspace, if  handled properly, can aid in the maintaining of your staff’s productivity levels:

1.  Tidy Workspace

The tidiness of a staff members workspace goes without saying.  Who wants to start their busy, long workday having to clean up their desk from the previous day?  No one is the answer.  That is why it is to your staff’s advantage to do a little cleaning before they head out for the day.  Organizing, filing, and disposing of papers can go a long way to tidying up a workspace.  The removal of all unnecessary clutter, as well as a good wiping down, can go a long way to making the following day’s arrival less stressful.  A clean and tidy work area to start the day will aid your staff in getting up to speed faster and will, in turn, impact productivity—in a good way.

2.  Overall Appearance

We have already determined that personal workspace tidiness correlates to staff productivity.  However, the overall appearance and cleanliness of the entire office can have an effect as well.  Not only is an office more attractive and inviting when perceived as clean and organized, but it can also go a long way to lifting your staff’s morale levels.  As such, those elevated morale levels can have a significant impact on productivity levels as well.  Let’s face it, no one wants to come into work looking at a cluttered mess.  However, if the office appears organized and tidy your staff will prove to be more excited about starting their workday.

3.  Office Machinery

In any office setting, the one area that is accessed by and touched the most by almost every staff member is that of the office machinery.  Staff members are sure to come into contactwith the machines at least once, if not multiple times per day, and as such the devices can prove to be virtual hot-beds of germs and viruses.  That is why this area of the office must be cleaned on a regular basis.  If not, then there will be an unwanted up-tick in call-offs due to illness, which in turn can have a significant impact on productivity.

4.  Break Room       

In any business setting, the presence of a break room for staff members is a positive.  It allows staff to relax and enjoy some downtime during their break or lunch period.  However, if the staff does not clean up after themselves, what was intended as an area for relaxation can quickly become a creator of stress.  It is imperative that staff members clean and pick up after themselves and not expect others to do it for them.  Otherwise, the amount of stress that it creates will soon begin to affect your staff’s productivity bottom line.

5.  Choosing To Outsource

The delegation of simple, day to day office cleaning tasks for your staff should not be a problem.  However, some businesses find it more advantageous to outsource their office cleaning needs to a professional service.  Not only does this establish peace of mind that the job is not only getting done right, but right the first time, but also keep down the squabbling amongst staff members over who will be responsible for which task on what day.

Common sense dictates that a cleaner and tidier workspace has a significant correlation to staff productivity.  By maintaining an organized and clean space, you can almost be guaranteed a happier and more productive work staff.