Outsourced janitorial services continue to provide increased value to customer businesses and their employees by creating a safer, healthier, and more productive workplace.
Janitorial Services and the Business Value of a Clean & Healthy Office
As progressive businesses continue to grow and evolve, the need for sustainable practices that align with conscientious social and ecological goals, as well as address an organization's responsibility towards the health of their workforce, has risen exponentially.
Market pressures continue to increase, forcing businesses to seek cost-effective solutions with high ROI values that can be implemented in a short amount of time.
Additionally, the health-related expenses of sick employees, more specifically, illness-related worker absenteeism, has become unworkable.
Another factor severely impacting business profit margins is a phenomenon referred to as presenteeism; whereby an employee comes to work ill, but is only capable of performing at a reduced capacity.
Notable performance issues extended to:
- Decreased social interaction with coworkers.
- Lack of motivation.
- Decreased output volume.
- Increased time spent on typical tasks, and;
- The increased probability of spreading germs.
Fortunately, studies show a direct correlation between 'greener,' healthier offices, increased employee productivity and engagement, as well as customer satisfaction, and business profits.
Sick Employees Cost you Money
Illness, especially during cold and flu season, is unavoidable.
Losing half your workforce, to one degree or another, over the course of 3 to 4 months because the kitchen and bathroom weren't properly cleaned, is entirely preventable.
According to a recent presentation published by the ISSA, the average employee will miss approximately 7.7 days of work per year, costing US businesses an estimated 225.8 Billion dollars annually.
Unexpected absences come with additional costs, resulting in an estimated 54% reduction in productivity, and a 39% drop in sales and customer service.
Depending on the existence of deadlines, project requirements, or the scarcity of worker skill overlap, such absences can quickly 'snowball' out of control.
Image courtesy of the ISSA.
Your Office is Making Your Employees Sick
The inside of your office building is, without a doubt, contributing to poor employee health and performance, which is costing your company money.
The problem is two-fold:
- Germs and bacteria present on high-contact surfaces, and;
- Indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollution is not just costly to businesses; it can be deadly.
According to Ebenezer Fiahagbe, an EPA Senior Programme Officer;
[sic]...indoor pollution has been as among the top five environmental risks to public health which also contributes to an annual 8.5 million deaths globally.
Further, multiple studies have shown that one sick employee can infect half of an office, without direct contact, in under four hours.
This is due, almost entirely, to germ transference from high-contact surfaces, including:
- Computer mice and keyboards.
- Desk phones.
- Faucet, microwave door, and refrigerator door handles, and;
- Water fountain and vending machine buttons.
See Also:
Green Janitorial Services can fix That
The introduction of green janitorial services into a workplace has been shown to provide immediate financial benefits, including:
- An 80% reduction in the probability of acquiring the common cold or flu.
- A 62% reduction in contaminated surfaces, and;
- A 46% reduction in employee absenteeism.
This resulted in:
- A 2% to 8% improvement in productivity, and;
- Approximately 125,000 dollars in savings for an office of about 100 employees earning an average of 25,000 dollars per year.
Green Cleaning Tips
The two most important areas to address is the air, and high-touch surfaces, both of which can be solved with minimal expense.
- Clean the air ducts.
- Call out someone to verify your HVAC system is performing optimally, based on current standards.
- Upgrade your air filters to HEPA filters.
- Any microbe heavier than air will eventually settle into carpets, rugs, or upholstery--vacuum, dust, and mop all horizontal surfaces regularly.
- Encourage employees to wash their hands regularly, and stay home when they're sick. This practice will save you both time and money in the long-run.
- Identify all high-contact surfaces in your office, then develop a strategy with your custodial team to have them sanitized daily.
References & Resources
Takeaway
Employees are a business's most valuable asset.
Accordingly, the only thing that costs a business more money than an absent employee is one that shows up but is not fully engaged in their duties, resulting in mediocre output quality and low productivity.
Environmental factors play an essential role in ensuring employee health, and conventional cleaning practices are negatively impacting our indoor environments, and contributing to poor work performance and health.
So, why should your business invest in green cleaning services?
Because it will make you more money.
If you would like to learn more about the advantages of green janitorial services for your school or business, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 395-3009
In Fresno CA, call (559) 473-1790
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