Cleaners are an often-overlooked part of the workforce, says James Carver, Managing Director at OSC, but they will play a significant role in facilitating how we all return to our workspaces safely.
With plan B restrictions coming to an end, workers have been making their way back to the office this month as footfall in the West End reached 79% of pre-pandemic levels. However, as workers return, they come with new demands having been asked to give up the creature comforts of the home office. Businesses have already begun responding to these demands by investing in their office spaces. For example, Google’s recent $1 billion purchase of new office spaces to be refurbished in London highlights its commitment to offering high-quality workspace.
Adapting to these demands of improved amenities will be essential in preparing for workers to return. However, with 37% of employees still feeling concerned about returning to the city due to office cleanliness, investing in your cleaning team must be a business’ first port of call to tempt workers back with both quality and safety.
The forgotten essential worker
As workers return to the city, businesses will be looking to offer high-quality workspaces in order to encourage them to remain. With 80% of workers missing interacting with their colleagues, investing in collaborative spaces and other amenities will be an important tool in tempting workers back. However, with one in ten people still feeling anxious about returning to the office, an office’s cleaning team will be its most important asset for reassuring returning workers.
In fact, an office’s cleaning regime is so important that 75% of UK businesses have already implemented enhanced cleaning measures beyond the official government guidance. These enhanced measures can offer workers reassurance and ensure they are protected from Covid. For example, where various deep clean measures, such as fogging, may have only been used one a quarter, increasing this to a monthly process at a minimum can help keep the office safe. A knowledgeable cleaning team can guide a business through these Covid-specific cleaning measures to ensure workers are welcomed back to the office safely. It is this important role in facilitating the return of workers which means we must begin regarding our cleaning team as essential workers.
Investing in quality
In a post-pandemic world, it is also important for businesses to invest in a cleaning team which is knowledgeable and well-versed in the complexities of Covid-related cleaning measures. With 83% of workers seeing hybrid working as their ideal, it is clear that flexible working is going nowhere. This can create many difficulties for Covid safety. With workers sharing desks and coming and going as they please, it is no longer sufficient to rely on pre-pandemic cleaning practices. Adopting a rigorous and continuous approach to cleaning is essential.
Here at OSC, we have adopted a ‘flow-cleaning’ approach throughout the pandemic. This ensures that, as opposed to travelling to rooms to clean them individually, we clean as we got to ensure no high touch points or areas of contamination are missed. Investing in a cleaning team which is knowledgeable in these kinds of adaptations and able to manage the constantly changing guidelines is essential. An experienced cleaning team is an office’s first line of defence against the threat of Covid-19.
Looking to the future
The return to the office is a welcome sign for many businesses. However, with daily Covid cases still rising well above 60,000 and the threat of the Omicron variant ongoing, businesses will be keen to future-proof their offices.
With 69% of Britons now more concerned about cleanliness and hygiene, it will be a business’ cleaning team which ensures workers remain in the office. An experienced and visible cleaning team will be the key to alleviating workers’ concerns and protecting their health against the threat of Covid. It is this protection of workers and the return to the office which means businesses must regard a knowledgeable cleaning team as essential workers.
