Change is inevitable, even in the workplace. So how can you prepare your business with commercial cleaning to be ready for those changes? PIVOT!
Remember that time Ross on Friends bought a couch? When Rachel got Chandler to help get the sofa up the stairs to the apartment they managed to get around the first turn, albeit with some issues, but when they reached the second more difficult turn, Ross yelled, “Pivot!” at them over and over. In the end the sofa didn’t make it up the stairs. (See Video Here)
But what can we learn from this hilarious situation? That you need to be prepared ahead of time to pivot! It’s about taking a proactive approach to prepare for any possible changes. If you are just reacting to the curveballs life throws at you, you’ll be behind the curve, or in this analogy, behind the turn!
A lot of different things will affect the cleanliness of your workplace and a bit of planning can go a long way to maintaining a clean space. Here are a few situations you will want to plan ahead for and some ideas on how to be proactive.
Cold & Flu Season
Each year we deal with thousands of people across the country coming down with a cold or worse, the flu and it is important that you prepare for people to be bringing these germs into your office or business. Fortunately there are several ways that you can prepare to pivot for these germy situations.
First, you will want to have the proper cleaning supplies on hand. Not all cleaning solutions can kill cold and flu germs so have a supply of disinfecting and sanitizing cleaners on hand and ready to go for cold and flu season. Ensure that these cleaning supplies are routinely and properly used, especially in hot spot areas. Lobbies, bathroom touchpoints, doorknobs and countertops are all examples of these hot spot areas where germs are more likely to collect.
Some other helpful factors to keep the spread of germs lower during this time is to encourage good hygiene among employees. Regular hand washing is very important to keeping down the spread of germs. Also, regularly sanitize shared office supplies and equipment and keep disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer handy around the office. And don’t forget to encourage employees who are sick to stay home so they don’t share germs at the office.
Construction and Remodeling Projects
Remodeling, repairs and construction projects can complicate the cleanliness of your workplace. With these projects, you can often expect all kinds of debris like drywall dust, wood shavings, spills and dirt. And of course the bigger the project, the bigger the mess. Many times you may know about these projects ahead of time, but you never know when an emergency repair may strike.
To successfully keep your place of business clean during these times, you will want to notify your cleaning company of any construction projects ahead of time. They will be able to work with you to help mitigate the impact these projects will have on the cleanliness of your office, including paying special attention to HVAC systems, computer rooms and more. Cleaning for this type of situation generally comes in phases during and after the project is done. Once construction or repairs are complete, your cleaning company will provide you with a specialized post-construction cleaning surface. This is because dust can continue to settle on surfaces days after the project is done.
Weather & Times of Higher Foot Traffic
Like cold and flu season, there are other predictable times of the year when you can expect changes to impact the cleanliness of your business. These include seasons of rain or snow and higher traffic times, such as during the holiday shopping season. During these times, more debris and muck can be tracked indoors.
You can proactively pivot for these situations by planning on increasing your floor cleaning activities during these times. And don’t forget to schedule a professional carpet cleaning well in advance to keep your floors in tip top shape. You may also want to consider increasing the frequency of your cleaning services, for example, by adding a day of extra cleaning. To keep hard surfaces from becoming dirty and slick, consider adding extra door mats as well as cleaning the floors more often.
By planning ahead for changes, keeping your office clean will be easier. Having a professional cleaning service will help you even more greatly, especially if you are in regular contact with them.
