Is a Clean Office a Germ-Free Office?

At the beginning of this year, the majority of offices shut down and employees started working from home. As we move further through this pandemic, we’re learning more and more about how to not only clean, but also sanitize the workspace to ensure a germ-free environment that’ll allow you to have employees back in the office safely. That said, flu season is also approaching, so mitigating the spread of germs should be top priority. It doesn’t take long for a single infected employee to completely contaminate the office, but luckily there are many precautions you can take to make sure you have a germ-free office that is safe for your employees and clients.

Shared items

Every office has a shared space – whether that be a lounge, kitchen, and/or conference room. Within these shared spaces are many items that are touched and used by many employees, making them high risk for spreading bacteria and viruses. Items like door or fridge handles, coffee pots, printers, and countertops should be getting sanitized very regularly throughout the day. In order to help lessen the spread of germs, instruct your employees to wear gloves while using these shared spaces, avoid touching the face, and wash their hands when they’re done.

Hand sanitizer stations

We all know by now that washing your hands with soap and water is preferred, but it’s not realistic to expect employees to pop over to the bathroom every few minutes to wash their hands – which is where hand sanitizer comes in. Keep some on your desk, in shared spaces, and generally around the office to make it easily accessible for employees and clients. Constantly having clean and sanitized hands will reduce the possibility of transferring germs to other employees, clients, or onto surfaces around the office.

Personal workspace

When it comes to keeping an office clean and germ free, the employees have to be on board with this initiative. Germs can be carried in on employees from their home, their commute, or most likely both. With this understanding, it’s incredibly important that they sanitize their office every morning after they settle in to ensure they dont drop off any of the germs they brought in. Bacteria can hang out on surfaces for up to a week, so the last thing you want is for an infected employee to spread their germs throughout the whole office. For a proper clean and sanitization, you’ll want to dust, wipe down surfaces with soap and water, and then follow up with a disinfectant.

Out of office precautions

Something that can be done to help mitigate the spread of germs in the office, that actually starts at home, is getting a flu shot or simply staying home when ill. An office can be clean and disinfected, but if an employee comes in sick there will be germs everywhere regardless. If you want to maintain a germ-free office, it’s recommended that employees stay home if they aren’t feeling well.

You may think that your office is clean, but if a disinfectant hasn’t been used to sanitize surfaces, it’s actually a hot spot for germs and viruses. As we move back into the offices during this flu season, while also dealing with COVID-19, it should be a team effort to help combat against the spread of germs and illnesses. Constantly cleaning and disinfecting commonly shared items and personal spaces can only help keep the office a germ-free environment.