Are your employees often sick?Disease transmission happens a lot in shared areas like food courts, bus stations and in public parks. It could also occur in one of the places that people spend the most time in their office.Offices especially when not properly maintained is a good avenue for germs and bacteria to spread. It takes just one sick person with a contagious disease to contaminate the whole office. An unhygienic workplace increases risks and dangers that could harm not only your workers but also your overall business.Here are some reasons why you need to take hygiene in the workplace seriously:

Prevent the Spread of Diseases

In 2013, Canada Life UK revealed 93% of the 1000 workers surveyed would still work despite being unwell, and 76% says it’s because they think their illness is not serious enough.When your employees are sick, their cognitive functions are hampered making it hard for them to think, focus and perform at optimal levels. Sick employees are also detrimental to the team’s overall productivity because they could infect others.

Prevent Accidents and Injuries 

Workplace hygiene also encompasses proper cleaning, fixing and maintenance of the work environment. It is important that management takes steps to ensure that the office space is clean and conducive to productivity.Nobody wants to work in an unsafe and hazardous place. According to Initial Hygiene, 50% of worker believe that having a clean or dirty workplace affects their productivity and 40% are afraid they might get sick because of it. Furthermore, companies are liable for accidents that take place within the premises.

Build Employee Loyalty and Trust 

Employees become loyal to the organisation when they feel that their companies look after their welfare and needs. Enforcing good workplace hygiene is one of the most basic ways that a company can show their employees that they care about them.In a research conducted by the Center for Facilities and Research (CFaR), cleanliness becomes a distraction while a clean and orderly office creates good learning and working environments. In other words, people, in general, are motivated to perform tasks and their jobs when the environment promotes it.

Enhance the Company Image

How the public perceives your company is very important. Your company’s image could attract or drive away investors. It could increase or decrease your market share. It could influence whether a job applicant would want to work for you or not.From public relations to advertisements, we do everything just to maintain the positive image of our company. Aside from these PR efforts, we must also invest in our most valuable brand ambassadors: our employees. What your employees say about you could influence how the public perceives your organisation. In one research, 70% of employees say they will hesitate to recommend an employer with “substandard” hygiene.Maintaining a clean working environment is like removing weeds to provide a better opportunity for your employees to grow and become proactive. When we are able to provide our employees this opportunity, they’re likely to take the initiative to give back.