A clean working environment can encourage your workers to perform more efficiently. It can also reduce the number of sick days taken and time wasted looking for supplies. Companies with cleaning programs already recognize these benefits, but now there’s data to support the correlation.

Research Proves That Cleanliness Determines How Much Work Gets Done

Various studies demonstrate how a clean office motivates staff to uphold expectations.

• The National Association of Professional Organizations identifies paper clutter as the largest time-waster in businesses. In fact, the data suggest that the average worker spends 4.3 hours a week sifting through paper.
• HLW International LLP reports a clean workspace can increase productivity by 5% in 100-employee offices. Such gains surmount to $125,000 in salary values for said companies.
• Minnesota Department of Health argues poor housekeeping practices results in performance loss due to symptoms of distress and discomfort. In some employees, the loss can stretch as high as 8%.

Based on the findings above, it seems keeping a clean office can alleviate stress and improve its efficiency.

Health Benefits of a Clean Working Environment

A clean office poses fewer health and safety risks. Organization can prevent accidents like tripping and slipping on or between furniture. More importantly, ridding your office of harmful bacteria will keep your employees from illness.

Consider this: the average keyboard is home to over 7,500 bacteria at one time. Worse, viruses can survive up to 24 hours on desk surfaces. Consider how quickly microbes can multiply in unsanitary conditions, spreading person to person. If undealt with, sickness will not only strike but also linger.