Poor Workplace Hygiene Can Cost You Money

Helping employees maintain good health by ensuring a clean workplace should be a top priority of any business. There are plenty of reasons to strive to maintain a healthy workforce primarily as it has a direct impact on your bottom line.

If your employees are not well and cannot work, not only does their health suffer, but the company suffers as well. The Australian Industry Group (AGI) found in a study a few years ago that an estimated $7 billion is lost each year due to absenteeism. In addition to the losses incurred when employees are absent, even more money is lost each year to what’s called “presenteeism”, or when people who aren’t well still come in to work, not being very productive and potentially infecting other employees. The same AGI study put this annual loss around $35 billion!

That’s a combined $42 billion lost each year due to employee illness, which breaks down to about $3,608 per worker per year. It’s a huge hit and has spillover effects on overall productivity and workplace morale.

Increasingly, companies are realising that good health is not just a positive for employees but something that can boost revenue, part of the reason workplace wellness programs are growing in popularity.
There are a number of best practices to follow to reduce the presence of viruses, bacteria and other germs in the workplace, including wiping all surfaces—like desks, tables, door handles, telephones, keyboards, etc—with disinfectant. Having antibacterial disinfectant wipes located on walls in key areas of the office will encourage employees use them. Contamination on surfaces is one of the ways viruses and bacteria are spread quickly among employees.

Encouraging regular and thorough handwashing by employees and anyone else who enters the building is another must. No-touch soap dispensers are an easy way to reduce the spread of viruses on surfaces and in washrooms.

You can supplement this effort by placing no-touch hand sanitiser dispensers in high traffic areas of the workplace, at the reception or entrance and near the washroom Keeping a clean and disinfected washroom is a crucial part of workplace hygiene. If necessary, display posters promoting these practices throughout the office. Follow the guidance of your local health authority. To learn more about our washroom and hygiene solutions and how we can help you to keep your workplace as clean and healthy, call us on + 1300 270 019.

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