How to Improve Staff Retention with a Clean Workplace

It’s two years on from the start of the pandemic, and businesses are starting to navigate their new post-pandemic normal. However, there is a rising issue that is coming into effect post-pandemic: high employee turnover. Employee turnover refers to the proportion of employees who leave an organisation over a set period of time, which is calculated as a percentage of total employees. If this number becomes too high it can cause a range of issues from job dissatisfaction, drop in productivity, higher costs due to recruitment and training and much

Employee turnover is growing in the UK with a recent study finding that up to 38% of UK employees are looking to change roles within the next 12 months and that 32% of workers have at least two other job opportunities to consider. This is not the only challenge that businesses are facing post-pandemic, with many also struggling to fill new roles, with the number of available job vacancies in the UK hitting a record high of 1,300,000 between March and May 2022.

This high rate of employee turnover coupled with an increasing number of job vacancies has caused the UK job market to become increasingly candidate-driven, so businesses must do what they can to attract the right talent and retain their current staff. In this article we will look at the various benefits of a clean workplace on staff retention and other tactics your business could adopt to help boost staff retention.

The Many Benefits of a Clean Workspace

One place to start when looking at strategies to boost staff retention is to ensure that you are providing a clean and hygienic workspace for your employees. This is a quick and effective way to help boost morale, wellbeing and productivity amongst your team members, which will in turn, lower employee turnover.

Improve employee morale & wellbeing

Workers will generally spend a lot of time at your business premises, so it should be always kept clean and tidy. A messy, cluttered workspace can create distractions, whereas having a well-maintained workspace can mean your staff are more productive, efficient and happy. Having a clean workspace can make employees feel good about their work and have a sense of pride, which they will likely share with their co-workers and wider network.

Boost productivity

Disorganisation and lack of cleanliness in a workspace makes an environment much more difficult to work in, and staff will likely lose motivation quickly. Minimising clutter and distractions in your business premises will help to boost efficiency and productivity amongst your workers. Staff will be able to focus on the task at hand rather than on the mess surrounding them which will allow for a better quality of work too.

Reduce sick days

Despite the importance of regular handwashing being emphasised in recent years, many workers are still becoming ill from the workplace. As workers return to offices and other facilities are fully open, this is becoming more apparent. Viruses and bacteria can survive for days on inanimate surfaces such as door handles, keyboards, telephones and other high touch areas, spreading from employee to employee. For example, the typical office desk can harbour 10 million bacteria, which is 400 times the amount found on a standard toilet seat. Maintaining a clean and hygienic workspace will help to reduce the spread of infection and illness around the workplace, helping to limit the number of sick days taken by employees.

How a Clean Workplace Can Positively Impact Staff Retention Rates

Ensuring your premises are clean can help to improve staff retention. A clean working environment boosts employee morale and encourages satisfaction as it demonstrates a level of care and consideration taken by employers.

A clean workspace also encourages a sense of pride in where they work, as after all, who would want to work in a messy environment? A dirty business premises will reflect badly on both you and your employee, as most visitors would assume you may not be serious about other aspects of your business.

Ensuring a workspace is kept clean and tidy will help to improve loyalty and a sense of belonging amongst your team, which will help to boost staff retention.

Other Ways to Retain Staff Post-Pandemic

 Whilst providing a clean workspace provides an excellent method for staff retention, there are many other strategies that could be adopted by your business:

• Perfect your recruitment strategy – 80% of employee turnover comes down to bad hiring decisions. When hiring, you need to make sure the individual has the right cultural values that will help them blend into the team quicker. You could consider using an experienced recruitment agency to take the pressure off your management team and ensure you make the right hire.
• Offer flexible working opportunities – since the pandemic, more and more people only want to work for a company that offers hybrid working opportunities. Hybrid working gives employee’s opportunity for a work life balance, improved wellbeing and reduces absenteeism.
• Engage in CSR programs – contributing to CSR initiatives inspires loyalty and engagement amongst your employees, as well as presents your brand image to stakeholders and customers. You could organise a programme that requires input from your workers which will also help boost team bonding.
• Appreciate your employees – you don’t always need to reward your workers with financial benefits, sometimes a small gesture or a token of recognition for their work will make them feel valued and a sense of belonging.
• Develop your employee wellbeing program – both our physical and mental health were tested during lockdown and this placed more emphasis on the need to have a supportive employer with a strong wellbeing program. Offering a health plan to improve the overall health of your employees shows that your business truly cares.
• Offer growth and development opportunities – providing employees with training and development program will show that you are invested in their future. Giving employees a clear progression plan will also demonstrate that they have opportunities to advance in their careers in the long term.

Reduce Employee Turnover with a Clean Workplace

If you want to ensure the cleanest possible workplace environment, hiring professional cleaners can help to take a load off your plate, giving you time to focus on other employee retention strategies.  Jani-King have over 50 years of commercial cleaning experience and provide a flexible, cost-effective solution to a wide range of businesses. From office cleaning to restaurant cleaning, Jani-King can provide tailored services to suit your needs and budget.

Get in touch to find out more information about our commercial cleaning services and how we can help improve staff retention.