We all enjoy clean spaces and feel better in them, whether we consciously realise it or not.
From the crispness of recently laundered sheets on the bed to the sense of calm we feel when our desk is neat and organised, there’s something incredibly soothing about being in a clean house or a tidy workspace.
Most people know that they feel better in a hygienic, uncluttered space. However, what they don’t realise is that there are actual science-backed benefits to regularly cleaning our homes and workplaces.
If you crave cleanliness but struggle to maintain your home or workspace, perhaps knowing what the science says about orderly spaces can help. Below are five fascinating reasons why humans love immaculate rooms.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve all become more aware than ever of how quickly illnesses can spread. We’re also more concerned about keeping ourselves safe and avoiding getting sick or spreading germs.
Regular cleaning is one of the easiest ways to prevent illness and disease from ripping through the workplace.
Think about all the ways someone could get sick in an office or another workspace.
Employees can easily spread germs through phones, keyboards, the break room appliances, and other high-touch surfaces.
New research shows that computer keyboards are 20,000
times dirtier
than toilet seats!
Imagine that one employee is feeling a bit under the weather and touches a bunch of items in the office without sanitising them. In just a couple of hours, they’ve made it easy for others to pick up their germs and get sick.
Employees can also spread illnesses by letting dirt and dust build up throughout the workplace. Viruses (such as influenza) can spread through the air by clinging to dust, fibres, and other tiny particles.
Clean spaces aren’t just good for our physical health. They can also improve humans’ mental well-being and ability to focus at work.
People’s workspaces often mimic the state of their minds. If your space is often cluttered or dirty, you might find that you’re more scatterbrained or get flustered more often. On the flip side, if your area is neat and organised, you might find that you’re focused and at peace while you work.
Dr Gregory Scott Brown, a board-certified psychiatrist, explains that clutter can negatively affect the brain. For example, being in a cluttered space can increase levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.
Elevated cortisol causes you to feel more stressed and anxious. When you’re stressed and anxious, it’s harder to focus on your work and get things done. You might be more distracted or get overwhelmed faster than usual.
Clean workspaces can also make you more productive.
Research shows that tidy environments create more opportunities for employees to buckle down and get things done. Because they can focus more easily, they waste less time trying to find essential items or trying to push past environmental distractions to deal with the task at hand.
Cleanliness also improves productivity by boosting employee job satisfaction.
Which employee is likely to be more productive: An employee who enjoys their job and likes coming to work, or an employee who dreads walking into the office and counts down the seconds until they get to leave?
When employees have clean, organised workspaces, it’s easier for them to feel happy on the job and have a positive attitude toward their employer.
Happy employees also create a more positive company culture, improving productivity, increasing employee loyalty, and enhancing recruiting and hiring efforts.
Clean environments are safe environments. Not only are dirty workspaces more likely to be breeding grounds for germs, but they also increase employees’ injury risk.
If your workspace is cluttered and nothing is put away in its proper place, employees are more likely to trip while trying to navigate their way around the office. If food or drinks get spilled and aren’t cleaned up promptly, they can also increase people’s risk of slipping and falling at work.
Even if these trips and slips don’t lead to severe injuries, they’re still annoying and can prevent employees from feeling happy and productive on the job.
Regular cleaning also keeps hazards out of your office. For example, if your hallways are full of boxes, you could make it harder for your employees to leave the building promptly if a fire occurs.
Old paper and cardboard boxes — especially if you store them improperly — can also be fire hazards and threaten your employees’ safety.
Scientists have found that it takes a mere 1/10 of a second to formulate a judgment about someone or something (including your office space, your employees, or your business as a whole).
What kind of impression does your workplace make?
Imagine a potential customer or a job seeker walks into your office and sees that it’s cluttered or dirty. If this is their first impression, they’re unlikely to think positively about your company. They might even decide that they want to take their business elsewhere or look for a different job instead.
When you prioritise cleanliness, you ensure that your workspace always has a positive impact on anyone who happens to stop by. You never know when you’ll get a surprise visitor, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep the office neat and clean at all times.
From improving our physical health to making good impressions on our guests, there are many science-backed reasons to clean your office and make sure it stays that way.
If you're looking to experience all these benefits and more at your workplace but don’t have the time to clean regularly, we can help at Clean Feeling.
Our team of fully insured, certified cleaners offer reliable, on-time, and organised cleaning services. We also specialise in commercial cleaning, including professional offices, warehouses, retail outlets, schools, and medical clinics.
Want to know what we can do for you? Reach out and get a free quote today.
.
