Washrooms are an intimate place for everyone. This is why good hygiene and presentation are essential, especially for office washrooms. Where there is good hygiene, people feel more comfortable to work and interact.
Washrooms that are not up-to-date make people feel uncomfortable. Sometimes, the lack of washroom products makes going to the washroom a difficult task.
According to an interior design expert, what we see around us forms 80% of our experiences.
Office washrooms send out non-verbal communication to workers. Faded paint, steel doors and broken washroom parts send the wrong message. They may not feel valued.
A dull workplace design makes workers dull. Workers feel more pressure during work hours because of the workplace presentation. This heightens stress levels.
The design, location and maintenance of washrooms have an effect on employee performance. This means your office washroom may even give your employees low morale to work. This is costly to a business in the long-run because of unproductive and irritable workers.
This article is a guide to improving office washrooms.
How to Improve Your Office Washroom
Now that you know why improving office washrooms is necessary, you need to know how to do it. Here we take a look at six of the best ways to go about it.
Spruce up Your Decor
We spend a lot of time in the washroom. In fact, we spend around 1.5 years in the washroom during a lifetime. Making sure your washroom is stylish and up-to-date makes going to the washroom worthwhile.
The decor is the first thing we notice in a washroom. It sends out a particular message. According to research, good decor receives more positive feedback.
Create a fun and fresh perspective with your office decor. Use high energy colour schemes, such as blue, yellow or white. This makes the washroom experience more memorable and relaxing.
You can incorporate this new perspective in the workspace to match the washrooms. This lightens up the mood. It makes interaction among workers more relaxed.
The decor is important because colours affect our moods. Studies show that monotone themes have a negative effect on workers’ productivity.
Allow enough light to illuminate your office washroom. Don’t over-tint washroom windows. This allows natural light in the washroom. Installing bright lights in washrooms should improve upon the appearance.
Generally, dull washrooms create a sense of fright. Going into a dark washroom feels like walking into a horror movie scene. It creates a sense of unsafety.
Don’t be shy about adding extra accessories to your washroom. Go with accessories that match with the theme of your washroom.
For example, you can add a vase of flowers for a more calm theme. Having flowers has a calming effect. They create better concentration and improve memory.
This makes your washroom looks more put together and up-to-date.
Upgrade Your Washroom Products
Ensure your washroom has everything your workers need.
This means providing for basic washroom necessities. These are such as tissue, hand hygiene products and air fresheners. These are important for any washroom visit. Make sure these products are available in good number.
In improving office washrooms, you may want to go the extra mile. This sends out a positive message to workers that you care about their hygiene and health.
Provide for products that appear unconventional but are important to washroom goers.
Providing these grooming essentials enables workers to care for themselves. This sends the message that you care for their personal needs.
Regular Washroom Maintenance
Regular maintenance ensures that your washroom stays in good condition. Hiring deep cleaning services is one way to maintain your office washroom.
Deep cleaning kills germs and exterminates odour in hard-to-reach areas of the washroom. Sometimes air fresheners don’t cut it. Hanging smells make the washroom uncomfortable to be in.
Regular cleaning of the washroom makes the washroom experience bearable. It protects workers from potential health risks posed by germs. Doing so protects the reputation of your workplace.
Use of digital washroom hygiene products contributes to improving office washrooms. Automated hand hygiene and toilet sanitising products are common today. This is the same case with automatic taps and hand dryers. These products contribute to the cleanliness of the washroom.
They are automatic, so there is no need to touch them. This reduces the spread of germs among workers.
Maintenance and replacement of washroom parts save washroom goers from embarrassing situations. It is difficult to maintain good toilet etiquette when the appliances don’t work.
If you regularly inspect your washroom, you’ll end up spending less money to buy new parts. It promotes good toilet etiquette. When workers see their employers care about the washrooms, they feel obliged to do the same.
Have Some Fun
Lighten up a little and have some fun with your office washroom. The workplace atmosphere doesn’t need to be tense all the time. In fact, workers who laugh at work tend to stay around longer than those who don’t. We all know that a good laugh relieves stress.
‘‘Keeping people happy is what makes them perform.’’
Stewart Shanley (Founder of ‘the Smile Squad’)
Studies show that introducing humour improves employee productivity in the workplace. It brightens the mood in the workplace and workers engage better with one another.
Use quirky posters to lighten the mood. Placing them on toilet cubicle doors, at the sink area or on the main washroom door is a good way to encourage humour. This gives washroom goers a sense of relief and shows the importance of toilet etiquette.
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Better Air Circulation
Improve office washrooms by adding windows. Ensure there is a good air ventilation system. This provides good air circulation which reduces mould caused by dampness.
Where there are windows, ensure they remain open wide enough to allow fresh air to get in.
If there are no windows, don’t worry. Use of a good air conditioning system allows for proper air circulation.
Use air fresheners to end bad odour. This uplifts the mood of employees and improves their productivity at work.
Cramped up washrooms have poor air circulation. This lets bad odours hang around.
Poor ventilation has negative effects on workers. This includes causing fatigue and reducing their ability to concentrate at work.
Safety Measures
Installing wet area mats ensures that slip and fall accidents don’t occur. This is one product that many office washrooms need.
Washroom tiles are slippery surfaces, which make it easier to slip and fall. Leakages or spilled water also cause accidents. Placing mats in washrooms to give your shoes a good grip prevent slip and fall accidents.
These items improve office washrooms, making them safer and more comfortable for all.
“…took care of all our requirements, in one hit, fantastic!”
Miranda Sage, Administration and Marketing Manager, Delta Stock Crates Ltd
Improving your office washroom may prove to be a difficult task, but Alsco makes it so much easier.
Get in touch with us today for a fast, free quote tailored to your business needs.
Photo: needpix
