Long before there was a pandemic to deal with, every business owner and facility manager had similar goals:
1. to make their space spotlessly clean and looking great;
2. to do everything possible to prevent the spread of germs, keeping everyone healthy;
3. doing everything possible to make the facility fundction as well as it looked — keeping everyone safe.
These are the same goals NLC Solutions has embraced for the entire 35 years we have been in business, and still do today.
The basics are back in fashion
The pandemic made proper hygiene the overall focus. Due to the deadly and infectious nature of the virus there were some very strong actions employed to control the virus – from masking to social distancing to isolation to vaccinations. There wasn't much you could do that was not affected. It was radical and tiring and still lingers.
As we continue to adjust it is important to do whatever we can to protect each other and our loved ones. So stay with it – mask up when appropriate. It's so easy and it might save a life. Get your vaccines, all of them. The numbers don't lie.
As we move on into the new normal it is not a bad time to consider some of the "little things" that have gotten so much attention during the pandemic. Basically everything we've been taught from the time we were children. The list starts with washing hands (often), covering up a sneeze or cough, don't touch your face, especially the eyes and mouth. It continues with: washing high-touch surfaces with warm soapy water, providing access to sanitizing wipes and gels, using care when handling food and utensils. There was also a lot of effort put into keeping buildings well ventilated, using inline filtering in a closed system. Also essential was keeping contaminants out of the air with thorough vacuuming on a regular basis.
Make your routine cleaning count, do the little things
By "little things" we mean all the good, considerate personal actions that just make healthy sense — pre-pandemic and today:
Wash your hands
Cover your cough or sneeze
Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes
Avoid close contact with people who are sick / Stay home if YOU are sick
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
Get your staff on board with this. Use signage when appropriate. Make portable sanitary gel dispensers accessible.
Businesses that maintain a clean environment experience fewer employees missing work due to illness. They always put a priority on pro-active maintenance, cleaning, and sanitizing. Clean and sanitary also impacts your bottom line, it's an incredibly simple and low cost way to making a business more productive. Clean and healthy environments bring out the best in staff and customers alike.
What about sick days? Keeping everyone involved in the effort is very important, even if it means an employee has to leave for the day or work from home because they are visibly ill. Most of us have been on a job where one person begins coughing or sneezing and within just a couple days, others are coming down with the same illness.
Improved Mood and Better Concentration A clean working environment elevates the mood of everyone in the office, contributing to a positive attitude and better productivity. And, remember you can't even get to clean if your way is blocked by clutter. When all you can see around you is disorder, it will affect your overall day. This is true throughout a building. All areas must be clean and well-maintained. Even a clean, orderly office cannot make up for a restroom or lunch room that looks like the last place you'd want to grab a coffee.
Can you do it all alone? Getting your staff on board with maintaining a clean office is a great start. However, if your business is succeeding and growing at a great rate, it usually takes a lot of work. There comes a time when doing your own cleaning becomes a negative. If your talented employees have to stop being talented to mop the floor it is time to talk to a professional cleaning company. We are biased but we'll suggest calling NLC Solutions Commercial Cleaning. We can take over your cleaning chores very affordably, without a long-term contract and with all the custom touches your business needs. We are insured and bonded and extremely experienced. And, we guarantee our results 100%. If we miss something, let us know and we will fix it asap. Let's get started, call us at (908) 753-3900.