Can Your Workspace Benefit From a Spring Clean?

You spend 40-plus hours a week in your office, so it’s no wonder that, at the end of the week, you can end up searching under piles of paper for your car keys and mobile phone when it’s time to go home.

A clean office makes for a clear head. Setting up systems and sticking to them allows you to work smarter while you work harder.

With clear rules and strategies, a workplace clear out can also declutter your mind and improve productivity.

So is it time for a spring clean? Here are 5 tips to get you started.

1. File as you go

One of the biggest office offenders are piles of paperwork on your desk, on your shelves, and eventually on your floor. It’s easy to get busy and start stacking papers to file for later, but before you know it, you have a task that’s too big to tackle.

The key is to process papers as you go. Set up a system of trays or file folders that are clearly labelled and make it a habit to use them. The same goes for your computer desktop.

2. Eliminate your digital clutter

Digital clutter is as frustrating to deal with as physical clutter.

Clean out your inbox. Read, reply and delete emails you no longer need. Remove unused desktop icons on your computer by filing documents away into folders. The less icons on your screen, the easier it will be to find the ones you’re looking for.

3. What is in your draws?

Most people throw things into a desk drawer to get them out of sight, out of mind. After time, you will have no idea what’s in that drawer and become anxious even opening it.

Use drawer dividers to give everything a place, like compartments for paperclips and rubber bands. Then go through the drawer every six weeks and clear out anything that is out of place or isn’t being used.

Even put this task on your calendar, to you ensure that you remember.

4. Prolong the life of your collections

With books and shelves attracting dust containing everything from pollen and mould spores to textile fibres and skin cells, staff and visitors can suffer as a result. Dust creates an unpleasant environment, deteriorates collections and provides health hazards.

Book and shelf cleaning can help prolong the life of collections whilst improving the experience of visitors and protecting staff from health issues.

5. Clean your electronics

No matter how tidy you are, you still need to prevent the build-up of dust, dirt, food stains and fingerprints.

Giving your desk, phone, keyboard and monitor a wipe down once a week will not only keep your desk clean, but also force you to tidy up any loose papers and lingering trash.

Why should I have a clean workplace?

A clean workspace will protect staff and visitors from irritation, allergy and longer term health issues.

Office cleanliness may not seem like a big deal, but here are some statistics to make you reconsider the way you keep your office clean:

• According to The Drum, sick days costs UK businesses a staggering £29 billion a year! With poor office hygiene chosen as one of the main reasons for sick days taken by employees.
• Unplanned sick days cause a decrease of 54% in productivity and a decrease of 39% in both sales and customer service availability.

Crown Workspace can provide a dedicated specialist in-house or call-out team to manage your day-to-day move and change requirement, helping to keep your office space in tip top condition.

Our service includes planning and implementing multiple daily changes for events, presentations and meetings, and repairs to furniture.

Depending on the type of service you require, we can provide you with your own site-based team.

They will work closely with your staff to plan and carry out your workplace change requirements to ensure that you have the required support as soon as you need it, allowing you to concentrate on business as usual.

For more information on how we can support your spring clean and keep your office a place everyone can be proud of, please contact us on 0208 976 2100 or send us an email: crownworkspace@crownww.com