Despite an involuntary and unexpected months-long leave from work, employee burnout rates are still rising. As more and more of the workforce becomes a part of that sad statistic, employers are looking for ways to fight these issues.
Unprecedented times require unexpected solutions. One such solution that most managers rarely think of is to prime their work environment for productivity by keeping it clean.
Here’s how to do it:
Keep a Tidy Desk
Keeping your desk clean can have a significant impact on your work life, and you should encourage your employees to do the same.
Clutter can increase anxiety, which can lead to burnout. By keeping a tidy desk, you’ll be able to keep a tidy brain, and your focus and productivity will increase. With increased focus and productivity comes work satisfaction, and with higher work satisfaction comes less burnout.
Take a look at your desk and find what you could easily remove, like documents from past projects and tools you no longer use. Only keep essential items on your desk and store everything else.
Declutter Shared Spaces
Desks aren’t the only office clutter culprits. Shelves, counters, tables, and any other shared workspaces are just as susceptible. Like with your desk, keep only essential items displayed, and neatly organize and store everything else.
Keep the Air Fresh
Clean air is also an important part of maintaining your mental health. Studies show that air pollution has a negative impact on mental health, and there are lots of pollutants in our workspaces.
Vacuum and dust regularly so your air is fresh and clean to breathe. Open the windows to get some fresh air, and consider putting plants in your office to improve the air quality, as well.
Implement Systems to Keep the Space Clean
Even with the best of intentions, spaces can still become dirty and cluttered. It’s best to implement systems to keep spaces clean, and train employees so they aid in cleaning efforts, as well.
Here are some cleaning and organization systems you can implement in your workspace:
● Create a recycling program: Set up bins and encourage employees to utilize a recycling system. Train them on what is recyclable and what is not, and figure out how you can recycle even sensitive materials. Recycling will eliminate clutter while keeping your office more eco-friendly.
● Provide storage: Give employees space to store some of their materials, especially if you don’t want them to be visible. Many modern offices use tables as desks, or desks with no more storage space than a small drawer. If your office is similar, make sure you have adequate space for employees to store items they don’t use often but are still essential to their role.
● Dedicate time to cleaning: Because a clean space improves productivity, it will be well worth it to allot employees paid time to clean up their space. Whether you assign an hour for everyone to clean together, or expect it individually throughout the week, incentivizing employees to clean their environment will show you value a neat workspace and help maintain office-wide organization.
With a clean workspace, you’ll find your employees are happier and more productive, which will lead to less burnout and better business.