Are Your Washrooms Impacting Your Bottomline?

Are your organisation's washrooms up to par?

If not, it could impact your reputation and bottom line. Maintaining clean and green washrooms has never been more important than in today's post-pandemic world. A recent survey by Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) found that 76% of respondents had poor experiences with hand hygiene in public washrooms since the pandemic.

So, how can you ensure your washrooms are clean, green, and up to standard?

Here are some tips from our industry experts:

1. Choose quality products that are reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable: Soaps and sanitisers that don't dry out hands and leave users feeling clean are essential, as are facilities for quick but effective hand drying.
2. Design your washroom environment to operate as seamlessly as possible: Touchless fixtures, like touch-free taps, automatic soap dispensers, automatic paper towel dispensers, sensor-operated dryers, and automatic toilet flushes can help to reduce cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria.
3. Ensure washroom consumables are regularly replenished, and the area is kept scrupulously clean: Positioning regularly updated cleaning rotas in plain sight, alongside the consistent upkeep of washrooms, including keeping soaps and papers fully stocked, allows facility managers to express their care for their customers visibly.
4. Educate cleaning staff: During the pandemic, fogging and over-cleaning became commonplace, ultimately counterproductive as it wastes cleaning products and labour time. In addition, the excess of chemicals doesn't make the space any cleaner and, of course, could be better for the environment.
5. Control costs: Reduce waste by choosing refillable hygiene solutions such as dispensers, air fresheners, and cleaning products. Avoid opting for the cheapest possible systems, such as loose paper towels, bulk-fill soaps and jumbo rolls, or conventional toilet rolls.
6. Choose permanent fixtures carefully: KCP advises using LED lighting, which can support hygiene maintenance without depleting resources. In addition, LED lights communicate when a unit needs attention to minimise wasted time and reduce touchpoints for a more hygienic experience.

By implementing these strategies, you can help ensure that your organisation's washrooms are clean, green, and up to standard. Not only will this boost your reputation, but it will also show your customers that you care about their health and wellbeing.

So, invest in your washrooms today and reap the rewards tomorrow!

Government Criticised for Ignoring Vital Cleaning and Hygiene Report

The Cleaning and Hygiene Industry Calls for UK Government Action: All-Party Parliamentary Group Report Finds Cleaning and Hygiene are Key to Public Health

In a recent report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry calls for the UK Government to adopt 11 recommendations to improve public health and make the UK more resilient to future pandemics. The report, 'Embedding Effective Hygiene for a Resilient UK', has been backed by 22 trade associations representing the ï¿¡59 billion cleaning, hygiene, and waste industry. The report highlights the need to prioritise cleaning and hygiene, including setting minimum levels of cleaning materials and equipment, developing a standard qualification for cleaning, and providing training budgets for cleaning operatives.

The British Cleaning Council, as the secretariat for the APPG, is leading the campaign for these recommendations to be adopted. Jim Melvin, the Chairman of BCC, said,

“If adopted, the report’s recommendations will help to save lives in the future. It is time for the Government to sit up and take notice.” The recommendations also call for the establishment of a joint Government-industry preparedness team to plan for public health emergencies and support for the cleaning and hygiene industry to realign perceptions of the industry.

The 'We Clean, We Care' campaign, led by the BCC, asks industry members to download a pre-written letter from the BCC website to email to their MP supporting the report. The campaign also seeks to increase public awareness of the crucial role that cleaning and hygiene staff perform in keeping others safe and healthy. By adopting the recommendations of the APPG report, the UK can improve its resilience to current and future public health emergencies, including COVID-19 and flu.

Chairman of the BCC, Jim Melvin, said:

“It is inexplicable and arguably reckless that the Government does not appear to have any interest in the cleaning and hygiene industry as this vital report, if adopted, could help to save lives in the future. It is time for the Government to sit up and take notice.

“These are sensible recommendations based on the advice of industry and public health experts that together will ensure the lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of cleaning and hygiene are learnt for the benefit of UK citizens.

“By making cleaning and hygiene a national priority going forward, we will help protect the public from future Covid variants and any other future pandemic, as well as commonly recurring infections like flu.

"The public will be healthier, happier and safer if cleaning and hygiene are culturally recognised as a key, frontline service with a vital role in public health.

"But if the Government continues to see cleaning and hygiene as a cultural after-thought, as before the Covid-19 pandemic, they are effectively risking public health. This report must be fully reviewed and adopted."

The recommendations of the APPG report are summarised below:

Why Hydration Has Become a Workplace Issue!

In today's fast-paced world, where we spend most of our waking hours at work, it's easy to overlook the importance of hydration.

But with dehydration-related issues accounting for 1 in 5 GP appointments, it’s time for us to take a closer look at this growing workplace issue.

According to research, the average contracted hours for a full-time job in the UK are 37 hours per week, while part-time jobs require 16 hours per week. With so much time spent at work, we must meet our hydration needs for our overall health and well-being.

Staying hydrated can be challenging for many people in the workplace. Busy schedules, high workloads, and the type of work we do can all impact our ability to access water throughout the day. A third of Brits admit to not drinking enough water, which can lead to severe dehydration-related issues.

To address this problem, the UK government has implemented regulations under the 1992 Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, which require employers to provide their workers with safe drinking water.

The Health & Safety Executive has also provided employers with guidelines on implementing good hydration habits in the workplace.

Under these guidelines, it is recommended that when working hard or in high temperatures, employees should consume at least half a pint of water every 15 minutes. Failure to do so affects employee well-being and the safety of others, as dehydration can lead to cognitive impairment and errors.

Given the impact on productivity and wellbeing, many organisations proactively ensure their employees drink enough daily water. This includes providing access to water, training and guidance for employees, and adequate hydration breaks.

However, for some roles, such as those in the medical or building sectors, it can be not easy to take a break and drink the water due to the nature of their work. In these cases, HR and Occupational Health professionals play a vital role in ensuring that people understand the importance of hydration and have access to water.

In recent years, there has been a 5% increase in human resources roles in the UK, indicating that more organisations are taking employee wellbeing strategies seriously. This is a positive development, as it highlights the importance of promoting good hydration habits in the workplace and the need to create a workplace culture that prioritises employee health and wellbeing.

For workplaces looking to reap the benefits of a happy and hydrated workforce, make water a priority in the office with these simple steps:

This week's "Watercooler Wisdom" edition is sponsored by EMC & Associates, FREE to use an AI-powered Facilities Management chatbot. So give it a try, and let us know what you think.