An average employee spends almost half of his waking hours at work. Having a clean and neat office is, therefore, a necessity than a luxury.

While employers have an internal staff to sweep and wipe the surfaces, I learned from experience to commission the help of a professional cleaning provider to thoroughly clean the nooks and crannies of the building.

The benefits of having a clean, organized office far outweighs the costs. Let me share 5 ultimate reasons why you should invest in wiping and mopping the floors to perfection:

Increased Work Productivity

A clean space equals a clean mind. Studies found that freeing the environment from clutter leads to increased work productivity.

Have you ever tried working in a messy desk? Then you know best how difficult it is to concentrate with too many obstructions.

Your attention is limited. With too many unnecessary stimuli competing for your attention, your productivity naturally decreases.

So when I can’t find time to remove those stubborn wall and carpet stains, I hire a professional cleaner.

They may appear harmless and irrelevant but these eyesores unconsciously pull down my drive.

Positive Company Culture

The benefits of having a clean work environment do not stop at the tangible results (i.e., productivity and revenue).

With a nice workspace also comes a nicer company culture. Don’t you just love to dress up and talk to clients confidently when your meeting rooms are equally clean, attractive, and fresh?

If the walls are painted with happy colors and the furniture pieces are sparkling with confidence, the employees are likely to exude the same vibe.

Again, these less-tangible benefits happen at the subconscious level. Everything is a play of perception.

Reduced Risk of Disease Contamination

Communicable diseases easily spread within closed spaces. My seatmate came to work with the first signs of flu, then I experienced the same symptoms just after a few days at work.

Having open spaces is great, but this doesn’t guarantee complete health safety at all.

A regular thorough professional cleaning of spaces, however, can help reduce the risk of spreading viruses.

Besides the usual vacuuming and dusting, professional office cleaning services can include sanitizing tools (e.g., computers, phones, pantry equipment, projectors), furniture (e.g., door knobs, counter tops), and other items (e.g., faucets, windows).

These preventive measures are necessary in crowded offices like mine.

Better Brand Image

You are what you wear and you are where you work. An insurance agent who brings a client to a messy, smelly office space will likely to receive a bad first impression.

The same thing happens during employment interviews. I likely perceive a company backward and poorly managed if its building is dusty, worn-out, and disorganized.

First impressions matter. In the business world, the design and cleanliness of your interiors are like what clothes are to a person.

They define the brand image. So if you’re keen to improve brand equity and revenue, don’t cut the budget for cleaning.

A clean office goes a long in silently marketing your brand to the public – tried and tested myself.

Increased Long-term Savings

Employers often overlook cleaning and organizing their offices and focus their efforts more on generating sales.

I know some employers who would totally disregard hiring cleaners, thinking that doing so eats up the operational costs.

It’s perfectly understandable to be minding the cash flow but neglecting cleaning can potentially damage the precious the movement of money one day.

For instance, one can prevent carpets from being severely stained and save cabinets from deep-seated dirt with regular cleaning.

While most cleaning providers offer a range of budget-friendly prices, the cost of deep cleaning is far higher than ordinary cleaning.

Not to mention, you may have to spend on repair or replacement costs if the damage is too much.

Prevention is always better than cure. Thus you should allot a reasonable budget for cleaning.

If you wish to hire an internal housekeeper on a part-time basis, it’s perfectly fine. But I find hiring professional cleaners occasionally is a good, strategic investment.