6 Ways To Keep Your Office Safe, Efficient, And Organized

It’s your responsibility as an employer to look after your staff and keep the environment they work in safe and clean. It’s also in your interest to make sure that it runs like a well-oiled machine and is as productive as it possibly can be.

Here are 6 ways to keep your office safe, efficient, and organized.

Implement a tidy desk policy

All staff have a different way they like to work. For some, their workspace must be neat and tidy at all times while for others, organized chaos is their preferred method.

Although you need to account for individual working styles, implementing a policy where desks need to be cleared every night could make your office appear far more professional. This should help to keep things running smoothly and efficiently.

Even if it’s just a case of putting everything in a tray at the end of the night, it could make a difference.

Procedures and training

An organized and efficient office needs a good set of systems and procedures. It’s also worth reviewing them from time to time and making sure that they are being adhered to. As time goes on, deviations can take place, and before you know it, a procedure that previously worked well has completely changed.

It’s also wise to carry out staff training regularly so you can check whether any employees are lacking in certain areas or perhaps need to brush up on certain procedures. If you don’t already have one, a procedures or compliance training manual can make all the difference to the efficiency of an office so it may be a good idea to put one together.

Roles and responsibilities

If you haven’t done so recently, consider whether you have enough staff to adequately service the requirements of your business. It may be that many of your employees are so busy that things are not being done as efficiently as they should be. Perhaps certain members of staff could take on more responsibility or don’t feel that they are being pushed enough.

Appraisals are a great way of getting feedback from both managers and staff and should make it apparent whether you need to recruit extra people. It’s also a great means of giving feedback and praise to staff and will keep them motivated.

Have the office cleaned regularly

Most offices will employ the services of a contract cleaner to come in regularly to ensure that cleanliness is kept to a certain standard. They will usually give you various options and you can advise them what you would like to be done and how regularly. It’s very common for office cleaners to visit every evening to dust, vacuum, and take away any rubbish that has accumulated throughout the day.

Due to Coronavirus, many cleaners may deem it necessary to wear a disposable isolation suit to help minimize the risk of the virus being spread. They may also ask that all employees vacate the office by a certain time so the office is empty when they arrive. The virus can live on surfaces for some time so the cleaner your office is, the more protected your staff will be.

First Aid

Depending on where you live, this may be a legal requirement, so find out what the laws are and make sure you are abiding by them. A first aider will be trained to deal with various things such as performing CPR, dealing with burns, or knowing what to do if someone faints.

It’s a good idea to have more than one trained first aider within your team to cover for vacations, illness, and such like. Make sure your staff know who the first aiders are, and ensure that they receive up-to-date training as and when needed.

Fire safety

It is your responsibility to ensure that all staff are au fait with what to do in the event of a fire. When you recruit new staff, you should make them aware of where the fire exits are as well as specifying where they should congregate in the event of having to exit the building.

It is also essential that you appoint a fire marshal. They will be responsible for making sure that all members of staff are accounted for should a fire occur.

Hard wired smoke detectors should also be fitted in various locations throughout your office. If you are in any doubt at all on what is required, contact your local fire brigade who will guide you in the right direction.