Better hygiene facilities create happier employees

Surveys carried out in 2022 revealed some interesting statistics about the links between poor washroom provision and employee complaints – revealing that office workers are more likely to complain about washrooms than any other aspect of their workplace.

“Employees care very much about the state of the toilets”, says Lee Radzki from Tork manufacturer Essity. A recent Statista study showed that dissatisfaction about the toilets account for more than 45 per cent of office building complaints.

A second survey carried out in 2022 revealed that well over two thirds of office employees regard cleanliness as the most important aspect of a good working environment. Almost the same percentage of people believe the state of the washrooms reflects the hygiene standards of the building overall.

Ensuring clean and efficiently run facilities can be a real challenge for facility managers in today’s tough climate. Supply chain issues, labour shortages, sustainability legislation and a high staff turnover are making an already difficult job even harder. Facility managers are only able to spend around 18 per cent of their time improving cleaning performance and quality. Yet cleaning quality is cited as their number one priority.

But there is a way to ensure a happier workspace and more hygienic toilets. This can be achieved by introducing smart hygiene solutions across the entire facility.

Introducing the Tork Office Hygiene Package

In a bid to help businesses improve staff satisfaction in the workplace, Essity has launched the Tork Office Hygiene Package^TM which includes Tork Vision Cleaning.

Tork Vision Cleaning is designed to streamline cleaning operations.  Using real-time data from people-counters and connected dispensers, Tork Vision Cleaning indicates to facility managers when extra cleaning might be required or when a washroom dispenser might need to be refilled. This reduces the number of dispenser checks required by up to 91 per cent while ensuring dispensers are kept topped up 99 per cent of the time.

Tork high-capacity dispensers ensure that refills are always readily available while the units are easy to use and quick to refill, improving cleaning programme efficiency.  The Tork SmartOne® toilet tissue system helps to manage paper usage, delivering one sheet at a time, reducing consumption by up to 40 per cent.

The Tork PeakServe® Continuous^TM Hand Towel Dispenser provides a long-lasting supply, catering for more than 1,000 guests between refills. It requires a low pull force to use and can be topped up at any time for ease of maintenance. Also included is Tork Foam Soaps, supplied in a long-lasting cartridge that serves up to 1,650 visitors per refill.

A digital challenge for facility managers

The Office Complaints Minimiser™, is a new gamified digital challenge for facility managers that allows FMs to test their knowledge against industry data and improve their understanding of hygiene and cleaning solutions.

The new Tork Constant Air Freshener is a propellant-free aircare system that neutralises odours continuously and evenly. Refills can be easily integrated into normal cleaning routines, while the product is third-party certified as being easy to use for speedier refilling with each dispenser mounted at a reachable height for cleaners.

There is no doubting the importance of keeping the workplace clean and hygienic, but employees also want their washrooms to be sustainable. A recent study carried out by Essity revealed that 80% office employees are concerned with the environmental impact of their workplace.

The Tork survey – carried out among 2,000 office workers – also showed that more than half of employees will go out of their way to separate waste in the office, and the same number said they had considered trying to implement sustainable practices in the office themselves.

Employers can prove their environmental commitment by signing up to Tork PaperCircle®, a unique towel recycling service. Tork PaperCircle reduces total environmental footprint for hand towels by 40 per cent compared with current waste-handling options. Instructional signage on the back of toilet cubicle doors introduces users to the concept and explains how hand towels are recycled. Visitors are directed to use the recycling bins via clear signage, while the bin for disposing of general refuse is marked with a contrasting sign.

In today’s challenging landscape, it is important that office managers do whatever it takes to keep their employees happy and motivated. A healthier workplace is a happier workplace, so it makes good sense to ensure that facilities are clean, comfortable and sustainable spaces of which employees can be proud.

This is a sponsored article brought to you by Essity. 

To learn more about the Tork Office Hygiene Package^TM and how their smart hygiene solutions can improve staff satisfaction in the workplace visit: www.tork.co.uk/officehygiene