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A clean and tidy warehouse has business benefits
5 ways cleaning and maintaining your warehouse can boost UK employee productivity
Jesse Lawrence
Your warehouse is pivotal to the work you do, and while this can be a busy hub of productivity, it's easy to neglect the cleaning — especially when it'll just get dirty again the next day. But, giving it some TLC can make all the difference to your company's results. Here, Barry Crackett from quality brushware manufacturer, Brushtec discusses how cleaning and maintaining your warehouse is important for UK labour productivity.
Your warehouse is crucial for keeping everything running smoothly, but with so many people coming in and out daily, it can be difficult to keep on top of the cleaning. But, with the Office of National Statistics reporting that productivity levels fell by 0.5% in Quarter 2 of 2019, which was preceded by two periods of zero growth, it's time to address dwindling motivation levels.
And, one simple way of doing this is to ensure your workplace is clean, tidy and organised. Here, I will be discussing how taking the time to maintain your warehouse can have a positive effect on labour productivity.
Lessens the chance of injuries and accidents
As an employer, you have a duty of care to protect the health, safety and welfare of your employees. This includes assessing workplace risks and taking all measures reasonably practicable to ensure safety as detailed in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. But, with figures showing that over 69,000 employee injuries were reported by employers in 2018/19 (HSE), there's plenty more we can be doing as employers.
And, one of the simplest ways of keeping your employees safe is to give them a clean and tidy environment to work in. For example, having your warehouse floors swept and mopped frequently can help to reduce the risk of slips on spilled liquids, as well as trips over scrap material that's been left on the floor in the hustle and bustle of everything. Plus, when everything is free of muck and dust, it can prevent the spread of germs and reduce sick days.
Boosts morale
Just like you wouldn’t want to spend time in an unclean house, staff will struggle to keep focus if the warehouse is dirty. But, spending enough time tending to your worktops and flooring will pay off and can even boost their morale. This is because they will feel more valued and looked after when they're coming into a clean workspace.
This in turn will make them happier to work, therefore boosting their productivity. In support of this, research has found that clutter problems led to a significant decrease in satisfaction of life among adults (Current Psychology). The results of this study imply that, with a clean and tidy workspace, your employees will be happier in general, which can have a knock-on effect to the quality and quantity of their work.
Makes tasks easier
When your staff don't have to start their day dusting off their surfaces and rifling through mess to find what they need, it'll help to make their job easier. When all of their tools, equipment and resources are in the correct place, it'll help to cut down the amount of time your workers spend picking and packing your orders.
Similarly, having a well-organised system can reduce the number of orders being sent out with errors or becoming damaged, which can improve your brand reputation and increase the number of repeat sales from satisfied customers. To ensure your operations are running smoothly, it's important that you set a strict cleaning schedule and enforce rules for tidying up that all members of staff must follow.
Reduces the chance of disruptions to their work
Frequent cleaning can reduce the chances of important elements in your warehouse needing maintenance, which can be costly and hinder your workers from being able to carry out their duties properly. For example, taking the time to clear out any machinery at the end of each day can ensure they're working efficiently for the next day, while clearing up spills off the floor straight away can mean you don't have to contend with hardened debris or stains when it comes to giving your flooring a deep clean.
Can attract great talent
Taking the time to clean your warehouse often can help to maintain its aesthetic, which in turn can have a knock-on effect on productivity. If your workers have a nice workspace, it's likely that they'll enjoy working and will be more likely to look after your warehouse themselves, whereas if it was a mess they may not see the point.
If you're looking to recruit some fantastic new talent to join your workforce, you'll want to make sure your warehouse looks orderly. Potential candidates can be put off by cluttered environments, as these are commonly associated with stress and chaos. So, if you're looking to attract the best candidates to your job vacancies, it's important that you have a clean and tidy warehouse to show them round.
There are so many benefits to cleaning and maintaining your warehouse, especially for your employees. As well as making it an overall safer place, it can also mean your staff can work more efficiently and without disruptions.
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