Workplace Cleanliness

General Office Space

The workplace should be a professional and clean environment.  It’s important for everyone keep the office space tidy, organized and clean.

• Keep your work space tidy at all times.
• Remove clutter from your work space and common areas.
• Ensure electrical cords are neatly bundled.
• Make sure no boxes or other items block doorways, hallways and fire exits.
• Remove uneaten food from the office fridge at the end of the day.
• Discard food wrappers in the appropriate bins.
• Use recycling bins.

Desks and Work Areas

Each employee should clean and maintain their own workstation or work areas.  A cluttered workplace looks very untidy, and you will feel lethargic to work after a few days.  Folders, papers, stationery, and all the other important things that you have on your desk should be organized at the end of the day.  Check if you have any trash or useless paper printouts on your desk at the end of the day.  If you have any, throw them in the trash or shred them in the paper shredder.

It is best to eat only in the kitchen.  Food and liquid spills might cause damage to computer equipment at the desk and leave unpleasant stains and odors.  Food particles and leftovers may also lure pests inside.  If food is brought in the workstation, employees should clean up immediately and make sure no stains and scraps of food are left.

Kitchen

Staff members shouldn’t assume that other employees will clean up after them.  Instead, if they make a mess, it is their responsibility to clean the mess. Follow these office kitchen rules to help ensure everything stays clean:

• Wash and dry your own dishes.
• Scrape uneaten food into the trash. Do NOT put food down the drain.
• Reseal any uneaten food, and store it neatly in the cabinet or refrigerator.
• Never leave open food on the counter, as it can attract bugs.
• Wipe up spills immediately.
• Clean up spills on the floor immediately to avoid slip and fall incidents.

Everyone in the office is welcome to use the microwave and refrigerator.  Be forewarned, however, that the refrigerator is not for long-term storage.  To prevent rotten food, the refrigerator will be cleaned out periodically.

• Label your lunch to help identify which food belongs to each employee.
• Never cram or shove other people’s food to make room for yours. Instead, consider reorganizing the fridge until everything fits properly.
• Wipe up spills immediately.
• Remove rotting or spoiled food immediately.
• Clean up splatters in the microwave as soon as they occur.