BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
Some seven years ago, I had a chance to attend training at a center that belongs to Ethiopian Agriculture Research Institute located in Bishoftu Town. The architectural design, scenery and greenery of the office compound were eye-catching and awesome that everyone would be tempted to settle there permanently.
Everyone wished to
have the same clean and orderly environment at home and office as it is not
unusual for people in the office to be responsible for maintaining clean rooms
and a healthy environment. However, such an interesting environment at work is
relatively orderly and organized so everyone in the room or compound can
function well.
While some might not think of a clean work environment in terms of a priority, having a clean and organized appearance at work can impact various and important aspects of productivity. The success of the company could hinge, to a certain extent, on the cleanliness of its offices, conference rooms, workstations, and lobbies.
For starters, having a clean workplace will make them appear more professional. A clean work environment makes it much more appealing for clients and customers to mill about their worksite. It will benefit their company or organization internally and externally.
Since the reform government led by Dr Abiy Ahmed took power, cleaning and beautifying the office environment has been taken as part of the reform. Primarily, the Premier himself was appearing as a good model via renovating the old Menelik II palace and making it a source of income apart from using it as his office. Observing the difference it made, other ministries have followed suit.
Accordingly, the Addis Ababa City Mayor Office inaugurated the long served heritage after renovation works took several months. To be frank, the majestic look of the office is more impressive than the grace it had. Attracted by the awe-inspiring scenery of the municipality office, people are expected to rush to it more than ever before not only for visiting the old building that is being served heritage, but also to get wonderful service from its workers who serve the public happily.
As many scholars witnessed, what the Ethiopian government has been and is doing is quite perfect. If there is a dirty and disorganized setting at work, employees will not feel motivated to competently and eagerly perform their work duties. What’s more, disorganization presents challenges when it comes to excelling at work. Conversely, when the workplace is clean and tidy, employees and other staff will be energized and more inspired to embrace their work responsibilities. Cleanliness and organization also make it easier to find and keep track of documents, files and other valuable items that are integral to effectively performing work activities.
A clean and tidy work environment looks appealing and more importantly welcoming to any potential clients. It instils confidence creates trust from the very beginning and leaves the clients with the impression of efficiency and strong attention to detail. Dirty floors or smudgy conference room tables, on the other hand, tell your potential clients that you lack the necessary professionalism to take care of your employees, let alone a new client. The same can be said for a chaotic reception area.
Image is everything when it comes to business being successful and attracting customers. When visitors and customers arrive at the workplace, the organization is selling its image and it wants them to be impressed with its professionalism. How a company’s office appears is a direct reflection of how it operates. Potential clients could be turned off if they observe a slovenly business. The organization could lose new business, as a result. A messy and untidy work environment could tarnish your company’s image and negatively impact how the outside world perceives you.
What is more, when an organization maintains a clean work environment, it supports good health and positive health habits among its employees. Employees are more appreciative and less distracted by clean workspaces that are also free of clutter and unpleasant smells. Aside from boosting worker productivity, cleanliness can bring about heightened overall job satisfaction.
As far as employees and visitors are concerned, having a clean and tidy environment extends to all rooms and workspaces at a work site. When it comes to the mind of the average consumer, a tidy work environment implies superior, quality products and services. And it doesn’t matter what type of work you’re doing, whether it’s serving food, doing taxes or selling furniture. A potential customer will most certainly be judging your entire brand based on how your office space looks and feels, and that includes any products and services you might be offering. Don’t let a messy work environment result in a potential customer walking away.
The other point scholars pinpoint in this regard is, dirty and cluttered work environments not only have the potential for causing low worker morale and interference with productivity, but they also can lead to trips and slips.
As an entrepreneur or a business owner, the cleanliness of a given workspace is probably not the first thing that comes to mind each day. Having a clean and healthy workspace is a major cornerstone when it comes to running a successful business. However, most business owners take notice of such things only when they get completely out of hand.
This is why the need to make sure offices are regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure that employees are happy, healthy and productive while also leaving a good first impression on business partners and potential customers.
Most employees consider their workplaces as a second home and as such, organizations need to focus on keeping the office clean and tidy. By keeping the work environment well-maintained, an entity is allowing its employees to be productive, efficient, and more importantly, happy.
Experts recommend that you work on educating workers on the importance of maintaining a clean and hygienic office space. An unclean work environment is an excellent breeding ground for various germs and allergens, which only emphasizes the need to keep it clean at all times. Air quality is another factor that greatly influences the workspace performance, as well as the health of employees.
Studies indicated that the number of airborne pollutants is 100 times greater than it is outdoors, which makes investing in a proper filtration system all the more urgent and necessary. A great way to improve the air quality in the company is to invest in plants that filter out excess carbon dioxide and pollutants from the air and provide workers with additional levels of clean air and oxygen.
A properly organized cleaning schedule is extremely important. It outlines all the specific work that needs to be done, as well as any responsibilities the company and its employees might have during the cleaning process. Any specific tasks need to be specified and all concerns vocalized. The complaints need to be handled immediately and proficiently by your janitorial staff or the cleaning company. If this is not the case, then it might be best to invest in a different cleaning company.
A clean and sanitized workspace signifies a level of professionalism and tells potential customers that the company care about its brand and employees. A happy employee is a productive employee, and as such, leaves a far better impression than a worker who has to deal with a messy workplace and unhealthy work environment. This is particularly important, as more and more brands are using their workers as a way to promote their products and services.
In the nutshell, such sort of renovating tasks should be continued as it has a holistic impact not only on workers of a given entity but also citizens at large. If this is so, the picture of Addis Ababa in particular and Ethiopia, in general, would change dramatically and attract tourists and elongate their stay in the country which is imperative to increase foreign currency income.
The Ethiopian Herald January 26/2022
