Clean Work Areas & Customer Spaces

Imagine walking into two businesses.

In the first:

• the floor is clean
• the counter is organized
• rubbish has been removed
• customer seating is ready
• the entrance looks cared for

In the second:

• empty packaging is lying around
• the counter is sticky
• old cups are sitting beside the register
• chairs are disorganized
• nobody appears concerned

Before either business says a word, the environment has communicated something.

Cleanliness Builds Confidence

Customers may use the visible condition of the workplace to make assumptions about:

• organization
• attention to detail
• product quality
• safety
• management
• whether employees care

Those assumptions may not always be fair.

But they happen.

Cleanliness Is Not Only About Customers

An orderly workplace can also help employees:

• find things
• reduce avoidable hazards
• work efficiently
• notice problems
• reduce damage and waste

International occupational-safety guidance also treats a safe and healthy working environment as fundamental, and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 45001 provides a framework for organizations to manage workplace health and safety risks.

What would you notice within the first 30 seconds?