Promoting healthy habits at your small business will make for a happier work environment and improve the appearance of your company.  Investing in the cleanliness and maintenance of your establishment is also essential to the health of your bottom line.  You will want to familiarize yourself with all government regulations related to your specific business.  At minimum you will want to implement the following procedures:

Disinfectants

Work and high traffic areas should be regularly disinfected.  Pay close attention to door knobs and handles.  Having spray on hand and distributing disinfecting wipes to workers will help to keep your office and storefront sanitary.

Hand Sanitizer

Set up dedicated stations for hand sanitizer and ensure they are always filled.  You can also hand out small bottles to your staff to keep at their work stations. 

The CDC offers these tips on when and how to use hand sanitizer:

• Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.
• Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
• Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning.
• Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals, like pesticides and heavy metals, from hands.

Break Room Policy

Break rooms and kitchens need to be cleaned daily.  You should have a policy in place that clearly details how employees need to do their part in break room upkeep.  Any refrigerators should be cleaned out weekly and sanitized.  Cooking surfaces and microwaves should be kept clean and be clear of any food matter.

Regular Cleaning

Hire a company to do a thorough cleaning of your facilities once a month.  This can greatly improve the cleanliness and appearance of your business.  It is well worth the cost to hire a professional with access to all of the necessary equipment to deep clean your work environment.  Having a regular cleaning person on hand for daily maintenance is also a must have for small businesses.

Personal Hygiene Policy

As this can be a sensitive subject and a tough one to approach you should have a written policy that will inform employees and take the burden off of management.  Make this available at the time of hire to every employee.

Properly Equipped Restrooms

Keeping your restrooms facilities clean and well stocked is essential in maintaining a healthy environment.  Make sure all soaps, disinfectants and paper products are filled daily.

Signage

Post signs that provide information on the importance of a clean workplace and encourage employees to follow policies.  Depending on your business you may be required to have certain policies and laws clearly posted in specific areas.

Encourage Sick Days

While this may go against traditional thinking it is extremely important that contagious workers stay home.  Providing a little flexibility without being taken advantage of is not only good for the health of your work environment, it also improves employee morale.

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