Being a landlord has its many challenges, one of them being the maintenance and cleanliness of the office space in which you are in charge. Happy, healthy, and, above all, comfortable tenants will treat you with the respect you deserve while meeting their needs. The tenants will look to you whenever there are cleaning issues and the professional cleaning company you choose to keep your office space clean and tidy will influence their perception of you and your performance.
Why Keep the Office Space Clean?
You need to gain the confidence of your office tenants in your ability to provide a clean, safe, and healthy working environment, which encourages the business leasing the space to extend its lease.
Gaining the reputation of being the of dirty and grimy office space will, in the long run, affect the ability to attract business professionals to your office space and may lead to loss of revenue for the building overall.
Benefits of Keeping the Office Space Clean
The office space you are leasing to your tenants often has expensive office equipment, such as printers, computers, and furniture. Neglecting to keep the office space clean can and will have an adverse effect on the lifespan and durability of your tenant’s equipment. To avoid any ill feelings from the tenant, your office janitorial services team must regularly clean and dust the office areas.
Reduces the Risk of Tenant Illness
Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing the office space for your tenants reduce the chances of any illnesses. Keyboards, mice, buttons on the various printing devices, desk, doorknobs, and toilet seats are constantly touched. This, in turn, makes them hotspots for the spreading of germs and bacteria and can cause illnesses, such as the flu. Such illness will reduce productivity and lead to sick days for your tenants.
Changes the Way the Tenant Sees You
You don’t want current or prospective tenants walking into a filthy and unkempt office space. It’s not what anyone wants when he or she enters the building; first impressions count. Making sure your office janitorial services company keep the office space clean, tidy, and hygienic reflects on you as the landlord and how you do business. Word of mouth is important and must not be underestimated. If the office space is clean and appealing, people will tell their business associates who are in the market to office space.
Cleaning with the Minimum of Disruption
Your tenants are using the office space for business, so part of your duties as the landlord is to ensure the cleaning crew attends to the cleaning of the building and office space with the least amount of disruption.
When discussing the cleaning of the building and office space, there are a few things to consider:
Agree Upon a Cleaning Schedule
It is important that you, the tenants, and the office janitorial services company establish a regular cleaning schedule. This will make it easier for all to be prepared for the cleaning staff to go about their tasks during working hours.
Cleaning of Priority Areas
It could be advantageous to all if you and the janitorial services team identify and prioritize the important areas during the cleaning schedule. These could include:
- The cleaning and disinfecting of any restrooms and washrooms within the office space.
- Cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces and equipment in the office, kitchens or break-rooms.
- Cleaning and dusting of any reception areas in the office space.
- Cleaning and vacuuming of any conference rooms in the office space.
- Cleaning and disinfecting any common touch points in the office areas: i.e. doorknobs, light switches, and handrails.
- Removing any clutter or litter from common areas and passageways.
Cleaning Staff Uniforms
Your professional cleaning company should ensure the cleaning staff has easily identifiable uniforms or name tags. This is so your tenants can easily identify where and when they are cleaning.
Being easily identifiable will make the cleaning staff easy to spot in the case of any spills or other cleaning emergencies.
Reduced Noise During Cleaning
Cleaning can be noisy. The sounds of a vacuum cleaner or a floor-buffing machine can be very distracting to the tenant during office hours. The office janitorial services cleaners should take the necessary steps to reduce the amount of noise as they clean. It may be more suitable for the cleaning of carpets and buffing of floors to be done before or after working hours.
Commitment to Tenant Safety
As a landlord, the health, well-being, and safety of your tenants go a long way to building trust and confidence in your abilities to successfully manage the leased office space. Wherever and whenever possible, your office janitorial services should:
Use Appropriate Signage
Whenever the floors are wet because of spillage or recent cleaning activity, ensure the cleaning staff marks the area or areas with the correct signage to alert the tenants in the office. This will prevent any potential slips or falls.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
The cleaning staff should alert the tenants if they are going to be using any hazardous chemicals in the cleaning process when tackling pests or mold growth. In particular, they should inquire if any of the tenants have specific allergies and select cleaning products that will not create any potential adverse reactions to the products by the office workers.
Health and Safety Compliance
As a landlord, when you hire a professional cleaning company, it is vital that it is fully compliant with all the health and safety protocols. The cleaning staff should be trained in all aspects of workplace safety. The company’s approach to the cleaning of the office space and the safety of the office tenants will have a direct reflection of you as the landlord.
Closing Thoughts
Becoming the landlord of choice among your tenants is no easy feat. Keeping the tenants happy and providing a clean and healthy working environment can be quite stressful at times. By working with a professional cleaning company that will tailor a cleaning routine based on your and your tenant’s needs will guarantee the best results. This will keep the tenants happy, healthy, and, above all, proud to work in an office space that is kept in the best possible shape.
Call iNX today and one of our highly trained specialists can assist you in setting up an appointment to discuss all your cleaning and janitorial needs.
