ENG

WAR ON GERMS IN THE WORKPLACE

The HR Director Website, 5th September 2007

If your boss has decided that hot-desking is the way forward in the workplace, they might need to prepare themselves for a rise in sickness levels! A new survey has found 71% of office workers believe their dirty workspace is making them ill and hot desking is a major culprit for spreading bugs throughout the office. What's more, 80% admitted that they share they're workstations, including computer and phone with at least one other colleague - a sure way of spreading those germs.

The study, commissioned by Durable UK, revealed that:
More than two thirds of workers feel they're exposed to all sorts of germs at work
67% say they've been off sick in the last year
36% of these have been absent for more than four days
90% of those questioned revealed they use their computers every day, for between 30 and 40 hours a week at work and a further ten hours at home
82% feel we would work harder in a cleaner office.
The campaign is fronted by TV cleanliness expert Kim Woodburn, who said: "Desks can be filthy things and any item resting upon them harbours untold amounts of grime and bacteria. If you're going to put your dirty hands on keyboards and sneeze while you're on the phone, there's no doubt that you'll expose your
equipment to all sorts of unpleasant organisms, so it is time we tackled this problem head on and eliminate these germs, before we all get ill!"
The survey went on to reveal that just 70% of offices have a cleaner - meaning over 30% are responsible for ensuring they keep their own office clean. Of those who did have a cleaner, it's believed that only three per cent of office cleaners actually have the right tools for the job when it comes to cleaning between the keys, leaving us susceptible to a huge range of bugs and viruses - from e-coli to salmonella.
The computer keyboard is the dirtiest item in the office environment - only 17% describe their keyboards as clean as most people wait well over two weeks for dirt to build up around their desks before they take action.

Stewart Anderson, VP of Marketing at Durable UK, commented: "People should never under-estimate the
impact that microscopic germs can have on any workplace. Our research shows that there is a real cause for concern about desktop hygiene and its damaging consequences."

Teaser:
 
HOME   DISCLAIMER   PRIVACY POLICY
SITE MAP   FAQ