Few have considered that office cleaning methods are directly linked to both employees’ health and sick leave. In Finland, 5% of wages are spent on paying for sick leave.
General hygiene requirements and awareness have risen alongside the development of cleaning industry techniques. From a professional cleaning perspective, this means that cleaning must be increasingly comprehensive and also account for the spread of viruses and other situations that require special care. In Finland, 16.7 million sick leave days are taken annually, averaging about three days per working-age resident.*
“Poor cleaning in offices leads to more germs spreading—viruses like coronavirus, norovirus, and the flu can spread not only through droplets but also from contaminated surfaces. Every sick leave day is a hardship for the employee and creates challenges for the employer,” says CEO Mia Jaaranen of MTB Cleaning Services.
Jaaranen recommends intensifying cleaning both at home and in offices during flu season to prevent the spread of illnesses. In particular, areas with high foot traffic should use other tools to verify cleanliness, alongside visual inspections.
“Modern cleaning requires different kinds tools and aids because germs are invisible to the naked eye. We use various measurement devices to confirm cleanliness, such as UV lights and a hygiene meter that calculates bacterial content on surfaces. Simply waving a cloth around is insufficient, and all high-touch areas should be disinfected, preferably as often as possible. Many of our clients have requested more frequent cleaning, especially during flu season,” continues Jaaranen.
Jaaranen also highlights the issue of street dust, which particularly affects those with asthma. “Spring is particularly challenging for people with asthma. Our job is to stay in tune with the customer and respond quickly—whether by switching to fragrance-free cleaning products or by temporarily or permanently raising the service level.”
* Eurofound statistics