Office spring cleaning–Plan now!

Ahh, spring is in the air! Well, not quite yet. But spring cleaning should be.

It’s time to open your planner and designate one day next month to refresh the entire workplace, throw out the clutter and rejuvenate office spirit. Tips to get started:

1. Set aside one specific day. Perhaps a Friday in March or April would work best. The day must be labeled “cleaning day.” Pick the date and send out a memo.  

2. Make participation mandatory. Allow employees to wear jeans, sneakers and an old shirt that day—but make sure to involve everyone. Reward workers with a pizza lunch. Keep it fun.

3. Provide the supplies. Employees will need paper towels, disinfectant cleaners and wipes, trash bags, recycling bins and a small shop-vac. Don’t expect them to bring their own.

4. Clean personal space first. Workers should concentrate on their own areas first. Encourage them to clean out drawers, desk surfaces and cabinet tops. They should toss outdated manuals, paperwork and old packets of soy sauce. Also, don’t forget to clean PC screens and keyboards.

5. Clean common areas next. Split employees into teams—perhaps competing ones!—to clean the conference room, lounge areas, etc.

6. Let employees choose one new item for their workspace. Reward your staff with something new each wants for their work areas.  Inexpensive items like a framed poster, a live plant or new picture frames will go a long way to show your appreciation for their efforts.