Whose Responsibility Is Workplace Cleanliness Anyway?

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There’s a lot to get your head around when you start a new job. Whether this is your first or fiftieth position, it’s down to you to get a grip on how things are done, how systems work, and what’s expected of you. Job-based technicalities aside, fitting in fast relies on your ability to judge office culture, banter levels, and a whole lot besides.

Despite our best efforts to impress, though, few of us stop to think about workplace cleanliness. This health and safety minefield is an after-thought that many of us assume higher management take care of. But, whether you’re at the bottom or the top of the food chain in your new company, there’s a chance that this has more to do with you than you think.

The reality is that every workplace is a collaborative effort. If you don’t want to work in an absolute mess (and who does?), then you should also take the time to find out whose responsibility it is to clean up. 

Only by turning your attention here can you remain in-keeping with office-wide standards, and keep the space at a level that encourages productivity rather than disgrace. Luckily, general workplace rules dictate that cleanliness is typically split into three clear lines, and they are – 

# 1 – Your Dedicated Office/Cubicle

While desk hot seating isn’t entirely unheard of these days, most staple employees operate from dedicated offices, work cubicles, or just ongoing seats at a social working table. In each instance, your workplace is your own, so it typically follows that cleanliness here is down to you. Even if there are larger office cleaning schedules in place, keeping your desk clear and chucking any rubbish at the end of the day guarantees that you always look professional.

Keeping on top of cleanliness in your private space can also provide a much more productive environment than you might imagine. You’ll undoubtedly be able to get more done if you have the room to spread out. You know what they say, after all; clean desk = clear mind. If in doubt, it’s best to assume that your space hygiene falls on your shoulders, so make sure that you don’t fall behind here.

# 2 – The Office on the Whole

While keeping on top with a clean desk tends to be a workplace staple, the same can’t be said for office-wide cleanliness. While you do use this space, the legal responsibility for keeping it clean does and should fall on your employer. As such, you might want to hold off getting the vacuum out if you’re looking to make a good impression. Even though you may contribute to that overall office muck, the majority of employers seek outside cleaning companies who take care of this when you all go home. If they aren’t doing that, you’d be better off looking into the legality of their neglect than trying to take care of this yourself and falling behind.

# 3 – The office exteriors

Cleanliness becomes even more complicated when it comes to your office exteriors. Keeping things clean outside is, after all, fundamental for impressing clients, avoiding infestations, and more. Still, many employees are uncertain about how external cleaning works in their offices. 

In general terms, responsibility for an outside space that falls within your business remit should again fall on your boss’ shoulders. While you might want to pick up the odd bit of rubbish as you arrive at work each day, it’s down to them to seek waste management services that prevent trash from collecting in harmful ways. Again, this falls well within the health and safety lines.

Things here get slightly more complex if you’re operating in a collaborative workspace or office block, as specific responsibilities can get lost along the way. In general, though, the overall owners of your business building should take care of exterior waste disposal, and they’re the people to contact if rubbish here starts getting out of control.

Cleaning Up with a Conclusion

Ultimately, workplace cleanliness falls on everyone’s shoulders, but it brings more responsibility for you than you might realise. As well as taking care of your own space, it’s down to you to report cleanliness problems to the correct services or seek changes where you think they should happen. Your health and productivity are at risk if you do nothing, after all. Don’t let that happen by making an effort to take the time for cleanliness as soon as your contract kicks off.