Introduction
Our workplace is full of people we didn’t exactly choose to spend our time with every day - we spend five days (or more) a week with our colleagues and it is not always as good as it seems. Remember the idiom, “familiarity breeds contempt?” Okay, not necessarily contempt, but there’s always a habit or two from our workmates that surely grinds our gears.
More notably, some of these bad habits are even gross and can be disturbingly annoying. These everyday habits of our co-workers that are actually cringe-worthy are definitely hard to ignore. That being said, here are the five worst office habits in regards to cleaning.
1. Trimming Nails
This is one of the most common office habits that we gripe about. Unless you are a cat, it is not usual for us humans to groom ourselves whenever and anywhere we feel like it. Trimming nails and toenails - yes, some people do this – but publicly, or inside the office, is blatantly gross.
We all know it is also disgusting to have unclipped nails, but if one really needs to clean it out and cannot wait to get home, then use the washroom or even the parking lot. It is one thing to see your own nail clippings and another to see someone else’s flying and lying around.
2. Leaving Your Mess
Unless you have a personal attendant who follows you wherever you go, make it a point to clean up before you leave. Who else are you expecting to clean up after your mess if not you? It is - and it should be - a common gesture of consideration that we must all practice to look after our surroundings.
Whether it is your desk, or the pantry, or the washroom, make it a habit to tidy up your space and dispose of any waste accordingly to avoid littering and in turn, reducing the risk of health hazards, as well.
3. Uncovered Mouth or Nose
Coughing and sneezing without covering your mouth is unhygienic no matter what but especially during cold or flu season. We should all be extra careful to cover our mouth or nose when coughing or sneezing as it is common courtesy, particularly in enclosed spaces like in an office, where air circulation is not as good as open spaces, so as not to spread germs all over the place.
Always keep a handkerchief or some tissue handy to avoid spreading your bodily fluids around the workplace. However, if you did sneeze or cough on your hands, be sure to wash your them or sanitize them, as well, before you touch anything. This is to ensure that you don’t accidentally pass on your cold, or your symptoms, to your coworkers.
4. Bad Bathroom Habits
Not washing hands and not flushing the toilet after use is exceptionally unpleasant. Remember that you are excreting your body’s waste into the toilet and those can be fertile breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria.
The surefire way for people to get sick is by not washing their hands - it contaminates every piece of object you get in contact with after you have decided not to clean up your own hands.
5. Personal Hygiene
Showing up for work with messy hair, dirty clothes, the stench of last night’s alcoholic drink and/or having bad breath or body odor are signs of poor personal hygiene. Personal hygiene is and should be an essential part of our everyday routine - not just for aesthetic purposes but for health and sanitation as well.
Conclusion
Nothing spoils your good morning mood than seeing someone in the office - and having to spend the whole day with them - having one or more of these habits. These seemingly innocent acts are bad habits that need reforming because they are annoying, frustrating and gross all at the same time.
However, if you are also guilty of one or more of these habits, then this should hopefully inspire you to change to better your working environment, but also yourself. Bad habits are only routines you need to modify by changing them and developing newer and cleaner ones. It will make the office, if not the whole world, a better and cleaner place.
Of course, that’s exactly where we at Office Cleanz can help – call us today on 3008 3586 to get the best office cleaning service in Hong Kong!
