Nowadays, the office is becoming a second home to many people. This is why corporate buildings are beginning to build daycares, gyms, recreational and/or relaxation areas. However, all of these spaces require frequent maintenance to ensure employee productivity and happiness. Chances are that in big cities especially, office cleaning, electric work, elevator maintenance and other services are offered in abundance and hence it is more likely that you will find the adequate advice for any issue that needs a solution. In this article, we offer simple and doable propositions that will help you cut down on the office expenses and and maximize your savings in the long run.
Deal with energy “eaters”
These usually electric appliances use up a lot of energy, even when not in active use. Lights remain turned on, the air conditioning can run for too long, or the refrigerator cools more than necessary. This can quickly inflate your utility bill unless you start cutting expenses where it is the easiest.
Occupancy sensors
Install occupancy sensors in bathrooms and kitchens. They react to movement and the lights turn on only if someone is using the facilities. This will eliminate the “human error” factor of someone forgetting to switch off the lights.
Try LED lighting
Try replacing your light bulbs and neons for LED lights. The benefits are incomparable, and as fast as in a single month, you will start to see the difference in your corporate expenses. As a bonus, your company will be perceived as environmentally friendly.
Air conditioning
Observe which spaces have the most traffic and at what hours. The AC unit does not have to take in fresh air at maximum capacity if the office is almost empty. Vary the cooling and heating depending on the amount of time spent in the said area.
Train Non-Maintenance Employees
Every employee is believed to know proper household maintenance etiquette. However, being considerate within a household and with one’s family is vastly different than in the workplace. Many employees will begin to leave the lights on or keep a mess around their workspace, which then requires more frequent cleanups. Use bulletin boards and spaces with the most traffic to post information about proper workspace etiquette, littering, the benefits of recycling, and keeping their desks clean. Get your employees involved by asking them to report any equipment they believe could be faulty or spaces that need to be cleaned more thoroughly.
The initiative does not have to stop there, either. People are less likely to respond to a poster reminding about cleanliness. They will feel more instigated and proactive after being included as an integral part of this maintenance savings plan. Hold meetings where you will discuss how many printers per floor are necessary, or where to buy office furniture. The office is where your employees spend most of their days, and they should also be the ones included in the decision-making process. You will be surprised how resourceful and creative people can be when it comes to energy conservation.
Office Maintenance
When it comes to the office image, you want to take utmost care of it, but without spending a fortune. And if your business is located in a big city, you have far too many options and too little room for monetary experimentation. Finding cleaning services for office space, window washing, or carpet cleaning can seem like too long a search, and with too many possibilities. So how could you manage this?
- Prioritize what kind of cleaning work your office needs, and how often;
- Ask around partner companies, get some recommendations;
- Ask the agency owners about discounts or other deals;
- Look for an agency that you could use in the long run.
Make sure to inform yourself on services that require more than just a regular cleaning job, like after-building cleanup, kitchen maintenance, flood restoration, and so on. Keep it a priority to find an agency with whom you can easily strike a deal that satisfies both parties, especially if you are on a maintenance savings plan. Save electricity by having them come just before the end of work hours, while there’s still daylight, make a plan of office areas that need to be maintained regularly, and those that can be done monthly.
Office Renovation
Apart from the general maintenance tasks, periodical office refurbishing can be pricey projects. If you decide to try to save money by renovating the office on your own, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind:
- Wait for the dry weather. Whether you’re planning to paint the walls inside the office or take on the challenge of roof painting, this is the most important pre-requirement.
- Spend money on premium brushes, painter’s tape and roller covers as these tools enable the coverage of different surfaces in only one go and can save you time and money.
- Remember to protect everything you don’t want to be painted well ahead: floors, hardware, electric sockets… If you feel this is too much of a hassle, invest money wisely and hire professionals like roof painting Sydney or other experts from your area who will get the job done in no time and with no mess to clean later.
The task of maintaining office facilities does not have to be arduous, nor is the solution as complex as you might fear. The goal is to hire professional people, see what kind of space you are working with, and how you and your employees can contribute. This will not only reduce your expenses but also reinforce the employee awareness that your company is a reflection of them, as much as it is of you. Hire a cleaning agency that can not only do the job well but wants to make a long-term contract with optional benefits. Financially, treating the office space as a second home will come back to you, tenfold.