Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
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Angela Howard – Culture Expert
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Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
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Are constant sneezes and sniffs interrupting your members from getting work done?
Allergies are as common as they are unpleasant and uncomfortable, and they can highly impact the productivity levels of the afflicted, as well as those around them.
Workspace allergies are common, particularly during peak allergy season; but that doesn’t have to mean that your center should see less members and activity during this time of the year. Though you can’t control the weather, pollen, and other environmental factors that contribute to allergies, you can definitely prevent allergies from spreading and worsening within the walls of your flexible workspace.
Below you will find some tips and tricks to preventing allergies in the workplace:
Get rid of paper stacks…
Though for the most part paperless systems have become the norm, fact remains that people still print out various documents and stacks of paper tend to form. These paper stacks are dust goldmines, so try to keep them to a minimum and stored away.
Air fresheners, strong cleaning products…
They might smell nice, but they could be triggering those sniffs and sneezes. The strong fragrances and chemicals that most air fresheners and many cleaning products use can cause strong allergic reactions, according to WebMD. In order to prevent allergens and allergic reactions, opt for unscented cleaning products and stay away from chemicals such as formaldehyde, ammonia, sodium lauryl sulphate, D-limonene, and sodium hypochlorite. Your members’ noses and lungs will thank you.
A note on vacuuming…
If your center’s cleaning routine includes vacuuming, the Family Allergy & Asthma Group suggests vacuuming with a vacuum that has a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. HEPA filters help to better trap dust, mites, pollen, and other small particles, therefore reducing the amount of dust that gets ‘thrown back’ in the room that is being vacuumed. Also, aim to have your workspace vacuumed when no one (or the least amount of members) are around.Â
Air Filters, Air Conditioning, Air Systems…
Have your flexible workspace’s air systems, filters, and vents regularly checked and cleaned. Ideally, vents and filters should be changed/replaced every 3 months to keep good indoor air quality. Air control is one of the most important aspects of any workplace, as it is an element that can highly affect and influence an occupant’s experience. Clean and fresh air can not only prevent allergies from spreading, it also contributes to overall wellness and productivity levels.
Carpets, cables, technology equipment, etc…
Carpets and upholstered furniture collect dust mites, so generally speaking, keep these at a minimum in your workspace. As for cords, tech equipment, desktops, corners, and the like: make sure they are consistently checked, dusted, and cleaned. Many a time cords, computers, printers, keyboards, etc tend to be overlooked when cleaning, a mistake that can give your members’ noses and eyes quite an attack, as dust tends to accumulate in these spaces and objects.
These practices should help you minimize allergies in your workspace and help your members feel more comfortable, even if they suffer regularly from seasonal allergies. In any case, you might also want to keep a first aid kit equipped with some over-the-counter allergy medications.
