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Ever stop and think what your workspace restroom says about you and your space? Often overlooked when it comes to image, design, and importance, restrooms should be on your list of priorities to keep clean, tidy, and to some extent, welcoming.
Bathrooms are more than just a place people go to out of necessity. Oftentimes, they are the place workers go to freshen up or get a quiet moment. To some extent, the way you take care of and keep your restroom facilities is a reflection of the way you take care of your members and visitors.
A study by Kimberly-Clark found that “60% of individuals say that an unhygienic restroom lowers their opinion of the facility (and facility manager) and indicates that management doesn’t care.”
Enhancing Your Workspace Experience By Putting Thought Into Your Bathroom
Workplace design has become highly user-centric, which means every aspect of your space should contribute and enhance everyone’s experience with it at all times.
Because bathrooms are typically located on the outer parts of a workspace, they are, in fact, common areas that are high-maintenance (literally). Granted, part of the maintenance of restrooms is down to the user, but the overriding responsibility falls on the shoulders of the managers and owners of the space.
A satisfactory restroom, according to Kimberly-Clark, is one that is clean, hygienic, efficient, and sustainable. Though there are other aspects that contribute to restroom satisfaction, these 4 elements are a good starting point to measure how well your workspace bathroom is doing.
Clean
Your restroom doesn’t only have to look clean, but it also has to feel clean. “People are sensors; it’s our human nature to be very dialed-in,” Melissa Marsh said once to Allwork. This means that a bathroom has to be visually clean, but it also has to have a pleasant smell. Some ways to make sure your workspace is as clean as possible is to take out trash before the bins overflow, make sure there aren’t any toilet blockages, have clean sinks, counters, and toilet seats; install some air fresheners, and opt for hand-dryers instead of paper towels.
Hygienic
Start with the basics; like disinfecting the bathroom, always having soap in the soap containers, having clean hand towels, and (most importantly) always have enough toilet paper readily available. Once these are settled, think about adding other amenities like hand sanitizer or offering hygienic products (feminine products, hand lotion, etc). And let’s not forget to include signage that encourages individuals to wash their hands, make sure they’ve flushed correctly, and to clean after themselves.
Efficient
Here, it’s important to consider whether you have enough restroom facilities for the amount of people that are usually in your workspace at a time. But this also means being efficient in management and maintenance. The Kimberly-Clark C.H.E.S.S. webpage suggests optimizing cleaning staff operational time, reducing waste, and investing in the right equipment to facilitate the up-keeping of your bathrooms (bigger trash bins, larger toilet paper containers, etc).
Sustainable
Sustainable practices have become a key driver of new customers and member loyalty. The number of people adopting sustainable practices in their day to day life is increasing, and they tend to identify with those brands that value sustainability as well. There are various ways to reduce the environmental impact of your restroom, including: using hand-dryers as opposed to paper towels, installing sensor triggered lights and faucets, and offering eco-friendly hygienic products.
These are only some of the ways that you can make sure your bathrooms sends the message that you care about your members’ comfort, well-being, and health. Some other general suggestions to create a more inviting bathroom include installing mirrors, having gender-specific restrooms, and adding attractive decor elements.
