According Nviro – a leading contract cleaning company in UK – ensuring that the college is well maintained is not only conducive to productivity, it also increases the likelihood of attracting more students.
The importance of investing in a regular cleaning schedule on college campuses is sometimes overlooked by procurement managers.
Some of the main benefits: Productivity, Safety considerations, Leadership, Promotes hygiene and Protecting college infrastructure.
On the first topic, productivity, a research published by the World Green Building Council revealed that clean offices that are well-designed are more likely to produce a good working atmosphere.
However, in buildings that were disorganised and badly ventilated, there was an increase in the number of people taking sick leave. A similar study unveiled by Jeffrey Campbell, Ph.D, chair of the facilities management program at Brigham Young University, showed that the level of cleanliness within a building has a direct impact on how well an individual is able to learn.
When a building was rated as a level four or five, the vast majority (88 per cent) of students claimed that the environment hindered their ability to learn.
Similarly, 78 per cent of learners said that their health was impacted by their learning environment.
Cleaning is important for the health and safety. If the hallways and rooms within a college is cluttered with rubbish, cables, boxes and other obstacles, it increases the likelihood of accidents and mishaps. If a serious injury occurs as a result of a disorganised work environment, it can potentially lead to more severe problems, including lawsuits and a loss of productivity and faith in the college.
Maintaining a clean college environment sets a good example to students. It encourages learners to take pride in their university or college, which makes them less likely to drop litter and as such they will potentially make a bigger effort to maintain their environment.
About the fourth benefit, cleanliness is incredibly important when it comes to cutting down on the spread of diseases in the college and means that staff and students are able to enjoy a comfortable learning environment. It also improves hygiene levels and can help to reduce the spread of sickness.
The last benefit is protecting college infrastructure. Electronic equipment, furnishings and other resources are an important part of college infrastructure. Over time, dust, dirt and rubbish can prevent these things from running efficiently.
Therefore, failing to keep all of these things clean, is likely to cost a lot more money in the long-run, due to damage from various courses.
Photo Wikimedia Commons, Christian Richardt: University of Cambridge, King’s College
