Keeping it clean

Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness,” declared the Methodist theologian John Wesley in 1791. He thought it was a moral duty to keep yourself and your environment clean. He would probably be shocked by the findings of recent workplace surveys. A study of 100,000 people across Europe by Initial.com found that, on average, only 60 per cent of women and 38 per cent of men wash their hands after using the toilet. “This significantly increases the risk of cross-contamination and illness in the workplace,” said a spokesperson.

Body odour is the number one problem in both work and social situations, with as many as six in ten people being conscious of their own body smelling unpleasant, according to The Independent. It reported that four in ten people “had been aware of their aroma at an interview”, and another 36 per cent made an effort not to smell bad in the office. UK cleaning company SMC Premier discovered that among the younger generation (18–24 year olds), 11 per cent never wash their hands at work, and only 11 per cent of employees clean up properly after eating lunch at their desk.

If you think cleanliness doesn’t matter, think again. The Guardian reports that two-thirds of business owners say that, aside from a lack of experience and qualifications, poor personal hygiene would be the main factor preventing them from hiring someone. It’s also a distraction. According to ShowersToYou.co.uk, 56 per cent of employees say the poor personal hygiene and grooming of their colleagues affects their concentration level at work. Body odour, dirty or chewed fingernails, bad breath, unkempt and dirty hair or clothing all make a difference to how someone feels about working with another person. Whatever your habits at home, you’re likely to face challenges at work if you don’t keep high standards of personal hygiene and grooming.

It’s not just a moral duty, either. Personal cleanliness is often covered by dress codes. “Employees should strive at all times to ensure that their clothing, appearance and hygiene are business-like and contribute to a pleasant office atmosphere for both co-workers and visitors,” say HR experts at HRSimple.com. They suggest that managers should avoid confrontation by speaking to offenders in private and reminding employees regularly about hygiene.

Discussing personal hygiene is not something many managers find easy to do — not least because poor grooming can be symptomatic of mental health issues, stress or unhappiness. “Do not jump to conclusions,” advises recruitment website Content.WiseStep.com. “Talk to the person in private. Understand cultural norms and medical conditions, if any.”

It is, of course, entirely possible that an employee has just got into bad habits. According to SmallBusiness.co.uk, “the longer an employee has been working, the more complacent they become with their appearance”. In such cases, a polite but firm reminder is appropriate.

Many firms encourage better personal hygiene by providing a spotless environment. This includes ensuring that workstations, kitchens and washrooms are cleaned regularly, and providing free toiletries for staff (sanitizer dispensers, wipes and tissues).

John Wesley had good reason to talk about the need for cleanliness. An almost complete lack of personal hygiene at the time meant that diseases such as typhus and cholera were widespread. Most infections today are less deadly, but flu, food poisoning and viruses can be unpleasant to experience and costly for businesses. AppliancesDirect.co.uk estimates that British businesses lose at least £1.56 billion (about €1.84 billion) each year because of poor workplace hygiene. This includes colleagues who go to work when they are ill and don’t regularly wash their hands.

Balancing good hygiene with environmental concerns is very much part of the zeitgeist, given the problems that come with plastics, microplastics and palm oil, for example. Research shows that many young people are now changing their grooming habits. A YouGov survey of 18- to 24-year-old Americans shows that nearly 40 per cent no longer use deodorants or antiperspirants.

Hygiene services company Initial recently launched an innovative, if slightly Big Brother-style product: HygieneConnect. Sensors are put in workplace washrooms to give managers and employees anonymous data about hand-washing rates. The idea, which has proved successful in trials, is to “nudge” workers to acquire better habits. John Wesley would surely approve.