Do you actually know how much time your employees spend in the washroom?
It’s probably not something you usually think about, but that might change once you learn how much time they actually spend there.
A study has shown that on average, workers spend 41 hours every year in the washroom, which is pretty much a week’s worth of work. Considering the amount of time they spend there, it’s sure to have some impact on their work.
That’s probably one of the reasons why Steve Jobs decided to have only two bathrooms in Pixar facility.
He knew what potential the washroom can have in terms of bringing people together to exchange ideas. You don’t have to follow his example, but there are some other washroom design options you should consider.
The Workplace Washroom Design
Washroom design is a task you should take seriously since it can influence your employees’ productivity a lot. Of course, functionality is the most important aspect, but it’s not the only one you need to think about. Here are some details you should keep in mind when designing your workplace washroom.
1. Hygiene And Modern Devices
If you have workers who care about their hygiene, as they should, it might bother them if your washroom isn’t up to their standards. For example, they might not want to touch surfaces that have been touched by somebody who is less hygiene-conscious than they are.
You can make your hygiene-conscious employees happy and your washroom germ-free by installing touchless devices in it. They would look great in your washroom, and some of these include:
- Hand dryers
- Toilets
- Dispensers for toilet paper
- Soap dispensers
- Faucets
- Dispensers for paper towel
2. Proper Lighting
Proper lighting fittings are not just about lighting the room – there’s much more to it. If it were just about the visibility, you could simply make the lights as bright as possible. However, lighting can do much more than just illuminate the room. The thing is, proper lighting can also reduce stress as long as it’s not too bright.
3. Air Circulation
The air inside your washroom should always be fresh and be circulating. Nobody wants to use a room that smells bad – they are more likely to stay as far away from it as possible. To make sure the air is circulating properly, install quality ventilators and use some nice air fresheners. Also, be mindful when placing the ventilators – you don’t want to place them right above the stall since that could lead to some quite embarrassing situations for those who use those stalls.
4. Music
Everybody knows that music can have a calming effect on people, so why not play some good music in your washroom? Some types of music can really help people relax. Considering that many workers use the washroom to unwind, they would surely appreciate such an idea. You can play sounds of nature, like bird sounds, or something similar. Another good idea is to play some more upbeat music to energise your employees and boost their productivity. It’s all about creating the right kind of atmosphere, and music can really help with that.
5. The Right Type Of Stalls
Have you ever walked into a washroom and wondered whether the stall you’re looking at is occupied or not? You can imagine why this could be a problem in any washroom. So, make sure you install the right kind of doors to avoid this type of confusion.
6. The Doors
As already mentioned, some people prefer not to touch any surfaces in the washroom, including the door knobs. So, you can see why typical doors are not the best option for your washroom. Plus, some people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet, so installing the knobs is not always the most hygienic option.
The doors should be designed in a way that allows you to open them without touching or turning the knobs. With that in mind, consider installing doors that swing outwards.
Another good idea is to avoid doors completely and choose a labyrinth entrance instead. That way, your employees won’t have to worry about germs and the stall will still be protected from the view.
7. Hot Water
Your employees will love the idea of having hot water in the bathroom, especially if you make it available all the time. If you think that such an idea would cost a lot and make your washroom waste too much energy, don’t worry – there are many eco-friendly options you can consider.
8. The Toilet Seats
Nobody wants to enter the washroom just to see that somebody has used the stall before and left a dirty toilet seat. You can prevent this issue from occurring by installing toilet seats that are kept upright (so they can’t get dirty as easily) and by using toilet seat sanitisers.
9. Hooks And Shelves
Adding shelves inside your washroom can provide your employees with temporary storage for their things. You can also add hooks inside the washroom stalls, which can come in handy when your workers need to hang their jackets, coats, and bags.
If you happen to work in a school, we’ve got some good news for you. Our School Washroom Guide provides you not only with plenty of modern washroom design suggestions for daycare/preschool, primary and secondary schools, but contains all the other necessary guidelines on best hygiene practices, health and safety recommendations and requirements you must know.
Finally, you can improve the overall experience of using your washroom by getting a managed washroom service from Alsco. Keep your workplace fresh, clean and hygienic. Get Alsco’s fully managed washroom hygiene systems now. For more details, send us an enquiry.
