Working in a retail environment has its challenges, which is why having a well-maintained kitchen and break room is a must for ensuring a clean, safe, and comfortable environment for employees. Staff work long hours during their shifts that can often be stressful, especially during peak shopping periods. As such, employees rely on these spaces for rest and refreshment during their tea break so ensuring proper upkeep is a top priority.
Employers can help improve the cleanliness of these spaces by implementing a cleaning and maintenance routine that not only ensures proper hygiene but helps boost employee morale and productivity. This can include things such as having a cordless vacuum cleaner in a cupboard or wet wipes on tables to ensure spills are immediately cleaned up. Addressing any mess quickly and efficiently goes a long way to keeping a sanitary and welcoming environment in retail enterprises.
Here are just a few simple ways employers can invest in employee break rooms and kitchen facilities.
1. Establish a Weekly Cleaning Schedule
The retail sector has some of the longest working hours of any industry which means retailers often have high foot traffic, with staff starting and leaving at different times throughout the day. Because of the constant movement of staff, kitchen and break room areas are always being used by team members, which can sometimes be a detriment to trying to maintain hygiene standards in these spaces.
By implementing a structured cleaning schedule to all staff, these areas can remain clean and tidy for all employees. Have a duty manager or HR manager assign a daily, weekly or monthly cleaning schedule for tasks such as wiping down surfaces, emptying bins and thoroughly cleaning appliances such as microwaves and sandwich presses when finished using them. Consider implementing a rotation system to ensure cleaning duties are shared among staff fairly.
2. Encourage and Promote Clean-As-You-Go Practices
Encouraging employees to clean up after themselves in the kitchen and break rooms is a must to help maintain a hygienic environment. By implementing clean-as-you-go practices team members are given reminders to clean up after themselves before leaving the break room. This includes posting clear signage around the kitchen reminding staff to wash their dishes, wipe down countertops, and disposing of rubbish correctly.
Encouraging positive behaviours such as rinsing coffee cups after use or wiping up spills quickly not only reduces mess it helps to limit any issues that may occur by not cleaning up properly.
3. Stock Essential Cleaning Supplies
Retailers spend a significant amount of money to ensure cleaning stations and cupboards are well stocked with the essentials. This includes disinfectant wipes, antibacterial sprays, dishwashing liquid and soaps, paper towels, sponges and bin bags and liners. Having a well stocked cleaning station ensures staff have easy access to these products.
Make sure all tea towels and cleaning cloths are regularly washed and cleaned to prevent any build up of bacteria as well. A routine laundry service for these amenities can go a long way when it comes to keeping your break room and kitchen facilities clean, inviting, and most importantly, safe and hygienic for your staff.
4. Implement Proper Waste Management Practices
On a given day, retail kitchens and break rooms can generate a significant amount of waste, including food scraps, food and drink packaging, and disposable cups. To ensure things don’t get out of hand, clearly label bins for general waste, recycling, and food waste to encourage staff to dispose of waste in the appropriate bins. Once bins are full, make sure bags are properly sealed and disposed of in the correct skips.
Encourage team members also don’t allow bins to overflow as this can cause a number of issues such as odours, bacteria build up and insects – all of which pose serious health risks to staff.
5. Clean and Maintain all Kitchen Appliances
Tea breaks and meal breaks in retail kitchens and break rooms can often be frenetic, with kitchen appliances in high demand. However, once they are no longer needed, it is important that they are properly cleaned. Food scraps and stains are some of the worst culprits for bacteria and pests to accumulate. By regularly cleaning appliances not only ensures a sanitary environment by helping prevent food residue building up.
Similarly, appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, kettles and coffee machines need maintenance or a regular basis to ensure safety and longevity. Be sure to check for signs of wear and tear for major appliances like fridges and water filters. Employers should also invest in test and tagging to ensure these appliances stay well-maintained and fully compliant with OHS standards.
6. Ensure Food Safety & Hygiene
In a shared kitchen space, food hygiene is a must. With many team members bringing their lunch from home, be sure that they label and date their food accordingly. This helps to prevent spoilage and in some cases having their food thrown out by accident.
Managers should also implement a weekly fridge clean-out policy to throw away any expired or unclaimed food or drinks. As well as that, ensure team members have access to secure food storage for both perishable and non-perishable foods and regularly monitor temperature settings to make sure that food remains fresh.
7. Install Proper Ventilation
We all know the importance of having good airflow and circulation and retail kitchens and break rooms are no exception. By regularly cleaning ventilation systems and ensuring extractor fans are in good working order, not only creates a comfortable environment, it also reduces bad odours from building up.
If possible, it’s also advised that you open windows to allow fresh air in. Otherwise, keep doors open when fans are on to ensure proper airflow throughout. Even these small-scale ventilation measures can work wonders for keeping your kitchen and break room facilities fresh for your staff.
Kitchen & Break Room Maintenance Requires a Team Effort
Finally, a well-maintained break room in a retail environment is a shared responsibility between management and staff. By creating a culture of respect where employees understand the importance of keeping communal areas clean and tidy, not only ensures hygiene standards are met, but ensures everyone is aligned with these standards.
Maintaining a clean and organised kitchen and break room is a must for all retail enterprises. By implementing structured cleaning schedules, promoting hygiene best practices, and ensuring proper waste management, businesses can create a more pleasant and sanitary environment for employees. A well-kept break area not only improves staff well-being but also reflects positively on the overall work environment, contributing to a more productive and satisfied workforce.