ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Professional hygiene solutions leader Tork, an Essity brand, has released new guidance aimed at helping businesses transform their washrooms into assets that enhance user satisfaction and benefit business performance. Citing results from its own Tork Insight Surveys, its recommendations focus on improving inclusive hygiene, environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.

"Our data shows that when washroom users and cleaners' needs aren't met, a business can suffer as people spend less time and/or money there," said Olivia Slater, commercial director, Professional Hygiene at Essity. "With three in four people concerned about washroom hygiene, and one in two likely to face barriers to meeting their needs, small, targeted updates to the washroom - the most visited room in a facility - can make a substantial difference for both users and cleaning staff."

Washroom visitors (the survey's respondents) cited several requirements that exemplify inclusive hygiene - meeting the needs of as many people as possible. ‘Must have' elements include: toilet tissue and paper hand towels in dispensers that are easy to grasp (67 per cent); spaces and design elements that enable privacy (63 per cent); disposal bins in the cubicle for personal items including incontinence and menstrual products (60 per cent); physical accessibility - including grab bars and ramps - for everybody (58 per cent); the availability of paper hand towels (57 per cent); features that enable caregivers to meet their needs such as changing tables (40 per cent).

Promote sustainability

Tork says 67 per cent of people it surveyed also want washroom managers to prioritise environmental sustainability. That means: promoting sustainable practices with signs in the washroom; ensuring teams understand the importance of responsible sourcing; control consumption with one-at-a-time dispensing; avoid landfill with recyclable packaging and recycling schemes.

Support employee efficiency

Data from Tork's survey suggests many cleaning staff feel unsupported so they should be empowered in order to enable them to enhance the washroom user experience. That could mean: working smarter with data-driven cleaning; installing high-capacity dispensers that reduce the need for frequent refills; using compressed towels for refills; sourcing products with ergonomic packaging.

Tork says it offers a number of resources and products to support these objectives. For more information visit: www.torkglobal.com