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Clean Up Your Act: How to Create a Productive, Healthy, Welcoming Workspace

10/19/2017

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Your team spends more of their waking hours at work than they do in their own homes. In addition, as workplace culture becomes a central aspect of employee recruitment and retention, keeping your office clean and healthy is a baseline requirement for creating a great place to work. However, regular cleaning and maintenance of a large, shared, space is no easy feat, especially on top of a packed schedule.

Managed by Q is trusted by thousands of companies, including small startups, retail stores, and enterprise-level businesses, to keep their offices clean and well maintained. In addition to regular day- and night-time cleaning, Managed by Q handles deep cleans, floor buffing, and speciality cleaning jobs like carpets, upholstery and drapes, and tile and grout. We also handle maintenance such as painting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, appliance repair and installation, HVAC service, and general handyman work–everything you need to keep your office looking and functioning great.

Based on our experience taking care of so many different types of offices, we recently released the Complete Guide to a Clean Office, a step-by-step guide to help you organize and manage the daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal cleaning and maintenance check-ups that will ensure your space and your team can perform at its best.
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As you put together to a plan to ensure your office stays clean and welcoming, here are three major elements to consider:

Tidy spaces make us happier and more productive

Clutter is overwhelming and counterproductive. In 2013, The Huffington Post put out a survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults and found that 84 percent of respondents who were “recently stressed” worried about their untidy homes. In addition to stress, according to Productivity Consultant and Certified Professional Organizer Kim Oser, a messy office is a recipe for distraction.

"Clutter affects our attention, which sets you back from whatever task you're working on," she says. "It's multitasking, which doesn't even really exist; task switching is a more accurate term. A 2011 Princeton University study backs her up. According to researchers, nearby clutter is so over stimulating that it often impacts attention and work efficiency.
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If mess and clutter are a challenge for your space, think about what you use that you need to keep and organize more efficiently, what you need to jettison, and what kind of workplace policies you can work with your team to put in place about neatness and organization of individual employees spaces.

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Clean offices are healthy offices
With cold and flu season approaching, keeping common spaces as germ free as possible is on everyone’s mind. However, keeping workspaces sanitary should be a focus year round. Communal workspaces, especially kitchens and break areas, can be breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. As reported by The Today Show, microbiologists say it takes just two to four hours for a virus to spread from a coffee pot or microwave handle to someone's desk. Dan Childs of ABC News also revealed just how filthy computer equipment can be—chances are, your keyboard is dirtier than your toilet seat (I know, that fact made me want to skip the sad desk salad too).

Ensure that communal workspaces are cleaned with disinfectant regularly and that you have plenty of disinfecting wipes for surfaces around the office like desks and conference room tables. In addition, have germ-killing wipes that are safe for electronics like computers, monitors, and phones on hand as well.
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A regular schedule for maintenance will save your company money​

Maintenance of the physical space and systems in the office is vital, but the work that goes into checking appliances or cleaning the ventilation system rarely gets a specific budget line item. As a result, companies often put off regular repairs and maintenance, which can end up costing them more later when an appliance or system requires a major repair. Research from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) found that maintenance is the third largest office expense, after fixed costs and and utilities.

Annual appliance maintenance and quarterly check ups of the systems that provide essentials to your office, including plumbing, heating and ventilation systems, can catch any problems before they become major issues. Our Complete Guide to a Clean Office also includes a maintenance checklist so that you can make sure you’re keeping your space in good working order.

Keeping your office clean and running smoothly can feel overwhelming, but knowing your space and your company’s culture helps understand what your office needs to function at its best. Ask yourself and your colleagues what kind of culture and workspace you want to create together and come up with guidelines that everyone can agree to. At the end of the day, it’s not just about making rules about doing the dishes, but the kind of community and responsibility to each other you want to encourage in your space.  

Not sure where to start? Download the Complete Guide to a Clean Office for the in-depth information and checklists you need to organize your office cleaning and maintenance and create a great workspace with your team.
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Eleanor Whitney is the Managing Editor at Managed by Q. She is a writer, musician, and community manager based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2013 Microcosm Publishing released her first book, Grow, a field guide for creatives to build satisfying companies and careers. She is currently working on her second book, a feminist memoir, to be published in 2018.

Managed by Q
 is the platform for office management. Q makes it easy to run an office by connecting companies to services, including cleaning, maintenance, office administration, IT, and security. A solution for recurring and ad-hoc office needs, Q saves companies valuable time and supports office operations for thousands of businesses nationwide.

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LifeLabs Learning Workshop IN NYC

10/17/2017

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OrgOrg partnered with LifeLabs Learning and Eden to host a mini-workshop about feedback - how to ask for feedback, how to make it meaningful, and how to create a culture of effective feedback as your company grows. The workshop involved role-playing, active collaboration and actionable take home items.

Breather was kind enough to let us use one of their beautiful spaces in SoHo, Platterz provided fantastic food, and Corporate Essentials kept everyone caffeinated.

If you're interested in hosting or sponsoring a future event in NYC, please contact our NYC Chapter Head at sally@orgorg.co.
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Why start a local OrgOrg chapter?

10/11/2017

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Whether you're just beginning in your role or you consider yourself a seasoned operations veteran, there are a plethora of reasons to start up a local OrgOrg chapter.

As the Phoenix Chapter Head, here's what I love about having a local group:
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1. Meet new people
Making friends after college or when moving to a new city can be hard. What’s a better unifier than your career? OrgOrg brings people together who, under normal circumstances, may never connect. While the online community helps us connect globally, local OrgOrg Happy Hours, brunches, and other in-person events help us stay in communication and grow new friendships through our shared connection. 
Being a part of this group gives me access to amazing professionals and helps me feel less isolated. I appreciate the networking, sharing of ideas, and safe space for venting!
2. Get in-person support
In an administrative, operations, HR or support role, you need a safe place to talk about your day with like minded people who can understand your wins (and your frustrations!). Erica Pizano, an Office Manager in Phoenix, writes, “I've sometimes felt like I'm alone on an island since I don't sell anything or provide front line customer services. So much of what we do is behind the scenes and can be easily taken for granted. Being a part of this group gives me access to amazing professionals and helps me feel less isolated. I appreciate the networking, sharing of ideas, and safe space for venting!” Being able to share your successes and failures in-person, over drinks, brunch (or both!), helps alleviate some of the stress that often come with our roles.


​3. Stay informed of local opportunities
OrgOrg Phoenix is the first place I share new job postings (that, of course, get posted to the OrgOrg Job Board). Half of our regular Phoenix attendees have found their new role through OrgOrg!


So, Why become a chapter head?
Personally, I get so much joy out of connecting people with awesome opportunities, bridging great businesses with those seeking their services, and helping create friendships that otherwise may be nonexistent. Being a chapter head allows me to do all of those things while building out our Phoenix community. When I first moved to Arizona, I tried to get involved in networking groups but never felt a strong sense of connection to the people. Phoenix is the fastest growing US city (seriously!) and I knew there had to be others out there looking for a local group like OrgOrg. By starting the Phoenix chapter, I was able to expand the connectedness I felt through the online OrgOrg community into the real-life community in my city. I feel immense pride and ownership, and hope I can provide an authentic connection for others.

If you’re interested in learning more about Chapters or becoming a Chapter Head, drop me a note! Ready to apply? Head over to our OrgOrg JobBoard and find your city.
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Our most recent meetup at Arcadia Farms Cafe in Scottsdale, AZ
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In addition to leading OrgOrg's Chapter Heads program, Dana Brown supports People Operations at DoorDash's Phoenix offices. Our team has doubled in 2017 and we're still hiring!

At DoorDash,
we're working to connect more businesses to more people. We want to shrink every city by bringing people anything—faster, fresher, and from farther away. We want to be the shortest distance between every local store and people’s doors. We’re breaking down the art of delivery to a perfect science – one order at a time.

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4 Benefits of corporate wellness programs you shouldn't ignore

10/6/2017

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For companies trying to increase productivity and decrease turnover, the benefits of corporate wellness programs are more important than ever. Wellness programs are gaining popularity in the American workplace: A 2015 Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 49% of companies with fewer than 200 employees offered corporate wellness programs, as did 81% of larger companies.
 
For employees, the benefits of a corporate wellness program include weight loss, improved fitness and stamina, and reduced stress. For employers, a corporate wellness program’s benefits mean great things for the company. Read on to learn four of the most impactful benefits.
​1. Increased daily work productivity
 
Healthier employees are more active and eat better, which mean they’re more focused and productive throughout the day. One survey found that employees who eat healthy meals are 25% more likely to perform their work at a high level. Healthier employees are also more capable of handling stress and finding constructive solutions to problems—which can mean more productive employees and a more productive company.
 
2. Improved employee retention and job satisfaction
 
When it comes to recruiting and retaining employees, good perks are essential. When you talk up benefits of corporate wellness programs such as your company’s healthy meals and snacks, on-site catering or kitchens, gym memberships, and other wellness initiatives, that sends a message that the company not only prioritizes productivity, but also employee well-being.
 
When employees feel valued as not only a worker but also a person, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. Employees who are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to stay at the company, decreasing turnover, productivity losses, and recruitment costs.
 
3. Lower absenteeism and turnover
 
When employees miss work due to illness and other health problems, the company suffers. While no wellness program can completely eliminate health problems, the benefits of corporate wellness include lowering absenteeism and turnover.
 
In 2012, the American Journal of Health Promotion (AJHP) published a review of 62 studies. The review’s conclusion? Wellness programs contribute to sick leave reductions of up to 25%. Wellness programs may also contribute to lower turnover, as one review found for the wellness program offered by a major pharmaceutical firm.
 
4. Decreased health-related costs
 
The benefits of corporate wellness programs don’t stop there. Increased productivity, lower turnover, decreased absenteeism, and overall healthier employees benefit the company’s bottom line, too.
 
The same review published in AJHP found that companies with wellness programs had overall lower healthcare costs, including workers’ compensation and disability insurance costs. In 2014, the Harvard Business Review published a study of 20 companies with wellness programs. While companies nationwide saw a 7% increase in healthcare costs, those with a wellness program only had an average increase of  1 to 2%.
 
Corporate wellness benefits begin with meals and snacks
 
Healthier employees can get more work done (and done well), miss fewer days of work, and more constructively and productively handle workplace stress. A solid, comprehensive corporate wellness program capitalizes on building wellness into the infrastructure and process of day-to-day company life. For many companies, food is an easy way to establish a culture of health that realizes the benefits of corporate wellness. After all, everyone eats and many employees eat lunch, snacks, and sometimes breakfast or dinner at work. That makes food at the workplace an ideal place to set the stage for wellness.
 
By encouraging healthier eating, your company contributes to its bottom line. Each dollar your company invests in corporate wellness benefits can save up to $13. After all, the benefits of a corporate wellness program aren’t just an investment in the well-being of your employees, but in your company too.
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