Human Resources – Unique Cleaning Services

Autumn Hygiene: Stopping Germs Before They Spread

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:19:56 +0000

As the colder months arrive, so does the increased risk of flu, colds, and seasonal illnesses in the workplace. With more time spent indoors and heating systems circulating the same air, germs can spread quickly leading to higher staff absences, lower productivity, and a greater chance of cross-contamination in the workplace.

The good news? By investing in professional cleaning and prioritising hygiene, you can significantly reduce these risks and protect your team throughout autumn and winter.

Why Autumn and Winter Germs Spread So Easily

Shorter days and falling temperatures mean windows are kept shut and teams spend more time together indoors. Shared spaces, especially open-plan offices, staff restaurants, hotel public areas and shop floors become hotspots for bacteria and viruses. High-touch areas such as door handles, keyboards, telephones, and communal kitchens are particularly vulnerable, allowing germs to linger and spread quickly.

Without thorough and consistent cleaning, this can result in recurring illness cycles that disrupt workflow and affect team morale.

Key Areas to Target for Germ Prevention

To keep your workplace safe and productive this season, pay close attention to:

Desks and Workstations – Regular sanitisation of keyboards, mice, and desktops helps reduce germ build-up where employees spend most of their time.
High-Touch Surfaces – Door handles, light switches, lift buttons, and shared equipment should be disinfected multiple times daily.
Break Rooms and Kitchens – Communal food areas are prime breeding grounds for bacteria. Countertops, sinks, and appliances should be sanitised frequently.
Restrooms – Daily disinfection is essential for preventing the spread of illness.

The Role of Professional Cleaning Services

At Unique Support Services Ltd, we provide specialist cleaning solutions designed to combat seasonal illnesses and maintain a healthier workplace:

Anti-Viral Fogging & Disinfection – Our advanced fogging service eliminates viruses and bacteria across large areas, reaching surfaces that normal cleaning can’t. Proven effective against flu and COVID-19, it offers peace of mind for staff and visitors.
Deep Cleans – Essential every six months or more often in high-traffic spaces, deep cleaning tackles hard-to-reach areas and ensures a truly sanitised environment.
Bespoke Cleaning Schedules – Whether you need daily sanitisation, weekly cleans, or targeted seasonal services, we tailor solutions to your business needs.
Flu Prevention Expertise – Our team focuses on high-risk touchpoints and communal areas, providing long-lasting hygiene standards that reduce sickness rates.

Helping Your Staff Stay Healthy

Alongside professional cleaning, encourage employees to:

Wash hands thoroughly and often.
Use hand sanitiser when handwashing isn’t possible.
Cover coughs and sneezes properly.
Stay home when unwell to protect colleagues.

Final Word

A hygienic workplace is about more than just appearance it’s about protecting your people and keeping your business moving during flu season. By combining employee awareness with professional cleaning, anti-viral fogging, and deep cleans, you can create a safer, healthier workplace this autumn and winter.

📞 Contact Unique Support Services today to learn how our cleaning solutions can help prevent germs spreading in your workplace and keep your team safe and productive.

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The Importance of Regular Office Cleaning

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:41:46 +0000

The Importance of Regular Office Cleaning for Employee Productivity and Well-being

Maintaining a clean office environment goes beyond aesthetics—it directly impacts the productivity, health, and well-being of employees. While surface-level tidying can help maintain an orderly appearance, regular professional office cleaning is essential to create a space where employees can thrive. Here’s why office cleaning should be a priority for businesses:

Boosting Productivity

A clean and organised workspace contributes to improved focus and efficiency. Clutter and mess can lead to distractions, and employees working in an untidy environment may feel overwhelmed. When desks are clean, floors are spotless, and common areas are tidy, employees can concentrate on their tasks without unnecessary distractions. Studies have shown that employees are more productive in clean environments, as they can work more efficiently and feel more motivated to achieve their goals.

Enhancing Employee Well-being

Employee well-being isn’t just about mental health; it also involves their physical health. Dust, allergens, and bacteria can accumulate over time, especially in areas that aren’t regularly cleaned. This build-up can lead to respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and even the spread of illness, causing employees to take more sick days. Regular office cleaning, especially of high-touch areas like door handles, desks, and shared equipment, helps prevent the spread of germs and reduces the number of sick days taken by staff.

Creating a Positive Work Environment

A clean office also fosters a sense of pride and respect among employees. When a company invests in maintaining a clean and hygienic space, it shows that they care about the well-being and comfort of their staff. This can lead to higher morale, increased job satisfaction, and a more positive workplace culture. Employees are more likely to take care of their individual workspaces and communal areas when they see that cleanliness is a priority for the company.

Professional Image for Clients and Visitors

Beyond the impact on employees, a clean office is crucial for maintaining a professional image to clients, customers, and visitors. First impressions matter, and a tidy, well-maintained space sends a message that the business is organised, competent, and trustworthy. Whether hosting potential clients or partners, a clean office environment helps build confidence and trust in the company.

Conclusion

Regular office cleaning is not just about keeping things neat—it’s an investment in your business. From enhancing employee productivity and well-being to presenting a professional image to visitors, maintaining a clean office can positively influence the success of your company. By partnering with a professional commercial cleaning company, you can ensure that your office remains a healthy, productive, and welcoming environment for everyone who steps through the door.

At Unique Support Services Ltd, we understand the importance of a clean workplace. Our team of experienced cleaners works throughout London and the South East, providing a comprehensive range of commercial cleaning and property maintenance services. Whether you need routine office cleaning or a deep clean to refresh your space, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can keep your business clean, healthy, and professional.

Make office cleanliness a priority, and watch the positive impact it can have on your business!

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Cleaning Industry Contributes £58.9 Billion to UK Economy

Unique Clean — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 13:13:47 +0000

The BCC (British Cleaning Council)’s 2022 research report has shown that the cleaning industry contributes £58.9 billion to the UK economy, employing 1.47 million people which equates to 5% of the UK workforce and ensures that the industry remains one of the top 10 biggest in the country.

Throughout COVID, jobs in the sector were secure and many cleaning companies adapted to the increase in demand. The hospitality sector and non-essential shops might have been closed but schools stayed open throughout, and supermarkets were busier than ever.

Cleaning was at the forefront of everyone’s minds with the importance of cleaning being highlighted.

Many companies and individuals have higher cleaning standards than they did in 2019 and this means that the increase in demand that the industry has seen in the past 2 years has not waivered.

Cleaning is recession proof, and the industry offers job opportunities that lead to development and progression, we here at USS believe in promoting internally and providing all of our staff with the support and training that they need to succeed along with excellent rates of pay.

If you are looking for a reputable cleaning company to work for we currently have the following opportunities available: –

Kitchen Porters
Cleaning Operatives
Cleaning Supervisors
Window Cleaners

Want to find out more about working for us, send your CV to j.wiseman@unique.org.uk

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Shortfall In Staff In Cleaning Sector

Unique Clean — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 11:47:57 +0000

After a challenging 18 months it would seem that the challenges are not over yet with many industries suffering with staff shortages and that includes the cleaning sector.

Pre Brexit, there were concerns across the sector that there would be a shortfall in staff as historically UK Nationals have chosen not to join the sector and that has proven to be the case. The British Cleaning Council believes we will be one of the industries that is hit hardest by problems in the recruitment process and the situation is worsening daily when now more than ever the importance of cleaners should still be at the forefront of all our minds.

Despite the cleaning sector having a presence in Parliament and the hard work being recognised by the PM during the height of the pandemic, changes in our immigration system effectively classes Cleaning Operatives as unskilled workers so how do we go about changing the perception of the cleaning industry and encourage UK Nationals to pursue a career in the sector?

Honestly, few people dream of a cleaning job and most fall into the industry but there is a lot to be said for a job in the sector, it’s not just about the cleaning, it’s about Health & Safety, Quality Management and Social Responsibility plus other skills and knowledge and offers job security too.

Some cleaning companies can find themselves with notoriously high employee turnover but this may be more about the company than the people they recruit. Here at USS the majority of our staff have been with us for many years and we put that down to the training and development opportunities we offer to our staff, the flexibility to work full or part time with hours to suit, recognition of good work and achievements and a higher rate of pay compared to the industry average.

Interested in finding out more about working for USS and the opportunities available, call the office on 020 8669 4377 and a member of the team will be happy to help.

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See The True Value

Unique Clean — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 10:57:36 +0000

Recruiting for the cleaning industry has always been more challenging than for most other industries for reasons we all know well including low wages, unsociable hours, lone working and the image the industry has to name but a few and with the uncertainty that Brexit has caused and is still continuing to cause and the weakness of the pound, it is now more challenging than ever.

Historically, a huge percentage of the cleaning staff here in the UK has been filled by EU candidates and if the government proposals for points or salary based immigration control came into effect, with or without a deal the flow of EU staff looking for lower paid work in the UK could well come to an end.

The British perception of working within the cleaning sector is not a good one and we need to change this if we are not to find ourselves in a recruitment crisis.

Cleaning is perceived to be a low skilled job carried out at unsociable hours but the reality is that the same could be said for positions in call centres, retail and hospitality too.

It’s time as an industry and as a country that we start to value the work cleaners do and appreciate the positive impact a clean and hygienic environment can have on a business.

Clients need to offer the same welfare facilities to outsourced cleaning staff and include them in facilities meetings and we as an industry need to be investing more in training and development, ensure we are paying above minimum wage and recognise and reward dedication and hard work and so on.

Here at USS, we are proud to say that we already do this and work with a number of clients who also appreciate the importance of cleaning and the people that carry out this work.

Cleaners are rarely noticed but contribute so much and there is no better time than the present to start changing perceptions and start seeing their true value, your business would not be successful without them.

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We’re Recruiting

Unique Clean — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 10:20:21 +0000

Job Summary

Experienced Window Cleaner required to start ASAP based in Central London.You will be required to work Monday – Friday and be responsible for cleaning the internal and external windows of a luxury hotel.

Previous experience is essential.

£75.00 per day with flexibility to work extra hours or at weekends if required.

Responsibilities and Duties

Mix cleaning chemicals and detergents
Use ladders to clean lower windows
Wash windows at a higher level using water-fed poles
Record work completed and liase with hotel management
Safely store equipment away

Qualifications and Skills

Previous commercial window cleaning experience
Working on your own
Working with your hands
Being physically fit
Time management
Excellent communication skills
Professional work ethic

Apply by sending your CV to j.wiseman@unique.org.uk

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Employee Of The Month

Unique Clean — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 10:42:41 +0000

Congratulations to Noel Akapovi who works at a 5* star hotel for USS as a Cleaning Operative and was awarded the Employee of the Month award for June.

Noel joined USS in November 2016 and since then has become a valued member of the team, he has an excellent work ethic, is always willing to go above and beyond and can be relied on to work extra shifts at little to no notice.

Well done Noel and keep up the hard work.

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Dignity and Fair Pay

Unique Clean — Wed, 24 May 2017 11:15:35 +0000

Cleaning Operatives have often got overlooked in the past when it comes to dignity and fair pay and although businesses expect their premises to be cleaned to a high standard, they have often not wanted to recognise the hard work of their cleaners by paying a fair wage. The introduction of the National Living Wage has certainly helped in this area but there are still too many cleaning operatives who are treated without the dignity, respect and fairness they deserve.

It really shouldn’t be like this in 2017 and as an organisation we believe passionately in not only paying our staff a good wage but by recognising their hard work and treating them with the respect they deserve for doing extremely arduous work and often working unsociable hours.

We recognise that in doing this although our wage bill might be higher than some of our competitors, our staff turnover is lower reducing our training and recruitment costs and our client’s get the continuity they deserve and are not left with cleaners not turning up or different people coming and going. Add to this a happier workforce who feel valued and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The British Cleaning Council are striving hard to promote fairness at work and recently took part in a ‘Know Your Rights At Work’ campaign and although we are in an age of advanced technology and robotics, the cleaning industry will continue for some time to be dependent on human labour. Our cleaning operatives are our most prised asset and we intend to continue to treat them as such.

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Employee of the Month

Unique Clean — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:30:11 +0000

Adrian Gower is the proud winner of our Employee of the Month award for September. Adrian works as a Cleaning Supervisor at a Central London 5* hotel and has been a member of staff since USS were awarded the contract 18 months ago.

Adrian’s hard work and dedication contributed to a successful H&S audit being carried out at the hotel and he often works extra shifts at short notice when required.

We are proud to have Adrian as a member of the USS team, Congratulations Adrian and keep up the good work.

Employee of the Month for October to be announced soon.

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Cleaning Operatives Still Not Being Paid National Living Wage

Unique Clean — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:17:47 +0000

i-Clean Systems, a best practice benchmarking organisation has reported that despite the National Living Wage being introduced on the 1st April this year, some cleaning operatives are not being paid it.

Contractors are claiming that it’s simply down to a delay in their payroll systems, other’s have suggested that their clients have refused to fund the uplift in costs.

It’s disappointing to see cleaners being exploited by their employers and i-Clean are working hard to bring this to the attention of clients that may not be aware their cleaners are being short changed and treated unfairly.

This needs to be supported across the industry and there is an ever increasing need for clients to identify contractors who not only pay the statutory minimum but those that go above and beyond and who deliver a best-in-class service. We for one here at Unique Support Services wholly support i-Clean’s work in highlighting this area across the sector and hope other companies will follow suit.

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