Improving efficiency in the washroom

WITH THE Office for National Statistics reporting that more than one in six businesses have been hit by labour shortages, it appears that the labour crisis is holding back growth.

And, given the added burden of the cost-of-living crisis and rising employment costs, it’s important for businesses to run their operations productively. When it comes to washrooms, they must be managed as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.

The UK labour market is facing significant shortages, especially across sectors like healthcare, hospitality, and construction. A recent report by the Office of National Statics revealed that 18% of businesses reported worker shortages in early May this year.

In its annual Employment Trends survey, the CBI reported that labour shortages are having a significant impact on performance, with 65% of businesses saying they have been unable to grow and compete for new business opportunities because of a lack of staff. 

There are many factors at play that are contributing to these shortages, including the lingering effects of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, skills gaps an ageing workforce and increasing economic instability. With increases in employers’ national insurance contributions (NIC) and the national living wage, the cost of employing workers is rising and employers must consider how to accommodate these changes without sacrificing growth and productivity.

So, how can businesses manage their washrooms, whilst tackling these challenges?

Washrooms can be demanding to manage with maintenance teams needing to be on hand to keep them hygienic and tidy. These settings also need a constant supply of soap and paper to cater for visitors and staff will often need to carry out visits while the washroom is occupied.

With cleaning staff thin on the ground, it’s important for washroom providers to make their lives as easy as possible and enable them to carry out their work quickly. Some simple strategies can help to make their job that little bit easier.

Go high capacity

Among some of the more laborious tasks that a cleaner has to do is the repetitive checks to ensure that there are enough soap and paper supplies.  High-capacity washroom dispensers that can hold more paper and disposables deliver better value and help to save on labour costs because they minimise the need for staff to visit frequently to top up supplies. 

Jumbo toilet rolls, for instance, are often used in high footfall washrooms, and whilst they offer high capacity, they do need to be checked to ensure the paper has not run out. Maintenance staff may be tempted to replace a roll before it is completely finished to avoid having to go back to replenish it, but this can drive up paper costs and waste product, which is not good for the environment.

A high capacity, dual roll toilet roll system in a locked dispenser is a practical solution. There are dispensers, such as the Raphael TwinJumbo from Northwood, that ensure 100% of the paper is used and restrict use to one roll at a time to deliver cost savings and extend the time between maintenance visits. 

Optimise maintenance time

To reduce staff time, maintenance teams need to be able to replenish and wipe down dispensers quickly. Units that feature inspection windows mean staff don’t need to waste time opening them to check stock levels. Dispensers that are streamlined in design can be cleaned more easily, whilst units that can be opened with a universal key are more convenient.

Curtail waste

Consumables like soap, toilet paper and hand towels get used surprisingly quickly, so it’s vital to control the amount of product dispensed. Soap that’s dispensed in a measured shot, for example, discourages over-use and prevents mess in the washroom, which then needs to be cleaned up.

Similarly, paper dispensers that deliver paper in single sheet presentation help to reduce excess use and control costs.

Minimise mess

Air dryers don’t need refilling or checking, but they can lead to extra cleaning. That’s becauseair dryers blow water away from the hands, which can lead to puddles on the floor, meaning the floor will need to be cleaned more frequently.

A high-capacity hand towel dispenser will reduce the number of refill checks needed. The Northwood Raphael’s roll towel dispensers, for instance, can dispense up to 1000 sheets each, providing around 500 dries, with some offering stub-roll transfer to ensure zero waste. 

Pick the right dispenser

The wrong type of towel dispenser can significantly add to maintenance time, so it’s essential for providers to select dispensers that are quick and easy to refill, helping to save time in the washroom.

It’s also important to consider how the units dispense paper. C-fold dispensers, for instance, don’t hold as many towels as other dispensers, meaning maintenance staff may fill them beyond capacity. The result can be that visitors pull large quantities of towels from the dispenser, which may end up thrown on the floor, making more work for the cleaner. 

Z-fold towels, which are designed to dispense one at a time, are less wasteful and more practical. High-capacity roll towels are also a good option for high-footfall washrooms. By giving out sheets of paper singly, they help to avoid excess use and keep down costs.

Consider cartridges

Bulk fill soaps need to be manually refilled which can be both messy and time-consuming. Any spills need to be cleaned up, adding to the cleaner’s workload. Soap is better supplied in cartridges that can be quickly inserted.

The North Shore soaps from Northwood are supplied in sealed cartridges, which cannot be spilled. They can also be rapidly replaced to speed up the task of refilling for the cleaner. 

Choose durable units

Well-built dispensers will perform better and require less maintenance over time. Similarly, those that are lockable will prevent mis-use and theft, minimising the staff time required to re-order new units and replace tissues and towels that have been pilfered. 

Labour may be in shorter supply, but it doesn’t mean the washroom has to compromise if providers take these simple steps to help them run more smoothly. The right choice of dispensers, paper and disposables can make all the difference to the washroom environment and the experience of the maintenance team in charge of it.

Paul Mulready is marketing manager at Northwood Hygiene Products

For further information, please visit www.northwood.co.uk

TEL 01952 236 930