How Professional Office Cleaning Reduces Employee Sick Days in Houston (and Boosts Productivity)

Employee wellness isn’t just an HR topic anymore—it’s a bottom-line issue. When team members get sick more often, productivity drops, projects stall, and costs rise.

One of the most effective (and overlooked) ways to protect your people is through consistent, professional office cleaning.

In a busy city like Houston—where shared workspaces, elevators, and open offices are the norm—your cleaning program plays a key role in keeping employees healthy and present.

Why Cleanliness and Attendance Are Connected

Every high-touch surface in your office can act as a shortcut for germs:
door handles, elevator buttons, shared keyboards, breakroom counters, faucet handles, and more.

Without a structured cleaning plan, viruses and bacteria can:

  • Spread quickly from one employee to the next

  • Linger on surfaces for hours or days

  • Increase the likelihood of minor illnesses turning into office-wide outbreaks

The result? Higher absenteeism, more sick days, and a noticeable impact on productivity and morale.

5 Ways Professional Office Cleaning Reduces Sick Days

1. Consistent Disinfection of High-Touch Surfaces

Professional cleaning teams follow checklists that prioritize:

  • Door handles and push plates

  • Elevator buttons and railings

  • Shared workstations and conference rooms

  • Breakroom appliances and tabletops

By disinfecting these areas daily (or multiple times per day with day porter service), you significantly reduce the chance of germs spreading through casual contact.

2. Cleaner Air Through Better Dust and Allergen Control

Dust isn’t just unsightly—it often carries allergens and irritants that can trigger respiratory issues and make employees feel run-down.

Regular professional cleaning includes:

  • High-filtration vacuuming of carpets

  • Dusting vents, blinds, and hard-to-reach surfaces

  • Cleaning around workstations and shared areas

This improves indoor air quality, which can mean fewer headaches, less sneezing, and fewer “I just don’t feel well enough to come in” days.

3. Hygienic Restrooms that Support Health, Not Harm It

Restrooms are one of the most critical zones in any office. A professional cleaning program:

  • Disinfects toilets, urinals, sinks, and counters

  • Restocks soap, paper towels, and hygiene supplies

  • Addresses odors and moisture issues

Well-maintained restrooms encourage proper handwashing—which is still one of the best defenses against illness.

4. Safer Breakrooms and Shared Kitchens

Breakrooms and kitchens are where food, shared surfaces, and high traffic all collide.

Professional cleaners:

  • Disinfect tables, counters, and appliance handles

  • Wipe out microwaves and fridge handles

  • Support trash removal and odor control

Clean shared spaces make it safer for people to eat, gather, and recharge—without picking up unwanted germs.

5. Rapid Response During Illness Spikes

When there’s a spike in flu, COVID, or seasonal illness, a professional cleaning partner can:

  • Increase disinfection frequency

  • Add day porter coverage

  • Provide specialized cleaning for affected areas

This helps contain outbreaks quickly instead of letting them ripple through your workforce.

A Houston Office Could Cut Sick Days by 27%

Better Cleaning can help with:

  • Frequent waves of colds and flu during the winter

  • High absenteeism that disrupted project timelines

  • Complaints about restrooms and breakroom cleanliness

HR departments estimat that illness-related absences were costing the company multiple workweeks of productivity each quarter.

Step 1: Facility Assessment

PJS of Houston performed a walkthrough and identified key risk areas:

  • Crowded open office layout with shared desks

  • A heavily used breakroom with minimal mid-day cleaning

  • Inconsistent disinfection of conference rooms between meetings

We also reviewed their current cleaning schedule, which was limited to basic nightly janitorial service.

Step 2: Health-Focused Cleaning Plan

PJS implemented a new program that included:

  • Enhanced nightly cleaning with expanded disinfection of high-touch points

  • A midday day porter for 4 hours, focused on restrooms, breakroom, and conference rooms

  • Weekly electrostatic disinfection during peak flu season

  • Clear communication with the client to report issues and adjust as needed

Step 3: Results After 6 Months

After six months, the agency reported:

  • A 27% reduction in employee sick days compared to the same period the previous year

  • Fewer complaints about restroom and kitchen cleanliness

  • Improved staff confidence in the workplace environment

Managers also noted that project timelines became more predictable, with fewer disruptions from unexpected absences.

While cleaning alone can’t prevent every illness, the agency saw first-hand how a stronger cleaning program contributed to a healthier, more reliable team.

How to Tell if Your Current Cleaning Program Is Hurting (Not Helping)

You may need to upgrade your office cleaning if:

  • Employees frequently comment that restrooms or breakrooms feel dirty

  • Trash overflows or spills aren’t addressed until the next day

  • Conference rooms rarely feel clean between meetings

  • Sick days seem to cluster every time “something goes around”

These are signs that your cleaning plan isn’t keeping up with how your office really operates.

How PJS of Houston Designs Health-Focused Cleaning for Offices

PJS of Houston helps businesses reduce illness risk and protect productivity by:

  • Conducting on-site evaluations of traffic patterns and risk zones

  • Building customized cleaning schedules around your hours and workflow

  • Offering day porter services for continuous, visible cleanliness

  • Using EPA-registered disinfectants and proven systems like microfiber and color-coding

Our goal is simple: a cleaner, healthier office where your team can do their best work.

Conclusion: A Cleaner Office Is a Healthier, More Productive Office

Reducing sick days isn’t just about policies and wellness programs—it starts with the environment people work in every day.

By investing in professional office cleaning, Houston businesses can protect employee health, stabilize productivity, and create a workspace people feel good walking into.

👉 Want to see what a health-focused cleaning plan could look like for your office?
Schedule a consultation with PJS of Houston today:
https://www.pjsofhouston.com/contact

PJS of Houston