If the pandemic has shown us one thing, it is that corporate hygiene management has become increasingly important. GOJO’s development experts are thinking about smart hygiene concepts for the future. We took a peek at what they’re up to.
Hygienic office concepts are urgently needed
Currently, an above-average number of companies are working remotely. But one day their employees will return, though perhaps not in the same numbers as before the pandemic, as remote working has now been established.
"But one thing is for sure: for those employees who do go back to the office, smart health protection must be the top priority in future," says Sven Jäschke, Country Manager Nordic, Central & Eastern Europe at GOJO Industries. "Not only will SARS-CoV-2 still be around, scientists are warning that there is a risk of further pandemics with viruses that are not yet identified. Employers must prevent and protect their employees with the right hygiene concepts."
A smart hygiene concept - what could it look like?
This is not only true for offices, but also for those workplaces where the risk of disease transmission is particularly high: hospitals, restaurants, schools, day-care centres and sports centres, for example. But how can a smart hygiene concept protect employees in these areas? Currently, several scenarios seem feasible. One is being developed by the American parent company of the GOJO Group, which is known for its PURELL® hygiene solutions. It relies on the use of modern technologies - chips and apps.
"We will see a demand for smart technology that can contribute to the safety and health of employees – fueling faster activation of smart restroom and hand hygiene technology”, says April Bertram, Senior Business Development Director, GOJO Industries. For example, it is conceivable that smart devices will be used to provide facility managers with important data about the filling status of dispenser systems for soap or hand disinfectants. They can easily retrieve the information via an app.
"This is a very meaningful innovation, especially for large companies, restaurants or shops. Filling levels no longer have to be checked on the spot, but can be viewed with just one click," says Country Manager Sven Jäschke. "Many of us know from our daily experience that this is necessary. How often do employees, guests or customers currently walk past empty dispenser systems without having the opportunity to disinfect their hands in between? This is very critical in highly germ-contaminated environments such as hospitals or nursing homes, where the risk of infection is high."
April Bertram, too, is convinced that smart hygiene management measures will become an important trend in the cleaning industry. "It will help to improve efficiency." Current data collected by GOJO during the pandemic demonstrates the demand. The data shows that during the pandemic, employees spend more time in washrooms and wash their hands more intensively and disinfect them more often in between. This has led to increased consumption of hygiene products. However, empty dispensers are not always refilled quickly enough because the deficit has simply not been noticed by facility managers.
Lack of hygiene due to immature hygiene concept
Those who cannot clean their hands because soap and hand disinfectants are missing or are not available in sufficient quantities feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, there is a great danger of spreading germs by touching objects with contaminated hands. Not only is this dangerous for the health of other employees, but it also damages the employer's image as employees feel that the business is not serious about taking care of their health.
Smart technology might help to avoid such scenarios in the future. It ensures that washrooms and all hand disinfectant dispensers in buildings are always reliably stocked with the right products and that the dispensers are working properly. "By making sure that the right products are in the right place and are always available for critical hygiene moments, employers in all sectors contribute to making employees feel safe, healthy and appreciated at work," says Sven Jäschke. "We to support employers in ensuring an optimally equipped workplace. We are closely monitoring the development of smart systems - for a healthy future."
Stay healthy!
