How To Make Workers Happy: Clean The Restroom

Dirty restrooms -- along with disagreeable bosses and office gossip -- topped the list of office workers' complaints in a recent survey by Opinion Research Corp. International. And while workers also complained about uncomfortable temperatures and unpleasant odors in the office, the subject of germs clearly struck a chord. A germ-free bathroom was on the wish list of more than half of those surveyed. To increase restroom hygiene, 57% said they would like a totally touchless restroom. Also, 18% of those surveyed said they would like to see an increase in use of the virtual office -- an off-site office that requires portable office equipment. Those who expect to stay in the office are looking for greater on-site amenities, such as day care (27%), fitness centers (10%), concierge or on-site services such as banking and dry cleaners (8%), on-site medical care (6%), and coffee bars (2%). Princeton, N.J.-based Opinion Research conducted the survey of 725 full- and part-time, white-collar office workers on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Corp.'s Away From Home Sector.