Working from Home? Don’t Forget to Check your Office Regularly!

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many people have been working from home. Some people did work at the office every once in a while, but some offices have been empty for weeks. An empty office is not an issue at first sight. After all, you save a lot on electricity costs, lunch for your employees, cleaning and concierge. But some issues that can happen in the office, think of burglary or a leak, don't get noticed as quickly as they normally would. It's therefore important that you check your office regularly, for instance every one or two weeks. The things that you should pay attention to while checking the office, are listed in this article.

Check for leaks

No matter how old or new your building, a leak can happen at any place and any time - and the damage can be disastrous. Think of important files, documents or computers that might become unusable due to water damage. And what about a leak near electricity? Therefore, make sure you check the office for any signs of water damage and/or leaks. Take a close look at the ceiling, floor and also the walls. Also makes sure that all windows are closed when you leave. An open window while it's storming outside can also lead to water damage.

Check for rotten food

As most people are working from home, many companies have closed their breakfast and lunch facilities. The people that do work at the office sometimes, have to bring their own lunch and drinks. They can store their food and beverages in the fridge, but some of them may forget their leftovers and no one notices for weeks. You can imagine that this will cause a stinky mess. Therefore, check the fridge every time you visit the fridge. Throw all leftovers in the garbage bin and make sure to drop the trash bag when it gets smelly. By throwing away all leftover food and drinks, you also prevent people from accidentally eating something that has been there for a long time already. It's hard to tell from a carton of oat milk whether it has been there for quite some time already.

Water the plants

Most offices have lots of plants. Plants purify the air in the room and they create a green and cosy atmosphere. It would be a shame if they would all wilt because no one is watering them. Therefore make sure to water the plants every two weeks or, even better, every week. But be careful, if you overwater your plants they might start rotting and consequently ants and other insects will have free rein. Luckily you can combat ants for instance with nematodes (Dutch: aaltjes), but let's try to avoid that!

Make sure to regularly check your office, even if there are people around every once in a while. And for those people that do work at the office occasionally, make sure that there are enough disinfectants (Dutch: ontsmettingsmiddelen). Unfortunately Corona is not yet a thing of the past.