It’s hard to resist the temptation of beer gardens, dining out and staycations. However, when the weather boosts our mood, hospitality venues become increasingly busy. Facing maximum capacity with a shortage of hospitality staff, which many businesses in Britain are experiencing, hygiene standards have the potential to slip. Here, we will explore strategies to help maintain high hygiene standards in the hospitality industry.
Cutting contact with surfaces
More customers mean that there will be greater interaction between people and surfaces, elevating the risk of germs potentially spreading through hospitality venues. Viruses are easily transferred from person to person in areas of high traffic. The chain of infection can be broken by regularly disinfecting high-touch surfaces.
Often forgotten is the surface of hygiene paper dispensers. To prevent counteracting the benefits of hand washing, automatic dispensers hygienically dispense paper hand towels one at a time, with the towel only touched by the user to minimise the spread of harmful bacteria. Automatic dispensers are an all-encompassing solution for hospitality venues, as they also prevent waste, which reduces costs as well as a business’s environmental impact.
Don’t underestimate good hand hygiene
Hand washing is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to limit the spread of infection. Good hand hygiene should not be underestimated, as research estimates 1 million deaths a year could be prevented if everyone routinely washed their hands. As well as customers, a sanitary environment is important for employees in the hospitality industry. A clean workplace is essential for employee well-being which impacts attendance and ultimately, the efficiency of a business.
Encouraging good hand hygiene among staff and guests will help break the chain of transmission of germs. In the busy summer season, facility managers should install hand sanitising stations throughout their premises, especially in areas of high footfall.
Touch-free sanitiser stand dispensers go one step further to ensure maximum protection from picking up germs. Powered by batteries, dispensers are also a low-energy solution, so sustainability is also prioritised in hygiene strategies. Dispensing the optimum amount of hand sanitiser to prevent excessive use, will cut costs and support the environment, but not to the detriment of hygiene standards.
Hygiene papers run out very quickly in hospitality hotspots with a high footfall. If you want to keep stocks consistently replenished, but not to the detriment of your businesses’ eco-credentials or budget, then hygiene papers made from recycled fibres offer an excellent alternative to those made from virgin fibres and don’t cost the earth. Where virgin fibre hygiene papers are sourced directly from forests, recyclable fibres see virgin fibres from our planet’s forests remain in the resource stream. Utilising sustainable alternatives to hygiene papers will help a business reduce its waste, as the packaging it comes in is often recyclable too.
Summer shouldn’t’ stop the schedule
Regular cleaning schedules in hospitality venues are crucial, but even more so in the busy summer period. New research by Initial Washroom Hygiene revealed that poor washroom reviews can drag down a hospitality establishment’s TripAdvisor ratings by an average of one full star. Marking a long-lasting impact on a customer's opinion of an establishment, an unpleasant washroom will make customers a lot less likely to return.
A business should address its washroom hygiene standards, not only to help protect public health but also to help maintain its reputation and encourage return visits. Even in busy periods, there is no excuse for unpleasant smells, as battery-free air fresheners can consistently keep a fresh scent circulating. Again, automatic dispensers for both hygiene papers and hand sanitiser can help to keep stocks replenished in the washroom, as they prevent excessive use by dispensing the optimum amount for each user. Ensuring hygiene products are never sparse in the washroom will satisfy customers and prevent the spread of harmful bacteria in a venue. As a rise by one-star rating on TripAdvisor can lead to an average increase of 2.2-3% in monthly revenue, maintaining cleanliness in venues can hold the key to helping a business become a popular hospitality hotspot.
Satino is one of the leading suppliers of sustainable hygiene products, offering tailored-to-fit solutions for businesses of all sizes and scopes. Why not follow us on LinkedIn or, for more information on how we can help your venue, visit our hospitality services page?
