The Results at a Glance

Client: Financial services firm, Midtown Manhattan

Team Size: 200 employees across 30,000 square feet

Service: Five nights weekly with enhanced sanitization protocol

Problem: Illness spreading rapidly through the office, especially during flu season

Outcome: 30% fewer sick days, estimated $180,000 annual productivity recovery

The Problem: Illness Was Costing This Company a Fortune

When the HR Director at this Manhattan financial services firm reached out to us, she was frustrated. Every cold and flu season followed the same exhausting pattern: one employee would come in sick, and within two weeks, entire departments were calling out.

“We were watching illnesses move through our office like clockwork,” she told us. “Someone in accounting sneezes on Monday, and by the following Friday, we have six people out. We tried hand sanitizer stations, we sent emails about staying home when sick, we even bought air purifiers. Nothing worked.”

The numbers were stark. With average fully-loaded employee costs around $150,000 annually, each sick day cost roughly $600 in direct productivity loss. But the real damage went deeper: missed client deadlines, delayed projects, teams operating at half capacity, and the constant stress of never knowing who would be out next.

Their existing cleaning service was not helping. Basic janitorial work kept the office looking presentable, but there was no systematic approach to actually killing the germs that were making people sick. The cleaners vacuumed and emptied trash. They were not sanitizing the door handles, elevator buttons, and shared equipment where viruses were spreading from person to person.

Our Approach: Targeting the Real Sources of Workplace Illness

When we assessed this client’s space, we focused on understanding how illness was actually spreading. Research shows that most office illness transmission happens through high-touch surfaces: the door handle everyone grabs, the elevator button everyone pushes, the coffee machine everyone uses. These transmission points were being wiped occasionally but never properly sanitized.

We designed a specialized cleaning regimen specifically to interrupt disease transmission. Here is what we implemented:

Systematic High-Touch Surface Sanitization

Every night, our team sanitizes every high-touch surface in the office using EPA-registered disinfectants proven effective against cold and flu viruses. This includes all door handles and push plates, elevator buttons inside and out, light switches in common areas, conference room phones and controls, shared printer and copier touchscreens, kitchen appliance handles and coffee equipment, restroom fixtures and dispensers, and handrails throughout the space. We observe proper dwell times so the disinfectant actually works, not just wiping and moving on.

Enhanced Restroom and Kitchen Protocols

Restrooms and kitchens are where germs concentrate. We treat these spaces with extra attention: thorough sanitization of all touch points, proper cleaning of sinks and counters, and guaranteed restocking of soap and supplies so hand hygiene never gets compromised because a dispenser ran empty.

Outbreak Response When Needed

When the company identifies an illness spreading, they call us for enhanced cleaning at no extra charge. We increase sanitization frequency and give special attention to areas where sick employees worked. This containment approach helps stop outbreaks before they spread through the whole office.

The Results: 30% Fewer Sick Days and Real Dollar Savings

After one full year with our specialized cleaning regimen, the company measured the impact:

Sick days dropped 30%. The biggest improvement came during cold and flu season, when they historically saw their worst absenteeism. The pattern of one illness spreading to dozens of employees became noticeably less common.

They recovered an estimated $180,000 in productivity. Using their salary cost calculations, the reduction in sick days translated to substantial recovered value. The cost of our enhanced cleaning service was a fraction of these savings.

Employees noticed the difference. Internal surveys showed improved confidence in workplace cleanliness. Staff appreciated knowing their employer invested in keeping them healthy, contributing to overall job satisfaction.

Illness stopped spreading as fast. When someone did get sick, infections stayed more contained. A cold in one department no longer meant half the floor would be out within two weeks.

Why Standard Office Cleaning Does Not Protect Employee Health

Most commercial cleaning services focus on making offices look clean, not on making them actually hygienic. There is a significant difference.

A standard cleaning crew might wipe down a conference room table, but they probably use the same cloth they used in three other rooms, potentially spreading germs rather than removing them. They might spray a disinfectant on a door handle, but if they wipe it off immediately instead of letting it sit, the product never actually kills anything.

When cleaners are paid minimum wage and rushed through large spaces, there is no incentive to do the careful, systematic work that real sanitization requires. Our teams are trained, compensated fairly, and held to standards that deliver actual health outcomes.

Ready to Reduce Sick Days in Your Office?

If illness spreads through your Manhattan or Miami office every cold and flu season, your cleaning approach might be part of the problem. A specialized sanitization regimen can interrupt disease transmission and create a measurably healthier workplace.

Get a Free Quote to learn how our specialized cleaning protocols can help your office reduce sick days and recover lost productivity.