Buildings are getting busier with more employees returning to work, and cleaning, maintenance, and operations need to be adjusted accordingly. Restrooms are a vital part of the building and can impact guest experience, public perception, and employee satisfaction. Give your restrooms more attention this season with a thoughtful and practical design.

Functionality is a crucial component for public restrooms, of course, but it’s not the only important consideration as employees return to work and offices get busier. According to studies, 60 per cent of people believe that an unclean restroom demonstrates poor management, 56 per cent say that they leave with a diminished opinion of the facility, and about 50 per cent would not return to the business at all.

Here are a few points to consider when designing or redefining your company’s restrooms:

• Viewing your restroom as an amenity, rather than just a functional space, means thinking about aesthetics, privacy, hygiene, and ease of traffic as part of the design.
• Many companies are including gender-neutral restrooms as an option. This can provide extra privacy, assist employees with disabilities, and benefit those who identify within the LGBTQ+ community.
• Providing accessibility also means considering fixtures like larger stalls, lower sinks, and wider spaces. For visually impaired users, adding contrasting fixture colours and tactile signage can help improve the experience.
• Ease of maintenance is also important. A well-designed restroom can maximize maintenance by incorporating features like smooth surfaces, minimal grout lines, large tiles, accessible corners, and fixtures that are easy to clean.
• Similarly, durability needs to be considered in high-traffic restrooms to extend the life of the fixtures. Materials like stainless steel are resilient and moisture-resistant for high-traffic areas, from soap and paper dispensers to waste bins and more.
• Employee satisfaction can be affected by restroom design and maintenance. 83 per cent of people feel that the condition of a restroom reflects how much a company cares about employees and guests. So, dirty conditions, missing inventory, or incomplete repairs can lower employee morale and lessen productivity.

As traffic in commercial buildings continues to rise with employees returning to work, there are several factors to consider when designing and maintaining clean, functional, thoughtful restrooms.