Keeping Our Refrigerator Clean

Hey [Office],

This past Friday I decided to clean out the refrigerator to get ready for the winter months, and I’ve got to say it didn’t look good at all. On top of the fact that little to no items were labeled with names, after going through everything, majority of items were spoiled or significantly past expiration. I know you’re all busy back there so sometimes things like keeping our campus clean can sometimes take the back seat, but moving forward we’re going to have to make a bit of a change.

To make things easier for myself, as well as the individuals assigned to kitchen cleaning duty, starting today please label any food you place in the refrigerator with both your name and the date it was placed in there. Starting this Friday if items (aside from condiments) don’t have this on label them then they will automatically be thrown away, regardless of whether they seem fresh or not. I know this seems extreme, but after several instances where unclaimed food was allowed to rot in the staff refrigerator I think it’s best if we set up a system that will remove the uncertainty we all feel about tossing out someone else’s stuff. On top of the label requirement, excluding things in the freezer (to an extent), please try and keep from storing any items in the refrigerator for more than one week, just so things stay tidy and uncluttered.

To anyone looking in the refrigerator today wondering where their (insert food item) is, please know that anything that was thrown away on Friday was past expiration on the label, or had spoiled. If you have any questions, feel free to email myself, or if you’re not comfortable speaking to me feel free to email [my boss]. Thanks guys!

Slippery When Wet

I just left the kitchen about 15 minutes ago after enjoying a great lunch and conversation with my colleagues. While there I heard someone go into the refrigerator and waste ice on the floor. I didn't bother to look around to see who it was because I knew without a doubt they would clean it up. Well, I was wrong and when I stepped away from my chair to leave The Cafe I slipped and almost fell. Whomever is responsible for that mess should be ashamed. Not because of what happened to me but because your action (or non-action of cleaning up your mess) was immature and irresponsible. We are all adults around here. There are no "clean-up-behind-grown-up angels" assigned to each of us. So, please do your part to keep this office the same safe and beautiful one you saw the very first time you saw it.
And, for goodness sake, clean up your own mess.

- Supervisor

When a new office is built, reminders/rules also accompany it...

Date: 07/23/2007
Subject: Creating a 'Friendly' Office - Step One


We'll be looking at ways to make our office environment a bit more "friendly" during the next couple of months and today we're taking our first step forward.
This will not come as a surprise to any of you -- the first place is our kitchen and the coffee stations.
Once our supply runs out, we will no longer be providing paper cups, plastic foam cups or paper plates in an effort to be more "green" and reduce our trash. Additionally, all "community" dishes have been removed from the kitchen* and will be donated to charity since we cannot keep the kitchen sinks clean. We will have a supply of items for visitors to use.
Please plan to bring your own reusable (reusable means environmentally-friendly) products which can be stored at your work station (storing them at your work station means they are not in the kitchen).
As I mentioned, we'll be looking at a number of things we can do to improve our environment -- both inside and out.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

-Office Manager

*There are a number of cups, travel mugs, plastic containers, etc. that have been moved to the cupboard directly above the sink. Please check for any personal items in that cabinet. Anything not claimed and moved out of the kitchen by Friday, will be moved to the donation bin.

when common sense just isn't enough....

Date: 07/24/2007
Subject: Creating a "Friendly" Office Environment - Step Two

The bathrooms.
Need I say more? I shouldn't have to -- but unfortunately that's not the case. Here are some "restroom rules" courtesy of an elementary school handbook. Please let me know if there are any other topics regarding our internal environment that you would like me to address.

[Note: This handbook was created for grade schoolers, however, it was sent out, via email, to a staff comprised of people 22 and older.]

Student Expectations
Cafeteria
Hallways
Playground
Assemblies
Restrooms <----This came from the restroom tab

Computer Lab
Pick up and Drop Off

Rules: Student

Be Safe
* Flush
* Wash hands after using the restroom
* Don’t leave anything on the floor

Be Respectful
* Very little chit-chat
* Don’t pass time by leaving artwork on the walls

Be Responsible
* Use the toilets and sinks appropriately
* Be Kind with Words and Actions
* Keep the restroom clean and make sure you are not leaving anything behind

When being disgruntled gets out of hand...

sometimes people revolt, and the rest of the office hears about it...

Date: 12/07/2007
Subject line: PLEASE READ: Handicapped Restroom


Last night there was a flood in the handicapped restroom.

This was caused by paper towels that were flushed down the toilet. In checking the entire stack (the plumbing that runs from the toilet to the drain) , there seemed to be multiple times that materials other than toilet paper have been flushed down this toilet.

Please make sure that the only additional material flushed down the toilet -- in any of the restrooms -- is toilet paper.

Thank you.

Just in case you were not sure how to conduct yourself, here is a reminder...

Date: 01/24/2008
Subject: Reminder: Restroom Etiquette

It's been about six months since I've sent out a note about restroom etiquette -- well, if you don't count the one about flushing paper towels. I've gotten a number of complaints about the restrooms during the past week, and with the number of visitors we have to this office including senior management -- it is disappointing to hear.
Please take a minute to read ... and more importantly, adhere to the following:

Do… Tidy up. No one wants to navigate around your mess. Yes, we have cleaning personnel, but a.) it’s rude to make them pick up your trash, etc., and b.) until they come in, your office mates are forced to use a bathroom that is filthy. Throw away your trash, remove any newspapers and/or magazines, wipe up excess water on the countertops, and for goodness sake—don't leave any remnants on the seats.

Do…Flush. And check to make sure everything went down. If in doubt, flush again. The only additional material that should be flushed down the toilet is toilet paper.
Do…Treat it better than your bathroom at home. Perhaps you don’t mind your own mess, but in an office environment, be respectful. Keep the place nice for others, if not yourself.

Thank you for your cooperation

when only one solution is tried and fails...

After two years of trying to keep the office refrigerators off of the County Health Board Citation List, [receptionist] and I are finally taking off our rubber gloves and giving this job to the professionals.
Beginning this month, the refrigerators (and freezers) will be cleaned by our cleaning company. On the last Friday of every month, between the hours of
8 - 10 p.m., the refrigerators will be emptied out entirely and cleaned. This means that everything left in the refrigerator/freezer at that time will be thrown out. They will not check dates and they will not save anything -- whether labeled or not.
You will receive one reminder during the week that the refrigerators are being cleaned. We will also post it on Exhibio.
Thank you for your cooperation.

General Manager