After meetings, the office kitchen, the break room, the copier and the shared fridge are where colleagues meet most often. These spaces belong to everyone, which means everyone takes care of them.
Key idea
Clean up after yourself, label and clear out your food, don't take what isn't yours, keep calls and smells modest, and refill what you empty.
Why it works
In a shared space, every small mess becomes someone else's job. A dish left "to soak" is a dish a colleague has to move; an empty coffee pot greets the next tired person. Labels and weekly clean-outs keep the fridge from turning into a mystery. Strong smells and loud calls reach everyone nearby. The rule is easy: leave it as you would want to find it.
Worked example: The last of the coffee
Leo pours the last cup of coffee in the office kitchen. What should he do?
- The next person will find an empty pot.
- He makes a fresh pot, or tells whoever handles it that the coffee is out.
Answer: Make a new pot.
Worked example: Friday fridge
Every Friday, the office clears out the fridge. Rosa's container of soup has been there since Monday. What should she do?
- She takes it home or throws it out before the clean-out.
- She labels future lunches with her name and the date.
Answer: Clear it out before Friday.
Common mistake
Leaving a dish "to soak" for days, or using the last of the coffee without making more. In shared spaces, leave it as you would want to find it. Quick check: could the next person use this space right now without cleaning up after you?