The Workplace Hygiene Habit Boomers Are Less Likely To Consider Than Millennials

You are far more likely to find a baby boomer with a dirty desk than a millennial. At least that's according to a 2019 report published by Vyv Tech, which showed that only 24% of baby boomers could say they cleaned their desk daily (compared to 47% of millennials). Additionally, only 4% of millennials admitted that they had never sanitized their desk in comparison to 20% of baby boomer participants. With that number, the older generation became four times more likely to have an unclean workspace than the younger generation. 

We already know there are a lot of things that the two generations don't agree on; for example, there's a lot of outdated boomer hygiene advice that millennials absolutely can't stand. In this case, though, the younger generation might have a good reason to roll their eyes at the older generation's apparent nonchalance towards desk-cleaning. "The average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than on a toilet seat," Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona told BBC News in 2012.

Since the average office desk could contain numerous types of bacteria, including E.coli, it's unsurprising that around two thirds of office workers were at risk of developing a sickness from just getting through their workday. The desks of those who work from home don't seem to be in much better shape either. According to Today, in 2021, NBC News investigative and consumer correspondent Vicky Nguyen did a swab of her desk at home to determine how dirty it was with a score. While Nyugen's desk scored 7,502, another person on her team scored over 12,000. For context, hospital surfaces that are touched frequently are expected to score under 100.

According to the 2019 report from Vyv Tech, 53% of millennials ate lunch at their desk in comparison to 32% of baby boomers. While that may not sound like a cause for concern, there are actually several reasons why everyone should rethink eating lunch at their desk. From a hygiene perspective, the germs that your desk has accumulated over time could easily travel onto your food and then into your system. 

If all of the germs present on a desk weren't already enough to give you the ick, it's worth noting that during a June 2021 chat with Today, Columbia University microbiologist Dr. Susan Whittier said that a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus, which was on Vicky Nguyen's desk, could be a cause for mild concern. "It certainly could cause an eye infection. It causes skin infections, soft tissue infection," she said. It's ultimately better to just take your lunch out to your workplace cafeteria since a common area is more likely to have been sanitized numerous times throughout the day. 

Ultimately, an easy habit that will help you stay healthy at work is to keep your desk clean. From time to time, it's good to use anti-bacterial wipes on your desk, computer, mouse, and other items that you have lying around your workstation. Ideally, you would also occasionally give your electronics a thorough deep clean with a cotton swab and antibacterial spray to get into the nooks and crannies that have accumulated dust over time. If that sounds like a lot, it's best to remember that electronic devices are among the germy things in your home that you're not cleaning enough.