Arkea has already been using Kiilto's digital HygiNet® service for hygiene planning for a long time. The most recent version makes it even easier for Arkea to update the hygiene plan and carry out reporting and internal communication.
Arkea produces food, cleaning and property management services in several locations. For example, the catering unit of Turku University Central Hospital has been using Kiilto’s digital HygiNet® hygiene plan for a long time. A newest version of the service was adopted throughout the company, with the aim of facilitating the hygiene planning work of the service managers and the local management, such as reporting to the authorities.
”With the digital hygiene plan, it is easy to document and report hygiene measurement samples and results to the health inspector”, says Kati Mäkinen, shift supervisor at Arkea Oy. ”With the help of documentation, we can verify how things have been taken care of and compare results between different years and units. The service also allows us to find possible trends in the long term.”
A clear user interface expands the use of the hygiene plan
The adoption of a digital hygiene plan did not require any additional training at Arkea.
”If a person is accustomed to using a computer and the internet, he/she can start using the hygiene planning tool right away”, Mäkinen assures. ”The visual appearance of the service encourages the user to take a closer look at the various features and click icons. In fact, the digital hygiene plan is so easy to use that we use it at least on a weekly basis.”
Arkea appreciates company-specific product and cleaning instructions
Arkea has many units in a large area, so it is important that hygiene information, such as product cards and cleaning instructions, are readily available each and every day.
”With the digital hygiene, detergent and cleaning method information and material safety data sheets can be found and checked much more quickly”, Mäkinen says.
Although product information are also available on Kiilto’s website, Arkea’s whole product range is readily available in HygiNet®.
”It is great that the service covers our entire range of detergent products and different cleaning methods. It also helps the personnel of different units use the right detergents in the right way. With the hygiene plan, we can also easily publish news and communicate internally about hygiene matters, such as the applications of a recently adopted detergent or correct cleaning methods.”
Visual induction materials appreciated
The illustrative pictures and guidance videos in the hygiene plan are an important aid to inducting and guiding Arkea’s employees.
”Using picture and video guidance is especially useful in induction, because we also have employees whose native language is not Finnish”, Mäkinen says. ”Together with Kiilto, we have prepared visual instructions for different detergents, covering the necessary protective equipment, for example. In a challenging situation, pictures are in fact the easiest way to instruct a new employee.”
The user affects the scope of the hygiene plan
The user’s own activeness directly shows in the contents of HygiNet®, and the hygiene plan can easily be updated and expanded.
”It is great that we can produce our own content for the hygiene plan in addition to having the basic services offered by Kiilto and customise the plan so that it always best addresses our needs”, Mäkinen says. ”At the same time, we can get rid of unnecessary sections in the plan. In the future, we will probably also introduce smartphones so that we can use HygiNet® even better in individual workstations and cleaning sites.”
Arkea is pleased with the digital tool, which has been developed by listening to users.
”It has been interesting to help develop HygiNet® and see that our feedback has been of value: they have really listened to us”, Mäkinen says.
The article has been updated. Originally published in 3.10.2019