Toilet rolls disappearing at work as cost-of-living bites

Australian businesses are looking to abandon traditional offices as rising power, water, cleaning, maintenance and workplace supply costs collide with employees increasingly using office facilities to reduce expenses at home.
 

Workplace expert Brett McAllen, CEO of @WORKSPACES, Australia's leading brand of premium serviced offices and shared and flexible workspaces, said enquiries from businesses wanting to move into shared and serviced offices are increasingly coming from owners who can no longer justify the mounting cost of operating their own premises.
 

At the same time, some employers are reporting heavier use of workplace showers, kitchens, power and supplies, with everything from toilet rolls, tissues and cleaning products disappearing from offices.
 

"The cost-of-living crisis has entered the office bathroom, kitchen and stationery cupboard," McAllen said.
 

"Business owners are telling us they are being hit with increasing costs for electricity, water, internet, cleaning, repairs, maintenance and workplace supplies.
 

"At the same time, some are noticing staff showering at work more often, washing clothing in end-of-trip facilities, cooking meals that would normally be prepared at home, charging multiple devices and even taking toilet rolls and other supplies home.
 

"Businesses are being squeezed from both directions. Their own costs are climbing while financially stressed employees are increasingly looking to the workplace to help reduce their household expenses."
 

Businesses can no longer afford to carry the office
 

McAllen said the total cost of maintaining a traditional office extends far beyond rent.
 

"Businesses pay for water, power, internet, cleaning, toilet paper, soap, kitchen supplies, appliances, furniture, repairs, maintenance and the people required to manage it all," he said.
 

"A leaking tap, broken chair, blocked toilet, faulty appliance or internet outage becomes another cost and another problem somebody within the business has to solve.
 

"Many employers are now asking why they are carrying all of these fixed costs when they can move into a serviced office where the facilities, utilities, furniture, internet and day-to-day management are already included.
 

"For some businesses, moving into shared or serviced space is no longer simply about flexibility. It is becoming a financial survival strategy."

Toilet rolls are going home
 

McAllen said the disappearance of everyday workplace products demonstrates how severe household cost pressures have become.
 

"When toilet paper, soap, food, cleaning products or other communal supplies begin disappearing, it places managers in an incredibly awkward position," he said.
 

"They do not want to accuse or embarrass employees, but those products are provided for use in the workplace, not to subsidise private households.
 

"One toilet roll may not seem significant, but repeated across a workplace, the costs accumulate. More importantly, it indicates that people may be under serious financial stress or that boundaries around shared resources have broken down."
 

McAllen said employers should address repeated incidents calmly and consistently rather than installing intrusive surveillance or publicly blaming individuals.
 

"A workplace should not become a policing environment, but taking supplies home is different from reasonably using them while at work," he said.
 

"Businesses need to make that distinction clear."
 

Workers are moving household costs into the workplace
 

Modern offices often provide kitchens, showers, end-of-trip facilities, electricity and other amenities designed to support staff throughout the working day.
 

McAllen said reasonable use is now beginning to blur into household use.
 

"There is nothing unusual about cycling to work, having a shower, heating lunch or charging a phone," he said.
 

"The issue arises when staff begin using workplace facilities specifically to avoid using water, power or appliances at home.
 

"Some managers are noticing employees taking longer or more frequent showers, washing personal clothing in the shower, bringing in appliances, charging numerous devices and completing extensive meal preparation in office kitchens.
 

"These behaviours might save an employee a few dollars, but they transfer the expense to the employer and can prevent other staff from using shared facilities."
 

The office kitchen is becoming the new home kitchen
 

McAllen said office kitchens can become a source of conflict when they are used for extensive meal preparation rather than making drinks, storing food and reheating meals.
 

"Most office kitchens are not designed for somebody to prepare an entire family meal or occupy the microwave and bench space for extended periods," he said.

"Strong odours, additional cleaning, excessive waste, crowded refrigerators and unsafe appliances can all create problems.
 

"Employers should not discourage people from bringing food to work, particularly when buying lunch every day has become unaffordable for many workers. However, there must be reasonable limits around how workplace kitchens are used."
 

Why serviced offices are becoming the escape route
 

McAllen said shifting to a serviced or flexible workspace allows businesses to replace an unpredictable list of operational expenses with a more manageable workspace arrangement.
 

"In a traditional office, every electricity increase, cleaning invoice, plumbing problem, internet issue and broken piece of furniture lands directly on the business," he said.
 

"In a serviced workspace, the desks, chairs, internet, telephones, kitchens, bathrooms, showers, reception and shared areas are already provided and professionally managed.
 

"If something breaks, the business does not need to find a tradesperson, negotiate a quote or wait for repairs. It contacts the workspace team and the problem is addressed.
 

"This gives owners greater clarity over their office costs and removes an enormous amount of operational distraction."
 

Businesses can also adjust the amount of space they use as their workforce and requirements change.
 

"Owners do not want to be trapped in expensive fixed leases, paying for empty desks and carrying the full cost of underused facilities," McAllen said.
 

"They want the ability to expand, contract and adapt without another costly relocation or fit-out.
 

"The office is moving from something businesses own and constantly fund to a service they access according to need."
 

Serviced does not mean unlimited
 

While serviced and shared offices can absorb much of the management burden, McAllen said employees must still use facilities responsibly.
 

"A serviced office does not provide an unlimited supply of household goods or give people permission to treat shared facilities as their private bathroom, laundry or kitchen," he said.
 

"These spaces are used by many people and businesses. Courtesy, hygiene, safety and fair access are essential.
 

"Workspace operators and employers need to communicate expectations clearly so everyone understands what constitutes reasonable use."
 

Policies are urgently needed
 

McAllen said businesses should introduce straightforward policies governing workplace showers, kitchens, appliances, electricity and communal supplies.

Policies should address:

• The intended use of showers and end-of-trip facilities. 
• Whether clothing and other personal items may be washed onsite. 
• Reasonable shower duration during peak periods. 
• Which appliances may be brought into the workplace. 
• Appropriate meal preparation and food-storage practices. 
• Charging personal devices, batteries and transport equipment. 
• Hygiene and cleaning expectations. 
• Taking toilet paper, food or other workplace supplies home. 
• How repeated misuse will be managed. 

"Many businesses have detailed policies governing internet access and stationery but nothing covering the use of showers, kitchens, electricity or shared supplies," McAllen said.
 

"That needs to change because these facilities are becoming cost-of-living battlegrounds."
 

Boundaries must be balanced with compassion
 

McAllen said changing employee behaviour may indicate financial hardship and should initially be managed through discreet, respectful conversations.
 

"If an employee suddenly starts showering at work every day, washing clothes in the bathroom or taking basic supplies home, there may be something serious happening in their life," he said.
 

"Employers should not humiliate people who are struggling. They should set boundaries, offer appropriate support and ensure the rules apply consistently to everyone.
 

"Compassion and accountability can exist together. Staff should be supported, but the workplace cannot become a free substitute for running a household."
 

The traditional office model is cracking under pressure
 

McAllen believes increasing operating costs will accelerate the movement away from fixed leases and independently managed offices.
 

"Business owners are tired of paying for underused space and absorbing every increase in water, power, internet, cleaning, maintenance and supplies," he said.
 

"They want predictable costs, professional facilities and the freedom to change their footprint when their needs change.
 

"When toilet rolls are disappearing, workers are washing clothes in the showers and managers are spending their time monitoring power use, the traditional office has clearly become another source of financial and operational stress.
 

"Serviced offices allow businesses to get back to running their business while somebody else runs the workplace."

About @WORKSPACES

@WORKSPACES is a premium, Australian-owned flexible workspace provider delivering enterprise-grade, on-demand office solutions across Australia. With locations in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the company offers serviced offices, coworking environments, virtual office solutions and meeting facilities designed to support modern businesses.

Led by CEO Brett McAllen, @WORKSPACES is focused on delivering high-quality, flexible and scalable workspace solutions that enable organisations to operate efficiently and competitively in a rapidly evolving business landscape. For more information, visit: www.atworkspaces.com.au