OAKVILLE, ON --(Marketwired - October 30, 2017) - Canadians are well-known for being friendly, but a recent survey by Rubbermaid suggests that Canadians' behaviour at work -- in particular, in the office kitchen -- is anything but. Poor etiquette in shared office kitchens may in fact be causing discord among coworkers, with two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents stating they would have negative feelings toward a co-worker if they believed they didn't contribute to keeping the office kitchen clean.
More than 1,000 Canadian office workers surveyed by Angus Reid Forum on behalf of Rubbermaid found that the most annoying office behaviour is leaving a splattered microwave (37 per cent), followed by dishes piled in the sink instead of being put in the dishwasher (28 per cent), and coworkers heating up or eating foods with strong odours (21 per cent).
Who are the worst culprits of slovenly behaviours in the office kitchen? Nearly two-thirds of respondents (62 per cent) believe that men are the guilty parties and leave the most mess in the kitchen. Junior employees and interns are also being blamed, with 65 per cent and 56 per cent of respondents respectively citing them as the mess-makers. When asked whether they themselves have left a mess without tidying up after themselves, only one in 10 respondents (6 per cent) admitted they had.
Rubbermaid's latest food storage systems designed to end kitchen quandaries
Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE™, a breakthrough line of food storage solutions, is designed to help Canadians keep their kitchens cleaner, whether at home or at the office. The new space-efficient containers feature patented, innovative built-in vents that allow for splatter-free microwaving with the lid on.
"As our survey shows, no one likes a messy office microwave. We created Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE™ to not only be 100% leak-proof guaranteed, but to prevent microwave splatters with its innovative vents that allow consumers to microwave with the lid on," said Marta Aebischer, vice president, Rubbermaid Consumer for Newell Brands. "Hopefully, as more consumers begin to use Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE™ at home and in the office we'll see a decline in microwave splatters and stains -- and more harmony between coworkers and family members alike."
Crafted with heat-resistant, BPA-free material, Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE™ food containers are crystal clear, won't stain, and are also guaranteed to be 100 per cent leak-proof. BRILLIANCE comes in various sizes -- from half-up to over nine-and-a-half cups -- and is available at Walmart, Loblaws (Real Canadian Superstore) London Drugs for $5.97 - $13.99 (MSRP).
Additional Stats at a Glance
Co-workers suspected of leaving a messy kitchen needn't worry about being called out for their supposed misbehaviour. Of those surveyed, 68 per cent stated they have never confronted a co-worker about leaving a messy kitchen, and only 15 per cent have directly spoken to the person they believe committed a kitchen faux-pas. Other tactics used by workers to address a colleague include leaving a note posted in the kitchen (13 per cent), sending an all-staff email and hoping the intended recipient gets the message (10 per cent), leaving the suspected colleague an anonymous 'post it' note on their desk, and telling their boss or manager (both 2 per cent).
Other survey stats include:
- 44 per cent of Canadians who work in offices with shared kitchens bring their lunch to work every day.
- 29 per cent of millennial respondents don't bring a lunch to work so they don't have to eat with colleagues, which they prefer not to do.
- A third of female respondents (33 per cent) have complained or gossiped about a co-worker whom they believe leaves messes in the office kitchen.
- 57 per cent of those who rarely or never bring their lunches to work cite that the office microwave has "more splatter stains than an episode of CSI."
For more information on the latest line of Rubbermaid products, including videos and organizing tips, visit www.Rubbermaid.com , Facebook , and Instagram .
ABOUT RUBBERMAID PRODUCTS Rubbermaid is a leader in developing innovative, high-quality solutions that help consumers keep their homes in order. Widely recognized and trusted for nearly 80 years, Rubbermaid designs and markets a full range of organization, storage and cleaning products to keep the home -- including closets, garages, kitchens and outdoor spaces -- neat and functional, freeing consumers to enjoy life. Rubbermaid ( www.rubbermaid.com ) is part of Newell Brand's global portfolio of brands.
ABOUT NEWELL BRANDS Newell Brands (
This press release and additional information about Newell Brands are available on the company's website, www.newellbrands.com .
ABOUT THE SURVEY From May 11-12, 2017, Maru/Matchbox conducted an online survey among 1,005 Canadian office workers over the age of 18. All respondents were fully or part-time employed in an office with a shared kitchen and were members of the Angus Reid Forum. The margin of error -- which measures sampling variability -- would be +/-3.09%, 19 times out of 20 on a probability sample of this size. The invites were balanced by age, gender and region. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
For more information, contact: Erika Manassis, Cohn & Wolfe erika.manassis@cohnwolfe.ca 647-259-3270
