By Crystal Lim
When Malaysians think of company culture, we often picture open offices, flexible hours, and free coffee. But there’s one quiet space that reveals far more about a company’s values – the toilet. It may sound funny, but according to Corporate Storyteller and toifie (toilet selfie) queen, Crystal Lim, toilets tell the truth. They’re a mirror of how an organisation treats its people.
WE always champion sustainability, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) adoption, and workplace wellbeing. Yet, step into a random office or public restroom and you’ll still find broken taps, missing soap, or neglected cleaning schedules.
A company’s restroom may seem minor, but it reflects major things: respect, dignity, and leadership.
A clean and safe toilet tells employees and visitors, “You matter”.
When toilets are well-maintained, employees feel respected. Neglect sends the opposite signal. Poor hygiene can also affect morale, absenteeism, and even retention. It may even influence a person’s mood.
Top business leaders who are sharp and discerning may judge potential business partners by the state of their toilets. A dirty or poorly maintained toilet sends a message that the company might not pay attention to details or care about quality. This can hurt a company’s reputation and make potential partners hesitate to do business with them.
Clean toilets show that the company values hygiene, professionalism, and respect for both employees and guests, which reflects well on its overall business culture and reliability.
Toilet culture also extends beyond corporate walls. Public toilets in Malaysia, from hawker centres to rest areas, are essential for health, tourism, and wellbeing.
Corporations can make a tangible difference by adopting or maintaining a public toilet as part of their corporate social responsibility. For example, sponsoring cleaning services, accessibility upgrades, or even small design improvements can uplift entire communities.
It’s time for companies to recognise that clean toilets create cleaner reputations.
This World Toilet Day 2025, let’s make “clean toilets” not just a facility standard but a cultural symbol of respect.
Because dignity doesn’t stop at the boardroom – it starts in the bathroom.
