The human side of contract cleaning
As a business owner, you will know that your workforce of cleaning operatives is your largest asset. Often referred to as ‘invisible workers’, cleaners are often undervalued and underpaid. However, despite providing an essential service across various commercial sectors, they continue to be unappreciated, contributing to high staff turnover figures. It is estimated that there are approximately half a million* people working within the contract cleaning sector in the UK. So, what are the best ways of ensuring the effective management of cleaning companies and their staff?
Communication across contract cleaning companies
When managing a dispersed workforce, it’s essential to have proper communication procedures in place, especially if you operate a multi-site contract suite in different areas. Staff need to know in advance their work locations, how many hours they should be cleaning for, and any SLAs in place which they can report back on. None of this can be done without an effective communication or scheduling system. Your cleaning team needs to know exactly what’s expected of them to do their job successfully. This means that instructions must be clear and precise. Fragmented communication can lead to confusion, often resulting in workers underperforming on site.
Not only is this frustrating for management, as the job will likely need completing, but it’s also frustrating for workers who would have wanted to get things right the first time. Communication as a skill, like everything else, can continuously be developed and worked on.
Training and staff development
The cleaning industry is undergoing a rapid digital transformation as it progresses, with new technologies and techniques adopted for those who want to stay ahead of the curve. This allows cleaners the opportunity to deliver at their best capability, so any training and development programs must remain current. The pandemic taught the industry a lot! Being prepared for new and in-depth cleaning tasks suddenly became the priority.
Staff regularly trained and equipped with the latest technology are more likely to feel prepared and confident to do their job. As a result, you are more likely to retain your employees and spend less time managing a high turnover of cleaners. If adequate training is in place, this frees up more time for the back office, removing the need for micro-managing and allowing for a more trusted, hands-off approach.
Time and attendance software for cleaning companies
When the right technology is used to support employees and drive alignment within the business, employees enjoy the engagement they deserve as people —and the support to work more productively than ever. Implementing time and attendance software makes it easy for staff to share ideas with colleagues, check future shifts, book holidays, access payslips, and much more. Meanwhile, using AI to automate more straightforward tasks frees workers to focus on tasks that afford greater freedom, creativity, and satisfaction.
Maintain a happy and productive workforce
Employees who resist monitoring technology are likely to be the least productive workers. With a time and attendance system in place, the staff who consistently outperform are the ones who stand out. This is a significant opportunity to highlight the positives and motivate the entire workforce. Managers can focus on improving staff engagement, wellbeing, and productivity and manage the whole employee lifecycle.
