The Invisible Army: why it may be time to re-think your cleaning staff

 

When they do it nobody notices, and when they don’t, everyone does. But just who are “they” and what do they do?

Your cleaning staff is the invisible army that sweeps in and cleans your workplace when you’re not there so the following day can begin smoothly and efficiently. Just imagine if there were no cleaners. What would your plant or office look, smell and feel like?

These nighttime ninjas are dedicated employees who take pride in their work, often for many years at the same location, unknown and unrecognized by the 9-to-5 inhabitants of the places they clean.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T  (just a little bit)

Not only are cleaners generally invisible to staff because they work at night, many staff members don’t even give them a second thought. But keeping your cleaning staff in mind isn’t just nice, it actually creates efficiency so you can get more for your janitorial buck.

Consider for a moment: when an employee leaves a messy work space, it’s sort of like your teen leaving their dirty laundry all over the place and expecting you to pick it up before you get down to the vacuuming and dusting. Frustrating, right?

Leaving a neat desk or work space at the end of the day helps your cleaners be more effective by allowing them to spend more time on the deep-cleaning jobs that keep your office super-spiffy, fresh-smelling and germ-free.

Over and above

In addition to their regular duties, your cleaners do a lot of things that aren’t technically in their job description.

They’re a Lost and Found department for stray wallets, jewellery and smartphones. They monitor the coffee machine that everyone forgets to turn off. They lock the doors, set the alarm system, and switch off lights when the last employee leaves the building. Your cleaners also alert office and plant managers to after-hour emergencies like flooding, electrical problems and other facility issues.

And because cleaning staff mainly work at night, they’re like de facto security guards for many companies.

Allcare founder Chris Kandelas illustrates the point: “We had a cleaner at a building that was working after hours and there was a female staff member working late. She was the only one in the building besides the cleaning crew. The cleaner took it upon himself to keep an eye on her while she got safely to her car in the dark parking lot. As the customer later said, ‘That was over and above what they’re here to do.'”

Your cleaning staff is part of the team

Human nature being what it is, cleaning staff are sometimes blamed when things go missing or something is broken. It’s easy to point the finger at someone from outside the company rather than take the time to find a plausible explanation. But remember: just like you and your co-workers, your cleaners never want to jeopardize their jobs by doing something unethical.

We really are a part of your team — whether you see us or not.

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“We care about clean” is Allcare’s motto. It reflects our philosophy and provides the direction for everything we do. Whether it’s our approach to cleaning or the way our clients and employees are treated, it’s all about caring.

And so far, it’s been a successful approach. Naturally.

Get in touch today for your no-obligation quote.