Tips for Scaling Your Cleaning Team
After years of uncertainty, employees are returning to work, students are attending school in-person and guests are visiting restaurants, hotels and other venues. Unfortunately, it is becoming harder than ever to recruit and employ professional cleaners. While there are several reasons for the shortage of workers, the reality for many businesses is that they must now adapt to this new environment.
If your facility is dealing with a labor shortage, there are steps you can take to scale your cleaning program and keep your facility running smoothly.
Where to Start
It is important to meet the cleaning needs of your facility as your business ebbs and flows. Cleaning professionals are at the frontline to protect your facility’s employees and guests. The first step is to collect data, including the size of your cleaning staff, skill levels and the cleaning needs of your facility. From there, you can develop a plan of how to best clean your facility based on the skill levels of your team.
Meeting Expectations
Employees + Visitors
When it comes to facility cleanliness, one of the most important areas to focus on is the restroom. This is because dirty restrooms leave a sour impression for both visitors and employees. Roughly three-quarters of Americans say dirty facility restrooms lead them to have a negative view of a business while 90% of employees feel more cared for by employers when workplace restrooms are cleaned regularly. To keep facility visitors and employees happy, it is critical to emphasize restroom cleaning.
Cleaning Teams
Cleaning teams may feel overworked due to the labor shortage, but facility occupants’ cleaning expectations aren’t wavering. How can you scale your cleaning team to help them feel supported while meeting heightened expectations?
For starters, review your facility’s training protocols. Even seasoned cleaning professionals need a refresher, so find ways to check that all professionals are up to speed with processes and encourage communication.
Make sure supply closets are well-stocked with the proper chemicals and tools. It is important to properly care for supplies and tools to ensure the best cleaning results.
Don’t Ignore the Value of Outsourcing
Consider working with a third-party business to alleviate concerns of the recent labor shortage. Cintas offers a variety of programs such as restroom cleaning, disinfectant and sanitizer spray services, mop services, restroom supply stocking, mat services and more.
Heightened awareness around cleaning will continue. Using an outsourced service provider can help businesses meet public expectations of cleanliness with a smaller in-house team.
Interested in learning how Cintas can assist you in scaling your cleaning program? Contact us today.