You’ve probably seen all the stats — the huge costs associated with turnover, and the difficulties of trying to hire a new company when your first choice doesn’t work out.
It’s all true, but what’s even scarier are the hidden costs associated with a dirty office and what it does to your business — how it impacts your in-house team as well as any clients that visit your office. So what’s the key to keeping and retaining a solid cleaning staff? We focus on leadership, training, and value/recognition.
Leadership
An organization’s leadership structure can tell you so much about how they run their business. When you’re looking for a cleaning company to provide custodial services, be sure to ask: how do they train their supervisors? Are their leaders given the tools and resources they need to effectively serve and support the cleaning staff?
Do they have separate crews for floor duty — specialists who can really provide the service you need? And what about their office staff — are they equipped to provide an HQ and basecamp that will serve and support the regular cleaners? Keep an eye on these things before you hire a cleaning company.
Training and Retention
Training is the key to retention! How a cleaning company supports and prepares its custodians is the number one thing you should observe when looking for a custodial company. A smart cleaning company knows that a well-trained, well-prepared staff will stay longer, feel more satisfied in their work, and ultimately provide a higher level of service for the client. Training is everything! So ask about it.
Value and Recognition
We knows there’s a negative story out there about custodial work, and it’s our job to constantly push back and write a better story. This is valuable work and worthy of esteem — so look for companies who promote (and truly believe in!) that narrative. Look for companies who recognize achievement and hard work, and consistently invest in their team — not just once or twice a year.
Maybe you’ve heard the story of John F. Kennedy’s encounter with a janitor who was cleaning a bathroom at NASA. Kennedy asked the man what he was doing, to which the custodian replied, “Mr. President, I’m helping to put a man on the moon.”
We don’t expect every custodian to respond that way, but you can and should expect your custodial company to set that attitude as the goal for their entire team. Look for a custodial cleaning company who wants the best for their custodians.
Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about the foundations for a solid custodial team, you can read more about promoting the role of the custodian here.