FEATURE
Training and technology: the future of the cleaning industry
Lorraine Larman, Senior Warden of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners (WCEC), discusses why training and technology will help our industry to avoid stagnation and evolve.
Along with many in our industry, I am a fervent advocate of dispelling the myth that cleaning is an unskilled occupation. Training is a fundamental aspect of the cleaning industry. It equips operatives with the necessary skills to understand best practice in cleaning techniques, appropriate use of cleaning agents and equipment, and the importance of safety protocols.
Comprehensive training programs cover a range of topics, including infection control, appropriate handling of hazardous materials, as well as customer service. In my view it should be a blended learning approach; e-learning for knowledge acquisition while practical instruction teaches skills.
In our industry, there are still many cleaning operatives for whom English is not their first language, so I have always found that face-to-face training is extremely effective, even for someone who has been in the industry for many years.
Future-proofing with technology
Technology also plays a pivotal role in the cleaning industry. Companies in the sector are increasingly leveraging new sophisticated machines to optimise their cleaning processes, time and efficiencies. Cleaning performance must be tracked and measured.
Traditionally, this was paper-based, but now with smart software, it is much more efficient and cost effective. If a service is measurable, then it can be improved. By auditing cleaning standards, health and safety and the environment, only then can you achieve true cleanliness and hygiene.
Raising the bar on recognition
The WCEC is particularly proud of the Chartered Practitioner’s register, which affords cleaning professionals all over the world the recognition of chartership status based on their knowledge, skills, leadership, communication and professional commitment.
Other professions have enjoyed this privilege for decades; we all know about Chartered accountants, engineers and surveyors, for example. Now, those of us who fulfil the criteria in our industry may also now be recognised as Chartered Environmental Cleaners. This forms an important element in lifelong career potential in cleaning, as it helps to set a path to follow.
Today, a career in the cleaning industry is much more than a mop and bucket. There’s also finance, human resources,
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sales, health and safety, project management, operations, training and information technologies. Of course, we also need the appropriate supervisors and cleaning operatives, as without these skilled employees our built environments would not be clean and safe.
You cannot fight the future
The integration of technology in cleaning operations enables companies to provide superior cleaning services, while also playing a crucial role in management. The use of data is growing, as IoT streamlines procurement, resourcing and time, amongst other factors. Digital platforms streamline scheduling, monitor performance, ensure timely completion of tasks and even enable customer feedback to help target better service.
“Today, a career in
the cleaning industry is much more than a mop and bucket.”
Technology also facilitates improved sustainable performance because with accurate paperless monitoring, savings are made on resources, cleaning agents and even energy.
Don’t look back
The integration of training and technology in the cleaning industry ensures that it continues to evolve, providing essential services in an increasingly demanding and hygiene-conscious world. Without change there is limited scope for improvement – the two go hand in hand.
At the WCEC, we believe environmental cleaning and hygiene must continue to advance; our colleagues all over the UK cleaning industry are trustees of keeping our built environment clean and hygienic, even in the face of crisis, like the COVID pandemic. That was a very valuable, albeit challenging experience, from which there have been many lessons learned. It just takes one step forward, with an open mind, to make an investment in technology. What follows could be transformational for your business.
www.wc-ec.com
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