REGULAR


Let’s get behind Thank Your Cleaner Day


David Garcia, Chair of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), says that we should make the effort to support the annual event.


It’s sad to say, but many people outside of the cleaning and hygiene industry are still unaware of the vital contribution cleaning staff make, which includes keeping people


safe and well, and contributing to the health and wealth of the nation.


Thank Your Cleaner Day, which this year is on 15 October, is a chance for the unsung heroes of the nation’s cleaning teams to finally get their share of the spotlight.


Thank Your Cleaner Day began in 2015 in New Zealand, and has since grown into a worldwide day of recognition. The idea is simple, yet powerful: workplaces and clients who rely on cleaning professionals take a moment to express thanks, whether by a note, a small gift, or simply by saying ‘thank you’.


What makes this day important is how it reveals just how vital cleaners are – not just for appearances, but for health, safety, business and economic success.


Our staff disinfect high touch surfaces, bathrooms, kitchens and shared spaces in workplaces and venues across the UK. This helps reduce the spread of germs, viruses and bacteria, hampering common infections such as flu. Staff also played a vital role in combatting COVID-19 during the pandemic. In healthcare settings, clean, hygienic and safe environments are essential to protect patients and help them recover. So, cleaning staff are the frontline in protecting public health.


We also keep people safe by cleaning spills, debris and clutter which can lead to slips, trips and falls. By keeping floors clean, by emptying bins, by maintaining equipment, cleaners help prevent accidents. In industrial settings, cleaning staff ensure that safety critical areas remain free of dust or contaminants which could interfere with machinery or even cause a fire risk.


Our staff make a vital contribution in particular sectors such as the chemical and food industry, where they play a vital role protecting colleagues and the public, and the hospitality sector. Here the work sector staff keep hotels, restaurants and bars, recreation and entertainment venues clean to ensure visitors keep coming and supporting our tourism industry.


26 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING


The cleaning, hygiene and waste sector is worth nearly £69bn, so it also makes a huge contribution to the UK economy. Thank Your Cleaner Day provides a chance for staff to be acknowledged for this essential contribution.


For individual staff being thanked, it can work wonders, boosting job satisfaction and promoting wellbeing. By highlighting the importance of our work, the initiative can also help attract new talent to the cleaning industry and encourage professional growth.


Thank Your Cleaner Day also raises awareness among non-cleaning staff of the important role performed by their cleaning colleagues, and it shines a light on the essential role of the sector more generally.


The widespread adoption and success of Thank Your Cleaner Day in the UK would support our campaign for recognition for staff and the sector, so we are encouraging other businesses to get behind it.


There has been increased acknowledgement of our sector and staff contribution in recent years. Following some warm words in Parliament during the pandemic, our industry was then overlooked by the Government of the day for several years.


This current Labour Government has been much more willing to listen and has acknowledged the vital role the sector and staff play, which is very encouraging. However, there is still a feeling that the person in the street largely misunderstands or overlooks our contribution.


Thank Your Cleaner Day is a great vehicle for spreading the message about the work of staff and the sector. The more UK organisations and workplaces that adopt it, the more it will help cleaning staff earn the recognition they deserve. Find out more here.


www.britishcleaningcouncil.org x.com/TomoCleaning


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60