Time for leaders to clean up their act
Don’t blame our industry’s perception problem on the workforce. Denis Rawlins Ltd’s James White makes an impassioned plea for greater professionalism from the managers and supervisors who should know – and can do – better, particularly when it comes to training.
I make no apologies for being passionate about cleaning – and our mission to make cleaning a profession.
Cleaning is an essential service for the efficient, and yes, professional, appearance and running of every building. It’s fair to say that we even take care of the health and safety of our nation – reliable hygienic cleaning is synonymous with prevention rather than cure.
So why isn’t cleaning recognised as a profession?
Employees deserve respect and dignity. Aside from their terms and conditions, that means equipping staff with the uniform and kit fit for the task. The right equipment can dignify the cleaning process itself, making it less menial and more efficient – but this is not about machines, it’s mainly about mindset.
We all need to act professionally, and – as in any other industry – training is fundamental. In our business model at Rawlins, the training we offer on all equipment and processes we sell is free. We see this as part of our professional service and commitment to raising standards in our industry.
Often, we provide this training late at night or in the early hours – very unsociable times for our staff, who travel to clients’ premises. It’s important to train the trainer. So we
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ask for the manager or supervisor to be there so they will be able, in turn, to train new staff that come in to use the process. Some companies are well prepared and have all the relevant people at the training on time. However, sadly this is the exception rather than the rule in our industry today.
Often, we find that the manager or supervisor doesn’t turn up. The people we need to train are not prepared or arrive late, or sometimes they’re just not available at all. We even get people leaving during the training session, or the supervisor/manager who is present may be on their phone or called away.
This issue shouldn’t be dismissed as just a matter of poor time management or put down to the work pressures on cleaning managers. I believe it is evidence of a deeper problem, and a shortsighted view of the role of cleaning and the people who work in our industry.
The managers who lead cleaning teams need to smarten up their own act if our sector is to be seen as professional. There are several aspects to acting as a professional. It is common to see clients and managers focus intensely on cutting costs and seeking savings. This is understandable: any well-run organisation should be vigilant about
wastage and continuously seeking to improve, even when budgets aren’t being squeezed.
But often this focus tends to fade when it comes to investing time and resources in the proper training that will make the most of such opportunities and make the savings sustainable.
It shouldn’t need emphasising, but one of the best ways to streamline effective cleaning is to ensure staff are trained how to use the equipment provided in the most economical way, producing consistently highly cleaning results while saving on waste, repairs and reworking.
What is the point of investing in innovation, labour-saving techniques and more cost-effective equipment if there is no matching investment – of time and attention – in training? This is absolutely crucial to get most from that innovation and from our people.
Leaders must set an example to those they lead. Anything less is unprofessional.
I would be very interested to hear the thoughts of others in our industry on this subject, and what I believe should be our mission – to make cleaning a profession.
www.rawlins.co.uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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