Traditionally, office cleaners have been part of an invisible workforce
in the corporate environment clearing up the office out-of-hours, either
late at night or early in the morning. With the growing popularity of
daytime cleaning the visibility and perception of office cleaners has
undergone a dramatic change in the workplace. This has required a change
in mindset not only for the office cleaning team, but also for the
office worker.
The benefits of daytime office cleaning are well
documented and it is now widely accepted that this approach offers a
host of business and operational improvements including reduced costs,
increased productivity and enhanced customer care. However, there is
often some skepticism and mistrust at the start that needs to be
overcome to convince office staff that changes will not disturb the
working environment, but ultimately enhance the office space.
Visibility And Availability
This
increase in the visibility and availability of office cleaning staff
tends to raise the overall awareness of the process, highlighting its
importance and demonstrating the commitment to high standards. As a
result, building occupants tend to show more respect towards office
cleaners when they see them working hard to keep the building clean, so
greater care is often taken by staff and visitors as a result.
Higher
levels of interaction will often occur between the office cleaners and
office staff, with spills and problems often reported immediately, so
issues can be addressed quickly and efficiently to avoid costly-damage
to the office environment. Furthermore, it also leads to greater mutual
understanding, resulting in enhanced communication and less complaints.
Advanced Technology
Some
of the initial resistance amongst office staff to daytime office
cleaning is caused by a misconception that the office cleaners will be
disruptive to their working day, using loud and awkward equipment along
with unpleasant or toxic cleaning chemicals. Therefore, it is necessary
to demonstrate the advancements in cleaning technology to overcome this
misunderstanding.
For example, cordless vacuum cleaners using
lightweight batteries, avoid the need for trailing leads so remove any
potential health and safety risk, whilst low-noise technology enables
previously intrusive activities to take place without causing
disturbances. What is more, backpack vacuum cleaners provide added
mobility in inaccessible or difficult to reach areas. Elsewhere, microfibre technology including cloths and mops remove the
need for using cleaning chemicals, only requiring a minimal amount of
water. This means that horizontal, vertical and floor surfaces can be
cleaned better, faster and safer, without emitting any unpleasant fumes
or odours. Furthermore, tests have shown that these products eliminate
significantly more bacteria than traditional office cleaning tools
providing added protection to office staff.
Staff Engagement
Social
issues are affecting how the office environment is perceived and this
is enabling greater levels of engagement with staff to the benefit of
the office cleaners. High profile concerns such as global warming and
swine flu have led to a wider interest in initiatives linked to the
cleaning operation, providing a chance to educate staff and engage with
them with regards to issues such as sustainability and hygiene.
The
swine flu epidemic last year brought office cleaning and hygiene to the
forefront of people's minds, with businesses and employees alike
looking at ways of minimising the spread of the disease. With desks and
office equipment a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, there is an
opportunity to take advantage of staff concerns to raise awareness of
hygiene issues and offer guidance on how best to prevent infection.
By
briefing employees about the personal and business risks, what measures
are being taken, and how they can help, it is possible to not only to
reduce absenteeism due to sickness, but also reassure staff by offering
added peace of mind.
Recycling has now become an important
consideration for all companies who are under legislative, corporate and
social pressure to reduce the impact of their operation. Increasingly,
an integrated approach is being taken with the cleaning operation, so it
is possible to tap into the desire amongst many people to support
sustainable waste management. By getting staff to work closer with
office cleaning operatives it is possible to achieve a positive office
environment that increase levels of recycled office and operational
waste.
Improved staff communication and engagement will not only
raise the profile of the office cleaners, but also contribute to a
leaner, more effective operation that is positively regarded and is
recognised as being an essential element of the office environment.
Professional Office Cleaning Operations
The
changes in working times brought about by daytime office cleaning means
that there is greater need to position office cleaners as a
professional service provider, so they receive the necessary respect
from office staff and visitors, as well as represent the customer's
business in a positive manger. As a result, new uniforms are often
introduced to smarten up the image of the office cleaning staff to
reflect the new high profile nature of the operation.
Daytime
cleaning also changes the make-up of the operation, with a smaller
number of office cleaners working on a full time basis. This helps the
office cleaning profession to be recognised as a career opportunity, so
this not only boosts the stature of the cleaner within an office
building, but can also ensure a higher calibre of employee looking for a
long-term role.
In addition, this switch to a smaller team of
full-time operatives enables office staff to quickly become familiar
with their individual office cleaners, creating a relationship and
making them part of the corporate environment. This benefit is further
boosted by lower staff turnover that is usually achieved when
introducing daytime office cleaning.
Daytime cleaning offers an
opportunity to positively promote the role of the office cleaning
operation within the corporate environment. Whilst there are some
cultural ramifications and perception issues to deal with, it is
possible to achieve buy-in from all stakeholders within the office
workspace and demonstrate the value that is being provided by the office
cleaning team. Daytime cleaning is changing the image of the cleaner to
everyone's benefit, source.
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