FEATURE TRAINING what they were told whilst being trained. These sorts of situations will naturally lead to poor quality service and lead to contract losses. But there are more subtle ways of saving money by training cleaners. It is becoming more and more common to train cleaners in sustainability and green initiatives both to help the environment and save money. Cleaners can be taught how to reduce energy and water usage as well as waste. If properly trained then cleaners can make a massive impact by taking some very simple steps. Turning off lights in empty rooms, reporting flickering lights, turning off taps, reporting when computers and other electronic equipment is left on overnight and cleaning with cold water might not sound like much, but taken together over the course of the year they can have a big impact. OUTSIDE THE BOX All of that raises the issue of whether training cleaners in areas outside of cleaning itself is worth the time and expense. Some companies go to great lengths to try and get their staff comfortable communicating in English. Others in things like social media in order to protect the businesses reputation. But when budgets are still tight across cleaning and facilities management funding this sort of training might just be a pipedream. Especially when it would be so 16 APRIL 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY difficult to quantify how the business would benefit from it. STAFF MORALE It is difficult to question that it would improve staff morale in what can all to often feel like a thankless industry. Of course working conditions for cleaners have improved exponentially over recent decades, with things like the introduction of the Living Wage and campaign’s like the Cleaning Taskforce set up by the Equality and Human Right’s commission. Even so cleaners will often complain that they are fighting an uphill struggle. Coming and going in the dark, with little recognition and low pay. All too often you will hear stories of cleaners making an office spotless only to return the next day to find it filthy once again. Perhaps this is because of the perception of cleaning as an unskilled job. In truth the cleaning sector is creating jobs and booming whilst others continue to shrink. Compared to 50 years ago Britain has almost 200,000 more cleaners. In total it is estimated that six million Britons employ some sort of domestic help. In short a few improvements to training could improve the lives of a huge number of people. A massive step could be explaining to cleaners exactly why certain processes and technologies are being introduced. Too often cleaners complain about being kept in the dark or ignored. Even being trained in why their jobs are so important, something staff are often unaware of. ONLINE There is also the question of how and when training should take place. More and more people are tending to see long training seminars and workshops as old fashioned and anachronistic. Being asked to read pages of technical information has always been tedious. Modern society and things like social media have altered the way people process information. Businesses that realise this and adapt fastest will surely benefit the most. Many cleaners have expressed a desire for shorter, bite sized training, particularly the kind that they can engage with at their own time and speed. They want more control over how they go about things rather than being ordered into work on a Saturday for a six hour lecture. Technology is the preferred option. This kind of short, sharp training can please staff as well as being more efficient and cost effective. Compared to 50 years ago Britain has almost 200,000 more cleaners.”
Cleaning Hygiene Today April 2016
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