The cleaning industry is changing across the board, according to LCC Support Services chief, Bob Vincent. Yet the public perception remains clouded and higher quality recruitment is threatened by factors including low unemployment and competition from sectors such as retail. To address the situation, and ensure cleaning becomes a career of choice rather than default, he says the industry needs to trumpet its achievements and show a more professional face.
Speaking at the British Industry Cleaning Conference at Alton Towers this month, Vincent admitted that he too had never intended to make a career in cleaning. However, he said the necessary elements to ensure cleaning becomes a first choice career option are now in place. It’s just the public hasn’t recognised them yet.
To illustrate this, LCC undertook some market research, polling visitors at Alton Towers several days prior to the conference regarding their attitudes towards cleaners. Responses included:
• “Cleaning doesn’t get me excited.”
• “Not a lot of money in it.”
• “Boring - it’s the same old thing, day-in, day-out.”
• “No time for a cuppa all day.”
• “That’s a girl’s job.”
• “Very unsociable.”
• “Never see them – they’re never around.”
• “They use a lot of chemicals so it can’t be healthy.”
One respondent did buck the trend, saying: “It’s all big business these days – they’re all swanning around in company cars...” But the overwhelming perception of the industry was negative. There’s clearly much work to be done.
To address the situation, Vincent says the public needs to be made aware of the industry’s changing face. “Skills levels have never been higher,” he said. “We are becoming scientists, academics and above all, professionals. But what good is that if it is hidden? We need to show it or lose the opportunity to present cleaning as a career of choice.”
One way of achieving this, says Vincent, is through daytime cleaning. While the daytime drum has been banged repeatedly over the last few years, adoption has not been as swift as some had hoped for. But Vincent says there’s nothing stopping it other than businesses themselves, pointing to LCC’s flagship daytime contract with Lloyds TSB by way of example: “If a busy banking establishment can be cleaned during the day, why can’t anywhere else?”
Lloyds TSB network support manager, Christina Gudge, underlined Vincent’s sentiments, explaining how that, after a successful trial and carefully managed integration period, service and working environment had improved markedly – and that both banking staff and cleaning operatives were happier as a result. “Issues are dealt with immediately on a personal level,” said Gudge. “Staff can see areas cleaned, know who to approach with any problems or queries, emergency cleans can be done as and when needed and the cleaners are valued as part of the team, rather than faceless people who come in at night to try and make sense of notes left for them. There’s also no late night calls about cleaners getting locked in!”
Commenting via video at the conference, the cleaners themselves, after admitting initial nerves, now find that the job is easier as a result of face-to-face communications and bank staff knowing what to expect in terms of cleaning duties. Other comments included not having to take the bus home late at night, not having to perform nerve-wracking duties such as setting the bank’s alarm system, and not having to juggle several different jobs to pay the bills. Commented one cleaner: “I used to do three jobs back-to-back in the evening. I was home very late, tired and never saw the family. Now I work full time during the day, see the kids and feel like part of the team. And it’s also easier to clean the car park in the daylight!”
By offering a better working environment, increased access to training and a visible career path, Vincent believes the industry can achieve its ambitions – and deliver real value to clients – but says this must now be top of all companies in the industry’s agenda. Referring to the Lloyds TSB comments about face-to-face communications leading to improved service levels, Vincent applied it to the industry as a whole: “If seeing a face is better than a name,” he concluded, “what face do you want them to see?”
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