Is Your Cleaning Service a Constant Stream of New Faces?

With Any Service Business, People Matter Most
People are at the heart of any service business, so when people are chosen who are a good fit for the job, you naturally get a better level of service. Certainly there is a natural ebb and flow of employees in any company, yet, if your cleaning service is suffering from high employee turnover, the constant stream of new faces will likely have a negative impact on your facility and level of service. Finding a commercial cleaning company committed to hiring, screening and training the best people is your best defense against the safety and services issues inherent with high employee turnover.

Why Does Turnover Seem So High With Cleaning Services?
Employee turnover in the cleaning industry seems high because it is generally higher. In fact, the national average attrition in the cleaning industry is 200%. Why is this? Some of it has to do with the professionalism of cleaning companies themselves. With so many fly by night operations, start ups and a man and a van types, the less than established and reputable cleaning companies will understandably have a negative impact on industry averages. There are established, professional janitorial companies that successfully implement best practices to bring their individual company turnover well below the industry average.

The Hidden Costs Of High Turnover in Your Cleaning Company
Not only does a “churn and burn” mentality have a big cost for a building services company, it has real costs for you the customer too.

• There are security issues present with recurrent new people entering your building.
• You will likely experience a lag in service as each new hire must learn the specifics of your facility.
• Employees may have safety concerns with too many unfamiliar faces in their work place.
• You can miss a valuable opportunity to build a partnership with your cleaning team that results in most responsive service.
• The administrative cost of replacing employees is often passed on to you the customer meaning you might be paying a higher price for less skilled workers.
• Trainees and new hires, because they are still becoming acquainted with their duties, cover fewer square feet in a shift and are far more likely to miss things, damage equipment and waste supplies.

People: The Basics of Hiring a Great Cleaning Company
Want to find a professional, reputable cleaning company worthy of your business? Ask them about their people. A prospective cleaning company may boast the best, most innovative equipment or organic earth-friendly free-range cleaning supplies endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow herself, but if they don’t have good people you won’t get good service. Any cleaning company that understands their business knows how critical good people are. An established commercial cleaning company should be enthusiastic about their team and able to clearly articulate what makes their people among the best in the industry. Platitudes like “we have the best people” or “we offer good training” are just that, empty, meaningless statements if there is nothing to back them up. The best cleaning companies can show you, not just tell you what sets them apart.

How Are Some Commercial Cleaning Companies Increasing Employee Retention?
While the national average for turnover in the cleaning business is 200%, some professional cleaning and janitorial companies are managing to get that number much, much lower. So how are these cleaning services breaking the barrier when it comes to employee attrition?

• They attract very good prospective employees through reputation and referrals.
• They thoroughly screen and vet potential employees to eliminate candidates with a criminal record and/or drug use.
• They interview and test to find those candidates who are a good match for the duties and environment inherent to cleaning and maintenance.
• They provide initial and ongoing training to make sure employees have the resources to succeed.
• They provide ongoing management and feedback to insure customer needs are communicated to employees and that employees in turn understand what is most important to their customers.
• They provide leadership opportunities and growth for the employees who show interest and aptitude.
• They provide their employees with competitive wages and benefits and offer opportunities for rewards for going the extra mile.
• They partner with their employees, listen to their ideas and concerns in order to fine tune their organizations for the benefit of the employees, the customers and the health of the business as well.

Is It Time to Send Your Cleaning Company Packing?
If your current cleaning service has a level of turnover that is affecting your business, it might be time to move on.  A revolving door of new people is usually a symptom of a much bigger problem. The costs of high turnover are just too high. Unhappy workers rarely do high level of work and you deserve to get for your money. When you get informed on the components that can affect your relationship with a commercial janitorial company, you can ask the right questions and find a reputable, proven, professional building services company that does a great job at keeping your facilities in tip top shape.