A facility should promote comfort and safety, as well as consider the well-being of those who enter it. This means implementing a maintenance team or service that can uphold a consistently high-quality level of cleanliness. A facility that is regularly cleaned and maintained not only helps to improve workflow and positive attitude among employees but also leaves a favorable impression on guests that influences them to return in the future.
Why Cleaning Consistency Is Important
Having a consistent cleaning routine can significantly impact your facility in more ways than one, and it’s noticed more than you’d think. When surveyed, 89% of people said they view regular facility cleaning somewhat or very important to them. Some of the reasons why consistent facility cleaning matters include:
Improved work efficiency: It has been found that employees are up to 15% more productive when working in a clean and maintained environment as opposed to a cluttered or dirty workspace. When employees feel comfortable and safe, it shows through their work, which reflects on the entire facility. Clean work environments have also been shown to result in employees having fewer sick days, reduced employee turnover and boosted morale. It’s important to create an environment that people want to show up to and work in, which is done by creating a cleaning routine that exceeds employee standards and is kept up with regularly.
A positive impression on guests: Whether it’s a school campus, office building or retail store, the cleanliness of your facility sends a message to guests that ultimately impacts whether they are likely to return or not. When surveyed, 64% of guests said they have left a business or establishment before due to poor physical appearance or uncleanliness. As many public facilities proceed to normal business settings after two years of restrictions, it is now more important than ever to guests that their health is made a top priority when entering a shared public facility.
Maintain a strong facility: Consistent facility cleaning not only impacts the people who enter the building, but also the building itself. Once established, a consistent and effective cleaning routine saves money over time, reduces long-term wear and tear, catches structural problems early on and improves the overall appearance of the facility. Businesses and schools have picked up on the importance of cleanliness and maintenance upkeep too, as it is estimated that there will be over 85,500 new janitorial jobs by the year 2031.
Strategies to Upholding a Consistent Cleaning Routine
The following strategies can help your facility establish or strengthen its cleaning routine to exceed expectations of consistency and quality.
Hire a cleaning service: By hiring professionals who understand proper cleaning and maintenance procedures and can provide service on a consistent basis, you can feel at ease and create more time to focus on running your facility or business. This can also be a cost and space-saving solution, as you are only paying for a consistent cleaning service as opposed to repeatedly buying and storing cleaning products and equipment.
Reevaluate your cleaning procedures: Start from within and evaluate the current cleaning procedures your facility practices now and measure their effectiveness. While cleaning consistency is good, if it’s not meeting the standards of your employees and guests it may be time to reevaluate. This includes the type of products you’re using, your maintenance staff, the frequency at which your facility is being cleaned and the quality of the jobs being done.
Provide proper training: For school settings or facilities that prefer maintenance staff over hiring a cleaning service, it’s important to ensure that the employees hired to maintain the facility are properly trained in how to do so. Ideas such as educational programs, yearly refresh courses on proper cleaning techniques and even benchmark assessments can provide peace of mind that the people hired to clean the facility are upholding cleanliness standards.
Be open to feedback: Create an environment that welcomes suggestions or feedback on ways to meet people’s expectations of facility cleanliness levels. This can include anonymous employee or guest surveys, regular review meetings with maintenance staff and even getting an outside opinion from cleaning industry professionals. Be open to making changes or implementing additional cleaning practices that exceed people’s standards and keep your facility’s upkeep exceptional.
Reinvigorate Your Cleaning Strategy
Processes within any facility should include a consistent level of cleanliness that provides safety and comfort for everyone who enters. Mitigate the spread of easily transmittable germs and illnesses by ensuring that your facility is going above and beyond to create a healthy and clean environment. Showing consideration for your guests and team leaves a positive, lasting impression of a facility that strives to put its people first.
