Motivated employees result in longer tenures and better results. Roma Arora speaks to industry leaders on ways to keep cleaning technicians content…

There’s a famous saying that goes ‘Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes’. Every employer is responsible for keeping the staff motivated and in high spirits for the progress of both the company and human resources. For most people, cleaning is synonymous with unskilled labour along with a low status. The work is strenuous, mostly low paying, and customers are quick to complain about poor service. There is often very little regard for the know-how, techniques, knowledge of chemicals, surface materials, etc., that goes into commercial cleaning. It is often difficult in the cleaning industry to attract and retain quality employees. We spoke to the leading soft facilities management (FM) experts to share their secrets behind the smiling faces of cleaning staff.

Communication is the key

There is a well-known story about President John F. Kennedy’s in the 1960s visiting the NASA space center. Noticing a janitor carrying a broom, the President asked him what he was doing. The janitor replied, “I’m helping to put a man on the moon, Mr. President.” To most people, this janitor was just cleaning the building. But, in a much larger perspective, he was helping make history. To begin with, there should be a clear vision to move cleaning staff from ‘just turning up for a pay check’, to highly motivated brand ambassadors recognised for their role in the organisations’ value chain. Andre Mars, QHSA Manager, Cofely Besix Facility Management, says, “As important as it is to have a clear vision and mission for the organisation, it is important to engage employees to understand their role in the organisation. In the same way as the janitor understood the bigger picture and his role in putting a man on the moon; it is important for cleaning staff not to be ‘being kept in the dark’.

This is often how the cleaning staff feels, especially when they are considered to be the lowest rung in the organisation. Most people are curious and like to know what is happening. Managers should keep their staff ‘in the loop’ through open and honest communication.”

Encouraging staff

Staff motivation is a challenge within every work place, and encouragement plays an important role in this scenario. Andrea Yoko, Head of Soft Services at Emrill, shares her views, “All our staff are trusted and treated with respect while we work consistently on motivation through appreciation of jobs well done. They are encouraged at every step by their superiors. All HODs (heads of department) maintain performance review programmes in conjunction with training plans to develop talent and career progression for individual team members. We also provide staff with opportunities and listen to their feedback through daily briefings, team talks, and probationary reviews. Our team members are highly involved, as a result, in problem solving activities to build responsibility and we value their input in action plans.”

Create awareness and involvement of staff

There is an attributed quote by Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” By involving our cleaning operatives on ‘why’ tasks have to be performed in particular way, at a particular time and frequency, we create a higher level of awareness and involvement. “Sharing details of the KPIs, SLAs and demonstrating how our cleaners have a direct impact on their work environment, engages and subsequently motivates them to reach targets.

A cleaning operative plays a vital role in the appearance, up keep and longevity of the building assets. In healthcare for example, cleaners come to realise through our training that they are the front line of defence in infection control. The responsibility of eliminating germs from surfaces lies with them and they understand that their role is crucial to patient care,” adds Yoko.

Job rotation

Cleaning staff can be very perceptive and get bored if they do the same job over and over without any change. They can also feel used or targeted, especially if they are constantly involved in the dirtiest or most tedious tasks. It’s therefore important to vary the work they do and the environment in which they work. Managers could consider offering some variety in work assignments by starting new hires with the dirtiest or most tedious tasks and in time as their performance improves, offering them additional or new responsibilities. This will create a reference point to encourage employees to work harder as they sense there is more prestige in the new tasks. Also, if one identifies an individual who is developing well and would relish some extra responsibility, you can always promote them to a new role as team leader or supervisor. It’s amazing what impact a job title and a little bit of empowerment can do for someone’s self-esteem.

Instill sense of belonging

Iva Kisyova, Area Manager for KT & T Middle East Facilities, feels that labour turnover can be a major concern for employers; so how do we keep the cleaners happy and retain them in the organization? She explains, “We believe a happy worker is a good worker and just recently Dubai has appointed a Government Official in charge of producing a happiness ‘index’. Again, business commentators say starting to get to know employees during the interview through a more casual approach including questions about outside interests often helps. In our experience, we like to instill a sense of belonging and worth in the worker to make them feel appreciated. By being part of a successful team where effort is recognised, both off the job and on the job training can empower and motivate cleaners. This is important in an FM environment where they have to manage KPIs. We provide clear guidance on scheduling to meet and exceed customer expectations.”

Some other factors that matter as well are providing interactive discussions, fast paced meetings, and up-to-date equipment; offering competitive salaries and extra compensation; and conducting a staff interest survey to see if they are in the most appropriate position.

Social interaction

Working in an environment where one is separated from family and acquaintances can be stressful and depressing, especially if you only see them once in two years. Most cleaning staff live in staff accommodation, and their only social interaction outside work is confined to life in a camp with one off-day a week. “A well-motivated team will usually enjoy their work in a more relaxed atmosphere if they know each other better. Managers can create such an atmosphere by having a social event as a reward for contribution to an increase in profits or successfully completing a project in record time. This could also be integrated with a company’s CSR initiatives,” finishes Mars.

It is worth noting that “competitors can always copy your product, but they can never copy your people”, especially if they are highly motivated