Who's Cleaning and Why?

Teamwork assures quality outcomes.

 Once we have given in to our desire and need for help with cleaning our home and hire a residential cleaning service, we expect professional service with consistent results. To some homeowners, employee compensation may seem inconsequential. After all, if a cleaning company pays less salary then those savings trickle down and are transferred to homeowner, "Right?”  Employees who are paid less look for ways to work less. Often underpayment leads to breaking equipment and client’s possessions due to carelessness and ‘the avoidance of high effort areas of cleaning.”  Life Maid Simple’s blog post points out, “More expensive companies pay their staff better, may have [other] benefits and use higher quality products in your home.” Studies show employee compensation and retention is a reflection of the type of cleaning service you and your home will receive. Join us as we examine one of the biggest investments a cleaning company can make; an investment in their employees and the return on that investment for the homeowner.  

It’s Tuesday evening at 7 P.M. after a long day at work and you are finally home but it’s not time to completely relax yet.  The cleaning company that your coworker recommended is scheduled to arrive in fifteen minutes for a free quote.  You wish you had been able to research the business prior to the meeting but the daily duties got in the way and the dust bunnies threaten a mutiny to take over your home. The cleaning person is punctual, they pull into the driveway and the car has the business name sleekly printed on the side. Introductions are made and you begin the walking tour of the house, discussing areas that are to be serviced, the estimated length of time in the home and frequency of the cleans; all the while Dale is taking careful notes. You finish your tour at the kitchen bar where Dale produces a price list of the services offered and the discussion turns to the possible dates for the first clean. 

 Overall, they seem knowledgeable about the surfaces of the home, answers most of the questions quickly until you ask about the employees.  Their body language slightly stiffens as they confide, “It’s hard to find good help.”  As an employer yourself, you recognize this is a common thread amongst many industries, so you follow up by asking, “Are your employees compensated fairly?”  Dale responds, “The employees are paid a living wage, above average in comparison to other cleaning businesses locally and they have the ability to advance in the company.”  This business review is proceeding well as you offer Dale a drink while you continue the conversation. 

It is common knowledge, you usually pay for what you get and “low-ball employers who pay bottom-tier wages get bottom-tier employees and then those employees do bottom-tier work.” Employee Retention.  A $15 per hour minimum wage like the movement in Seattle may not be financially feasible for many small businesses. $15 wage   But let’s face it: compensation embodies more than wages and insurance.  It’s about creating a work-life balance and a sustainable work force.  

 Now that you know Dale's employees are paid fairly, you inquire, “What other ways do your employees receive compensation?”   They share several employees qualify for health incentives and the business is small but has, "Worker’s Compensation Insurance although it is not required at this size it is important to us.”

 Many residents falsely believe their homeowner’s insurance will cover a worker if they are injured while in their home. Some policies may provide some coverage depending on the situation but typically a high deductible must be paid first. Ultimately, the cleaning company you hire carries a general liability policy that protects against damage to the homeowner and property. Additionally the business has “worker's compensation, which covers any injuries staff may sustain while on your property and pays for lost wages so they will not be tempted to sue you.”  10-things-your-cleaning-service-wont-tell.html 

 Dale's business health care plan is an added perk for the employees too. The cleaning companies that do not offer health care incentives have employees that are more likely to call off work or worse; they could potentially come into your home while they are contagious.  The lack of primary health care coverage causes further work dissatisfaction due to financial strain on an employee with costs of unpaid sick leave, out of pocket medication costs, urgent care bills and possible ER visits. 

 Work life balance is defined as “being fresh enough to give all you need to both at work and home, without jeopardizing one for the other.”  Balanced employees tend to be positive, energetic, motivated, committed, take pride in outcomes and have increased productivity.  These behaviors are transferred to you, as the customer, because the employee provides consistent service.  Essential to being a balanced employee is a manageable work load and time for recovery.  Employee recovery may be as simple as a shared work load by working in teams, facilitation of breaks, a modified work week and paid time off. work life balance 

 Dale continues speaking about the business’s employee structure, “We deploy three person teams for equitable work distribution, utilizing a systems approach, meaning each member has assigned areas and roles while detailing the home.”

 “Give preference to companies that use cleaning ‘teams’, in which two to four cleaners, including one supervisor, come to your home at the same time to divide tasks. Not only does that make your cleaning more time-efficient, but also, employees are less likely to steal or be careless under a supervisor's watchful eye.” 10-things-your-cleaning-service-wont-tell.html

Lastly, you ask Dale, “What type of training does your staff receive?”  Enthusiastically Dale shares information about the employee standardized training protocol with skills assessments, quizzes, video audits and continuing education. 

 “A commitment to training is seen by employees as an investment in their worth and a powerful incentive to stay at the company,” says Kevin Griffin, an IT advisor at Falco Enterprises and former CIO of GE Capital.  Structured training strengthens institutional knowledge, reinforces protocols and builds commitment. Josh Bersin, Industry Analyst shares, “The longer we stay with an organization the more productive we get - we learn the systems, we learn the products, and we learn how to work together.” Employee Retention

A systematic approach assures all areas are covered and encourages employee accountability.

You have decided to select Dale’s cleaning company based on the business model which invests in their employees and promotes work-life balance.  Employees who are well compensated, trained effectively and feel valued by their company demonstrate consistent, high quality work performance while cleaning your home. The investment in employees causes employees to be happy and ultimately makes customers happy. 

 You want well trained and skilled cleaners in your home to consistently protect and care for the home as you do; from the sentimental, cultivated artwork to the sunny outdoor kitchen or perfectly fluffed and tucked oasis of your bed. Clean is Happy!

 “… success is dependent upon tremendous attention to detail.”    Frederick Lenz

Reclaim your time

Residential is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “designed for people to live in.”  We recognize our homes are comprised of far more than brick and mortar; it is a culmination far greater in composition than its individual parts.  Most of us would agree, whether its a luxury apartment as a student at the University of Florida, a starter home complete with new baby nesting moms or a busy established Gainesville professional, our homes are the revitalizing epicenters of our lives. The individual design process involved in the creation of the perfect living environment is painstaking from the location, landscape, interior space, selected cabinetry, counter tops, flooring, paint palates and furnishings layered with personal touches, decorated with intention and appreciated in every minute you are there with one exception, when it is time to clean.  Our lifestyle with busy schedules can create a cycle where chores accumulate leading to maintenance neglect increasing further time requirements to clean and care for our biggest asset.  The lack of routine cleaning may cause damage to glass surfaces and fixture finishes etc. Professional residential cleaning services are sensitive to the maintenance of your personal environment, enhancing your families’ experience and allowing you to spend your valuable time on other personally fulfilling tasks. “If you’ve ever wondered if you should hire a cleaning service (https://money.usnews/money/blogs/my-money/2015/10/14/7-apartment-services-worth-splurging-on), the answer is almost a no-brainer. Of course you should.”

The Bureau of Labor statistics reports in 2015 “the average person over 15-years-old spends 66 minutes a day cleaning after meals, cleaning toilets and sinks, dusting fixtures, vacuuming, doing laundry.”  That is a total of 7.7 hours a week!  Of course, all of this daily house cleaning does not produce a 100% clean environment.  In fact, the deep cleaning such as base board scrubbing, dusting ceiling fans and light fixtures and cleaning blinds is not factored in.  These unsavory time consuming tasks are typically saved for a weekend.  Professional residential cleaning companies address these areas on a rotational basis because regular attention limits dirt and grime build up thus decreasing the amount of product required to treat the area. A cleaning company produces an entirely clean house, all at once for maximum personal benefit.

The best housekeeping staffs are educated and knowledgeable about the types of surfaces in your home along with their specialty treatments.  This knowledge is utilized to choose and apply the appropriate cleaning compounds coinciding with the manufacturer's recommendations.  Without the scientific understanding of the materials, the composition of cleaning solutions and causation of blemishes or stains, catastrophic damage could occur.

"HEY..."

 Tammy S. age 7

The cleaning/janitorial industry is one of the largest industries in the United States.  There are greater than seventy [70] cleaning services in Gainesville alone. The selection of a residential cleaning service is tantamount to choosing a healthcare or childcare provider.  Initially this may seem a bit of an exaggeration but you are inviting these providers into your home: they will have keys, consider nap times as they schedule service, help prep for parties, declutter your bathroom, straighten and level your original art work.  They many interact with your nanny, pets, children and/or spouse.  The residential service you choose must have integrity, instill trust, and provide reproducible precisioned results as a seamless contribution to your home and lifestyle.  Cleaning teams must also tend to design concepts with consideration for palates and visual hierarchy, personal style and the preferences embodying "the feel" of your home.  Thus, the best residential cleaning business would have an ethos that mirrors your own practices.