1. Visitors? Do your employees know that they are not allowed to have friends or family members on the properties you clean? If not, you will eventually find an employee's kids, boyfriend, sister, etc. at one of your accounts, and perhaps even in the building with your employee. You must have a policy that prohibits anyone but employees on the premises.

2. Building Security? Do you explain to your employees that when working after hours they must lock themselves into the building in order to keep it secure? Do they know they should not let people into the building after hours even if they "say" they are an employee?

3. Use of telephones and office equipment? If you don't tell your employees that they are not allowed to use telephones and office equipment like copiers and fax machines, you will eventually have an employee that will use a client's office equipment. And if they're a really "bright" employee, they may even leave whatever it is they're copying in the machine for the client to find.

4. Eating client candy, food and drinks? Many offices have candy dishes at the reception counter and food in the break room. If you don't have a policy against eating candy, food and drinks, you will have employees that sneak candy from the candy dish and take a soda from the refrigerator.

5. Dress code? I'm not just talking about company shirts, but the rest of the dress such a s: 1) no open-toed shoes, 2) no holes in the jeans, 3) no "short" shorts, etc. Without a dress code policy you leave your company's representation in the hands of your employees, who may not make the best choices.

6. Cell phone use? Cell phones are a distraction, both when driving and while working. You must have a policy that states no cell phone use when driving company vehicles. You should also have a policy regarding cell phone use while working.

This is just a small sampling of policies that should be included in your company policy manual. Is your company covered?

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Jean Hanson helps owners of small cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at TheJanitorialStore.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com,

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