What to do if...Help Your Cleaning Staff Know What to do in Certain Situations
Who doesn't enjoy a candy now and then? Hershey's Miniatures, Smarties, M&M's, and hard candies can be irresistible. Especially later in the day when the hunger pangs begin. Unfortunately, it was the sweet tooth of a few of our cleaning technicians that got our company in trouble.
Thinking that the candy dish at the receptionist's desk at a customer's office was for everyone, they freely helped themselves. After a phone call from our customer stating that their candy dish keeping going down overnight, we had to revisit this policy with the candy eating violators, Even though we did have a food and drink policy in place, the employees defended themselves by saying “it's there for everyone” when questioned about the infraction.
Understanding roles and responsibilities as a cleaning technician
Everyone is or should be familiar with what a company policy manual and employee handbook is, right? If not, here is a quick overview. It is an outline of expectations and procedures for everyone to follow, set forth by the company to describe what employees can and cannot do, and the consequences when infractions occur.
However, as detailed as the company polices may be, there will always be instances where certain policies land somewhere in the “grey” area with employees. When this occurs, management must address these violations on an as-needed basis.
Some things in the manual will be black and white, some will fall into the grey area, and regardless of how detailed you think your policy is, you cannot cover every scenario that will arise.
Below are a few examples of topics that should be outlined in the employee handbook and certain situations that cleaning technicians may encounter while on the job that you may have to re-address.
BUILDING SECURITY:
Report any suspicious person or events to your supervisor immediately. Make sure that all doors that are to be locked when you enter or leave a client location are locked. Make sure all lights that are to be turned off are in fact off.
Situation: While working late in the evening at the customers building, there is a knocking at the door. The person claims to have forgotten their building key and just needs to pick up some papers at their desk? They appear to be an employee and so the cleaner lets them in.
Correct Response: Do not let any unauthorized person into a customer's office or building, even if they say they work there. If they work there, they should have their own key. You don't want the cleaning company to be liable for damaged or stolen property because the technician allowed them entry.
DRESS CODE – PERSONAL APPEARANCE:
All personnel employed must be neat, clean and in the appropriate uniform at all times when on the job. Any employee failing to present a professional appearance or reporting to work out of uniform may be written up and sent home.
Situation: After several weeks on the job, the employee starts coming to the customer's buildings in torn jeans, t-shirts, and a brand new offensive tattoo that they display proudly. When confronted by co-workers, the employee states that legally the company cannot tell them what to wear as long as they are completing the job as required.
Correct Response: The acting supervisor or manager in charge of the employee should approach them and calmly ask if you can have a minute of their time, away from other employees. The employee should be reminded of the company's dress code policy, to cover the tattoo, wear the company uniform and that they are in violation. If they continue to violate the dress code policy, it may be time to terminate them.
ALCOHOL AND MOOD ALTERING SUBSTANCES:
We are committed to maintaining a safe, healthful and efficient work place. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the job may pose serious health risks not only to the user, but to all who work with the user. The possession, use, or sale of controlled substances also poses unacceptable risks. Any employee who is aware of any alcohol and/or illicit drug use in the workplace must bring the situation to the attention of management immediately.
Situation: While performing nightly team cleaning duties, one company employee notices another constantly taking “breaks” and smells like alcohol upon returning to the customers building. The cleaner doesn't report the incident for fear of coming off as a “snitch” to other fellow workers.
Correct Response: It is the responsibility of the employee who witnesses or suspects another employee of consuming alcohol at the workplace need to bring it to the immediate attention to their supervisor or management. Even though they may feel like a “snitch” an impaired worker is a safety hazard to everyone around them. Not reporting it is also a company policy violation.
CLIENT PROPERTY:
There is to be no pilfering of trash. Employees can be prosecuted for theft for removing items from the trash for their own use.
Situation: While taking out the trash at a customer's retail location, the cleaning technician notices a box of 3 ring binders. Since this is trash, they collect the box from the trash and place it their vehicle to bring home.
Correct Response: As harmless and tempting as this may seem, cleaners need to resist temptation. The job is to take out the trash, not remove things from the trash for personal use. And if someone sees the cleaner removing something from the building without knowing it was trash, negative conclusions might be drawn against the cleaner and the cleaning company.
CLIENT PROPERTY:
Employees are not allowed to use any property of the client. This would include microwave, refrigerator, computers, copiers, fax machines, TV's, radios, stereos, etc. Employees are not permitted to eat or drink in office/buildings.
Situation: Sick of always eating cold sandwiches at break time, the cleaner decides to bring some of Moms favorite lasagna to work, warms it up in the microwave, and eats it in the employee lunch room.
Correct Response: Who doesn't love Mom's lasagna but client microwaves and break room access is off limits to company employees. Company employees are not allowed to use any client property at any time, period.
VISITORS:
Personal visitors are prohibited in the Company offices or job sites without the clear pre-approval of the owners or manager. Children, family and friends are not permitted on the job site. Unauthorized persons are not permitted in or around the job site.
Situation: The cleaning technician was unable to secure a babysitter for their two young boys one night and since it conflicts with their cleaning schedule, they brings the boys to play in the bank's “child play area” while they clean the facility.
Correct Response: The cleaner should have notified his supervisor of the conflict before starting work, allowing the supervisor to reschedule the cleaning or make the necessary arrangements to fill in during the employees' absenteeism. Situations like this can cause the cleaning company to lose the client.
GRIEVANCES:
Employees who have a grievance should first talk to their supervisor. If that is not possible, or if the grievance has to do with the supervisor, the employee should then talk with management.
Situation: The cleaning technician always finishes the nightly cleaning task list on time and has impeccable quality control reports but the “new” supervisor seems to constantly assign the hardest projects to them and has unrealistic expectations of the cleaner. Thinking that the supervisor has it out for them, they intend to quit the next day.
Correct Response: The cleaner should know that if they feel they are being treated unfairly, whether by a supervisor, co-worker, or anyone while on the job, they can bring up their grievance to ownership/management or the company HR consultant without fear of repercussion. Having an “open door” policy will encourage communication, feedback, and discussion without fear of repercussion.
These are just a few examples of what to include in the company policy manual and things that may come up during the company's day-to-day operations regarding cleaning technicians and customers. A well-defined cleaning company policy manual can help to eliminate any guess work about what or what not to do in certain situations. Without a policy manual, you are only leaving problems or situations open to each person's interpretation and how to best handle it.
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Cleaning Company Policy Manual Download Isn't it time you create a written policy manual / employee handbook for your cleaning company? The Janitorial Store can help. It could cost you thousands of dollars to have an HR professional write a manual for you, but our Cleaning Company Policy Manual and Employee Handbook template not only covers all the topics outlined in this article, but it is available in MS Word format, so you can edit your policies and add addendums unique to your company applications as your business progresses. If you were to hire an HR professional to write your policy manual it would cost at least $2000. But for a very small investment, you can quickly create your own policy manual / employee handbook using this template. Learn more about this Policy Manual and purchase visit our store |
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