our guests and workers you can never take anything for granted,” Kastel explains. Green products and cleaning processes have been shown to create safer environ-ments for all parties involved, and Harris sees the developing benefits of green cleaning as possibly the biggest trend in the New Year. “We have been ‘greening’ for quite some time, but we will continue ‘greening’ due to ‘realized benefits’ and cost reductions rather than waving the green flag for envi-ronmental reasons alone,” Harris notes. “We did the right thing in the beginning, and we are realizing labor, chemical, water savings and quality improvements because of it,” he continues. Harris provides a few examples, includ-ing: ■ Polishing concrete and terrazzo instead of refinishing. ■ Switching to a high-quality, water-based gym floor finish. ■ Scheduling “gang” cleaning in the summer to allow building hibernation. ■ Encapsulation carpet cleaning. ■ Passing over disinfectants when clean-ing desks, door knobs, counters, etc. Overall, these green changes have not only improved worker, occupant and facility safety, they also have reduced chemical and labor costs, increased energy savings and lowered water usage. customer satisfaction, and the return on investment that results from it,” Keeler con-cludes. Though no one can predict the curves and swerves that 2014 may bring, preparation and planning can help in-house facility man-agers and BSCs improve their operations in numerous ways over the next 12 months. From studying up on the Clean Standard to researching safety steps, motivated and involved cleaning professionals can benefit their facilities and occupants in the upcom-ing year. While anticipation and planning are consid-ered best practices, education and industry awareness is ongoing, so be sure to read Cleaning & Maintenance Management and CMMOnline.com throughout 2014 to stay current on the developments discussed in this article. CM Outsourcing Continues Finally, one labor issue that Kevin Keeler, founder of Keeler Consulting, sees as the most disconcerting industry trend is the movement from in-staff cleaning personnel to contracted cleaners. While the cost savings for utilizing a con-tracted cleaning provider is undeniable for many, Keeler thinks there are other factors to consider. “The foremost is a sense of duty that comes with ownership,” he states. “Whether it is man-agers or cleaners, my experience shows that when people feel ownership of a building and loyalty to the occupants, their level of commit-ment is reflected in their performance.” In cleaning environments where the staff and customers are constant — schools, colleges and universities — this sense of ownership is extremely important. “While there is an added cost with in-staff cleaning, the investment results in higher FREE INFO: Reader Service 206 or CMMOnline.com/freeinfo www.cmmonline.com 13
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