CM/Spotlight: Training 3. Get quality right the first time It often takes twice as much time to rework or re-clean a poorly cleaned area, so you should always strive to clean once and do it right the first time. This also boosts morale because it’s bet-ter to get compliments from good work than it is to receive complaints about poor results. It is vitally important to test procedures, practice them and measure outcomes using objective assessment tools such as ade-nosine triphosphate (ATP) meters or newer allergen level sampling or testing tools to determine what works best. Then, you must use that quality delivery process consistently. 4. Standardize processes and con-stantly improve You cannot have peace of mind and good hygienic results if you have 450 ways to clean a restroom stemming from 450 custo-dians each cleaning their own way. Without a standardized way of doing things, you cannot have repeatability or effective and consistent training; instead, you will have chaos and confusion. Also, a standardized way of doing things gives you a clear and understandable base-line upon which to improve. So, keep looking for improved ways of doing things and then, once you find a bet-ter way, make that the new standardized process — remembering to keep improving and re-standardizing the improvement. 5. Create visuals of ideal processes and procedures Taking and sharing photographs of areas that have been optimally cleaned and orga-nized and helping your staff “get the picture” helps them achieve desired results. Recording videos of your best workers in action — always with permission — can provide a visual how-to guide for staffs while permitting constructive criticisms to help the entire team improve and win. 6. Investigate new technologies care-fully Test and prove the benefits of new tech-nologies before turning them loose in your operation. But, once proven, implement them sys-tem-wide almost without exception. Proven technologies make sense as effec-tive productivity enhancers in your CPS. Examples include backpack vacuums for classrooms and spray-and-vacuum machines for restrooms. Tools like these clean better and save time over older methods, so use them when and where appropriate. 7. Grow leaders from within Grow managers who believe in the philos-ophy of your operation from amongst your staffs rather than hiring from the outside. Develop leaders with broad experience across numerous specialties while having deep roots in cleaning at your facilities. These managers should lead by example first and then teach with words in the spirit of “show and tell.” The best leaders understand much more than just cleaning; they also understand pur-chasing, safety, operations, maintenance, ventilation, human relations and so much more. 8. Establish a strong cleaning culture The cleaning for health philosophy should be deeply instilled in everyone on your team. Every decision should revolve around the question, “Does it lead to clean and healthy?” If you clean for health, appearance will follow. This should be part of your organizational deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). 9. Respect your network of suppliers and partners Suppliers often have the deepest exper-tise in useful products and are usually abreast to new developments; challenge them to grow with you. They have an objective outside perspec-tive to share with you, and you have knowl-edge to share with them too. Look for suppliers and business partners who share your philosophy and help each other mutually. 10. Clean the building yourself Never ask a worker to do a job you have not personally done yourself. This is hypocritical and never works in helping anyone understand the problem, let alone find solutions to fix it. Get your hands dirty and learn with your staffs from time to time. You should preach only what you practice and that which you truly understand and believe in. 11. Decide slowly and implement quickly Involve your entire team in decisions affecting them to ensure agreement. Always ask “why” several times when important issues are on the table. Achieve consensus slowly, then imple-ment agreed-upon solutions quickly. 12. Become a teaching and learning organization Each staff member should be teaching you something every day, and vice versa. Do not be afraid to expose your own mis-takes and limitations so you all can grow. This makes all parties simultaneous and humble learners and teachers. Teaching something is the best way to learn and grow in the process. Since teachers must stay ahead of stu-dents in terms of understanding, everyone becomes challenged to constantly improve their knowledgebase. Addressing The Triple Education Challenge Because successful cleaning is most often a “learn through doing” system, even if we are successful at writing down a cleaning production system (CPS) description accu-rately, there is still a danger of misleading our audience. The risk with attempts at understand-ing cleaning through classroom instruction alone is that some readers or spectators will think that, if they’ve read about some-thing or seen it applied, they know it. From a serious business perspective, workers in a CPS must read about cleaning, attend training events about cleaning and watch instructional videos about cleaning. But, most importantly, they must learn cleaning by actually doing it. The hands-on factor is the most impor-tant aspect to success and the reason Process Cleaning for Healthy Schools (PCHS) works. While it is taught in articles and in class-rooms, it is also implemented and learned in the field with qualified instructors having enormous hands-on experience. CM 22 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • August 2012
CMM – Archives August 2012: 22
