Specialization, Self-monitoring And Efficiency Through Team Cleaning Traditional cleaning production strategies have utilized an approach for executing tasks in which the individual worker is responsible for accomplishing all cleaning tasks within a given area. This type of process is often referred to as zone or gang cleaning. This form of cleaning demands that each worker be trained and equipped with the proper tools to accomplish restroom clean-ing, vacuuming and hard surface cleaning, dusting and detail cleaning as well as trash removal. This process is still frequently used today and, in many facility types, it remains the most beneficial method of accomplishing cleaning tasks. The “team or function cleaning” rein-forces the theory that if a group of individ-ual cleaning specialists are trained to move through a facility in a systematic method accomplishing specific cleaning functions in multiple areas, then both efficiency and quality of work will improve. Over the years, this theory has proven true in a variety of facility types and sizes. done in a shorter amount of time. Following the completion of each task, the next team member will check the work of the previous one — the vacuuming and general floor care team member follows the trash removal individual to double-check their work, for example. This is called self-monitoring. Team cleaning and responsibility varia-tions are dependent on variations in facility layout and size. Self-directed teams represent the varia-tion used most often, breaking down a large facility into smaller workable parts that are delegated to a specific team. While team cleaning is generally a more effective production strategy, it may not be the most effective in every situation. For all its benefits, inherent challenges exist in the ongoing management of its exe-cution to ensure maximum efficiency and quality. Some facilities — and even some groups of workers — with environments and ros-ters that change consistently may not always lend themselves to fit the structured team cleaning process. Hotel and hospital room cleaning are examples where some benefits of the team cleaning methodology may need to be modified to realize any of the desired benefits. Team cleaning historically has been most effective for multi-tenant facilities, single-tenant offices, multi-screen theaters, indus-trial complexes, small health care buildings, car dealerships, retail facilities and other low-variation environments. Self-monitoring helps ensure that no details have been missed and that the team is delivering a consistent, high-quality level of service every visit. The self-monitoring process adheres to the following basic formula: 1. Team member one begins service 2. Team member two follows team member one and notes or corrects missed areas 3. Team member three follows team members one and two and double-checks the work of both team mem-bers 4. Team member four follows all three team members and double-checks work. By working as a team, your staff delivers high-quality service consistently and your cleaning process saves on hourly wages. You gain the opportunity to turn that cost savings over to your customers to help increase brand loyalty and maintain a com-petitive edge over other cleaning services or to help reduce the departmental cost of your in-house operations. Team cleaning also provides a more effi-cient way to compensate for absenteeism among workers than other cleaning meth-ods, thereby helping to maintain productivi-ty levels. Because each team member’s activities are streamlined and cross-training is an important element of the team cleaning strategy, it is generally easier and quicker to find trained personnel to fill in for an absent worker. For cleaning contract professionals, it’s a large industry, so it’s important to differenti-ate your offerings by making the most of the efficient techniques, methodologies and technologies. A team cleaning strategy builds bonds between co-workers, improves customer relations, quickens facility cleaning time, cuts company costs, maximizes quality of service, increases brand loyalty and devel-ops a stronger overall basis for on-the-job efficiency. At a time when many businesses are still in “sink-or-swim” mode, it is important to examine all of your options and see what proven strategies in efficiency and effectiveness can do for your company. CM Team Cleaning Fosters Specialists What exactly does team cleaning do? From a general perspective, team cleaning fills two roles: It creates a systematic method of workflow — much like other cleaning concepts It develops specialists in a specific cleaning function — decidedly unlike other cleaning concepts. Essentially, team cleaning produces higher quality work and better efficiency by employing groups of individual cleaning specialists that are trained to move system-atically through a facility, performing tasks that they have mastered. For instance, one employee might be assigned vacuuming and general floor care while another person collects the trash. Another worker might be assigned to restrooms while another is dusting and detail cleaning. The concept here is simple: Repetition of the same function over time will create spe-cialization in that task set, thereby creating a more effective workforce that gets the job Getting The Upper Hand With Team Cleaning The benefits that accompany team cleaning strategies can be numerous — as all of them are related to the bolstered effi-ciency such a strategy accomplishes. Workers who know what they’re doing at all times, have practiced these tasks by performing them on a regular basis and benefit from the validation and monitoring from co-workers will naturally fall into a formula that shaves time off of facility cleanings. Beyond cutting cleaning time, the team cleaning formula also increases the quality of service to your clientele. 16 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • May 2010
CMM – Archives May 2010: 16
