36. 5 Useful Tools for Training Cleaning Staff

And why training staff is important for your cleaning business

Jun 01, 2023

Good staff are the core of any successful cleaning business.

To help your staff deliver quality cleaning you need to invest time and effort into training them.

By doing this you improve your chances of retaining them in your business. It also makes them feel valued and reduces staff turnover costs.

Agenda

Develop SOPs
Create job forms and checklists
Write a staff handbook
Provide a training schedule
Evaluate performance regularly

1. Develop SOPs

To provide good quality, consistent cleaning, you need SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) for every cleaning service your provide.

SOPs give staff step by step instructions for completing different tasks.

Think about all the tasks and processes your staff need to complete to deliver a service.

What products and equipment do they need to use?

What cleaning process do they need to follow?

Are there compliance checks to complete?

Develop SOPs for things like:

How to clean office spaces, breakout rooms, washrooms and other spaces and surfaces in a business setting.
The best way to clean different kinds of interior and exterior windows for business premises
Different types of commercial carpet maintenance, including steam cleaning, carpet repairs and odour removal.

To create your SOPs, use these steps:

Set a goal for the procedure, what you’re explaining and why.
The best format for delivering the procedure, like a manual or checklists.
Use clear and simple language to write down all the steps in the process.
Share the process with your staff (digital or print).
Make sure staff follow the process when performing the task.
Update the SOP as the process evolves based on feedback.

Check out this episode of The Growth Lab podcast with Ilze Whiteman where she dives into how developing SOPs for her cleaning business.

2. Create job forms and checklists

An extension of your SOPs are forms and checklists.

Using them helps cleaning staff follow instructions and remember everything they need to do to complete a clean.

Forms and checklists also ensure that your service delivery is consistent to clients.

For new staff, forms and checklists help to develop their knowledge about your process, which helps to build their confidence.

A useful guide for creating checklists as part of your business processes is The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande.

In his interview on The Growth Lab podcast, Stephen Yates explains how he uses guides and checklists in his data centre cleaning business to make sure that his team deliver a high quality service.

3. Write a staff handbook

A staff handbook should include your company policies.

It should be introduced during training and is a document your staff will refer to for a long time after.

A good staff handbook has the following sections:

Company overview and history
Brand messaging (mission, vision, values, brand promise)
List of supervisors and contact information
Working hours (and what constitutes being late)
Payroll details (schedule, check/e-transfer)
Procedures for taking personal time, sick days, and holidays
Details about benefits, bonuses, incentives, and perks
Expectations and code of conduct

It should be easy to read and understand.

A good idea might be to translate the staff handbook into multiple languages, depending on what your team speaks.

Make sure you update your staff handbook at least once every 12 months to reflect any changes in your business.

If there are issues that come up regularly which are not included in by the handbook policies, these need to be added as well.

A good ass-covering exercise is to make sure your staff sign a form to confirm they have read the staff handbook.

Do this when you hire them and whenever you update the handbook. That way you’re covered if you have to fire them for compliance issues.

4. Provide a training schedule

Training should be provided to new staff and as an ongoing requirement in your cleaning business.

It’s important to have a systematic step by step process for training.

Your training program should be documented and include a combination of both video, written and live training.

Keep training short and sweet

Include the basics, like wet work (bathrooms, toilets, sinks), dry work (offices, break out rooms) floor work (carpets, hard floor) and high level cleaning.

With existing staff you should aim to provide training on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

New staff should have a training plan as part of their onboarding process so they understand your processes and cleaning requirements.

It’s a good idea to pair new cleaning staff with more experienced cleaners on their first few cleans.

Working with someone who understands your company’s processes and requirements helps to speed up their learning. They also have an opportunity to ask questions.

A common question I see asked online is “How long should training a new cleaner take?”

That depends on the type of cleaning service you provide and the training program that you have developed.

I spoke with Louise Trehearn who provides weekly domestic cleaning and she has a 48 hour training program!

A reasonable timeframe is to spend 5 to 10 business days on training, plus a 60 or 90 day probationary period where they are supervised.

In this episode of The Growth Lab podcast, Sharon Cowan breaks down the most effective way to develop a training program for your cleaning staff.

One point Sharon stresses is that you should budget for staff training when you plan the finances for your cleaning business. A training program is an investment in your business that needs to be accounted for.

5. Evaluate performance regularly

Regularly evaluating your cleaning staff ensures that training and processes are being followed.

You can do this in different ways

Check-ins: Schedule weekly one-on-one pop-in sessions where you’re available to supervise work, answer questions, and share feedback.
Feedback surveys: Send feedback surveys to clients after every job to see how cleaners are doing. Any negative feedback can be addressed with your staff.
Revisits: No matter how well you’ve trained your staff, there will be revisits. Look at these as an opportunity to review your processes and improve training.
Regular training: Having a training program that focuses on continuous professional development helps staff remember the basics and learn new skills.
Performance bonuses: Performance bonuses can help to improve service quality. Staff can earn extra cash for a job well done and miss out for revisits or complaints.

Training staff will help your cleaning business

Developing SOPs and creating a training program will help your staff be more efficient and provide a better quality service to clients.

They allow you to set expectations for staff, which helps them feel confident in their roles because they know what needs to be done.

As a result, you develop staff loyalty, which allows you to build stellar cleaning teams and spend less time recruiting.

The Growth Lab