It’s possible that your school may be conducting online learning in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic or offering a hybrid of classroom and online teaching that has resulted in fewer people on campus. Some schools opted to allow students to return to dorms and in-person classes with added safety precautions in place.
Whatever the current learning experience might look like, it’s important that team members responsible for facility maintenance understand the benefits of day cleaning. Schools now need to be able to effectively communicate to students, staff and parents that they are dedicated to upholding the highest levels of cleanliness. Day cleaning is just one way to demonstrate a commitment to these efforts.
Day Cleaning Benefits
Day cleaning is the process of shifting cleaning services to daytime hours rather than conducting cleaning overnight. Day cleaning benefits for schools and other buildings include:
- Improved perception of cleanliness – Because of the pandemic, cleaning is still at the forefront of everyone’s minds. When custodians are busy cleaning while others are present, it adds to the perception that the school takes cleaning seriously. This gives students, staff and visitors peace of mind that the school prioritizes health and safety.
- Enhanced employee morale – As schools increasingly rely on their custodial teams to help them achieve higher standards of cleanliness, it’s important to recognize the hard work and long hours these employees put in each day. Cleaning is not the most glamorous or rewarding career, so anything that organizations can do to improve work-life balance and job satisfaction is key. Allowing cleaning teams to work during daytime hours frees up their evenings, enabling them to stick to a relatively regular sleep schedule and spend time with their families and friends during the hours they would normally be cleaning. When employees are happier and well rested, they’ll be more energized and motivated to complete their work. Advertising day cleaning in job posts will likely attract more applicants than a late-night shift would and can also reduce frequent turnover.
- Better cleaning results – When custodians can clean during the day, they have a clearer view of issues like carpet stains and the buildup of dust. Additionally, removing germs from surfaces while people are in the building can help reduce the spread of pathogens and illness. Building occupants and visitors can also point out problems like spills and out-of-stock soap so staff can quickly remedy them.
- Reduced labor costs – The cost of labor is often one of the biggest hurdles related to facility maintenance. Some nighttime cleaning roles offer higher wages to make the position more attractive. And while it’s incredibly important to pay custodians a living wage and offer opportunities for advancement, it is possible to realize cost savings through daytime cleaning. Custodians may also be more productive during the day, which can further drive down labor costs.
- Reduced energy use – When you shift from nighttime maintenance to day cleaning, you may also be able to reduce reliance on lighting and HVAC systems overnight. It’s true that some campus buildings may remain open until later hours or even overnight. However, if these buildings do close at night, you no longer need to keep electricity and cooling or heating systems running at full capacity, as cleaners will no longer be working during this time. Campus buildings are often quite large, so any progress you can make with regards to sustainability can make a big difference in the long run.
Tips for Day Cleaning in Schools
Transitioning all or some of your cleaning tasks to daytime hours can provide numerous benefits for your facility, visitors and custodians, from cleaner spaces to environmental savings to enhanced employee satisfaction. If you’re ready to make the transition to day cleaning but unsure how to successfully implement it, consider the following best practices:
- Hire team members who are friendly and comfortable cleaning around others. If some of your current employees are not up for day cleaning, try assigning them to alternate tasks. Additionally, build specific questions into your hiring process so you can find the right fit when seeking new employees for day cleaning.
- Set a schedule that still allows for minimal disruption in indoor settings. Day cleaning should be efficient without causing too much noise, especially in places like libraries and student centers.
- Familiarize people with your staff through nametags and professional uniforms. When others come to know your employees well, they will be more likely to be friendly and point out issues that need mitigating, which leads to cleaner buildings.
- Ensure staff can confidently communicate regarding the products and processes they’re using in case they receive questions. With so many people concerned about the effectiveness of cleaning nowadays, your employees need to be prepared to highlight how they clean and which disinfectants they use to enhance soil removal without sacrificing safety.
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