A famous archeologist once observed that his work consisted of going through earlier civilizations’ garbage dumps; perhaps, to study a cleaning organization, a janitor’s closet would make a better dig site.

From the closet I can tell you what the cleaning worker is up to and I can tell what management is like. Purchasing, safety, sales people, human resources, customers — they all leave telltale clues in the closet. The closet will even tell if you are breaking the law.

Want to do an archeological dig of your closets? Here are the basics. First, go to the main storage closet. See what is there. Are there several types of the same product? That means your workers have a confusing array of choices when it comes to doing the work. Is the place a mess? That’s a safety issue. It also means there is a fuzzy area of responsibility, or that the one shift is leaving messes for another.

Is equipment dirty? You can’t clean with dirty tools. It is amazing how many cleaning workers don’t know that. Old cut squeegee blades leave streaks. Dirty wiping cloths leave film. Overloaded vacuum filters pound dust throughout the building. Dirty equipment tells you the effectiveness of your training program and trainers. It shows you how you are treating your employees. It displays how company assets are maintained. It is a sign of your quality control or lack of it.

Is it cluttered? Clutter is a sign of a disorganized operation. Clutter may mean the schedule is wrong. It may mean too many people are buying or bringing things into the workplace. Another problem with clutter is it’s dangerous. People get hurt because of clutter. They trip over things. They can hurt themselves lifting improperly around clutter. They may not see wet or slippery areas because their vision is impaired by clutter and down they go.

Now visit some other closets. Pick one the furthest from the main closet. Open the door. Is it locked? Doesn’t your key fit? I’m surprised at how many owners and managers can’t get into service closets, even with master keys and grand masters. Sometimes, we find the cleaning workers have changed the locks. They’re not supposed to be able to do that, but they did. When you probe into why you’ll hear excuses: “People were using my stuff so I arranged for a new lock.” Now the management is locked out of areas that can be used for hiding and unauthorized hoarding.

When we finally get in we find amazing things. My short list of things found behind locked doors includes a Bible-study room complete with Bible, candle and two comfortable chairs; a flower drying and arranging business; a TV, bed and refrigerator; and a Hawaiian-themed “snooze room.” All of the custodians who operated these rooms were complaining that they had too much work to do; we found otherwise.

So get your pith helmet and flashlight. Mount an expeditionary party. Go out and dig into your closets. You’ll uncover the true story of your cleaning operation.

John Walker is a veteran building service contractor; owner of ManageMen consulting services, Salt Lake City; and founder of Janitor University, a hands-on cleaning management training program.




POSTED ON: 9/1/2005