Tackle Recruiting and Retention Challenges Head-On

Every BSC is plagued by recruiting and retention struggles with frontline cleaning staff. What strategies of success have you experienced in this area?  

In our industry, there were challenges even before the pandemic, but they are more pronounced now. For us, we have tried to understand what’s important to our frontline employees and how we can make things better for them.  

We offer as much flexibility with schedules as we can, as well as the ability for employees to access their earned wages prior to pay day. We also now send company communications via text message, since this is such a common way for most people to communicate. We’ll send celebrations, birthday messages, information about benefits that are available, etc.  

Additionally, our employees are often our best recruiters, which is why we have had a referral bonus program in place for quite some time. We also have a spot bonus program that we use to recognize employees for a job well done and especially when positive comments are received from our clients.  

Finally, one of the greatest ways we can increase retainment is by making sure our frontline team is properly trained and is comfortable and safe on the job. Training starts from day one and continues through their career with us.  

There's a lot of uncertainty about the future of offices. How does this impact or change your cleaning approach?  

I think the positive outcome of the pandemic on our industry is a greater focus on cleaning and disinfecting. Most importantly, companies want their employees, clients and visitors to feel safe at their facilities.  

We have seen more facilities transition from an in-house cleaning model to an outsourced model because they want the reassurance that proper safety and disinfection is occurring. BSC’s can gain a competitive advantage by obtaining industry certifications such as COVID-19 Disinfection & Safety Certification [from BSCAI].  

It’s also important to work closely with clients to understand the staffing model and rotations so that a customized cleaning program can be designed to meet their unique facility needs. Even though workflow patterns may look different these days, the good news is we are seeing more people coming back into the office. 

How has the working from home trend impacted business and what adjustments are you making?  

This new trend has required flexibility and has changed the way that we work with our clients. We have some facilities that no longer occupy the same amount of space, which in turn reduces the need for our services. At the onset of the pandemic, it was drastic, but we have experienced a steady increase of utilized office space since then.   

Green and sustainability initiatives have picked up since the start of the pandemic. Why do you think it's important for BSCs to promote green and sustainable programs to their clients? 

A sustainable cleaning program is one that sets the standard in our industry. Prestige recently received our recertification as a CIMS with Honors Green Building certified company. It’s a powerful tool that companies can use to identify customer-focused and well-managed cleaning providers. With green and sustainable cleaning programs, we can support our client’s corporate responsibility initiatives and maximize operational efficiency.  

Corinne Zudonyi is the editor-in-chief of Contracting Profits magazine. She has spent more than 16 years in the industry overseeing multiple publications, as well as the online resource, CleanLink.com. 

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