Work Smarter, Not Harder

With economic cutbacks and increased expectations commonplace in the world today, workers of all kinds find it challenging to tackle their growing to-do lists. The strain of doing more with less has been particularly taxing for members of the cleaning industry, who struggled with their daily tasks even before the recession.

Now with the failing economy, departments are functioning with fewer people on staff, fewer budget dollars to spend and inferior equipment. The result is an increased workload and a strain on already overworked cleaners.

Unfortunately, an overextended staff is often inclined to cut corners, sacrificing cleaning standards. This is a reality managers can't afford when contractors are chomping at the bit to get their foot in the door.

Regardless of cutbacks, managers are tasked with maintaining an effective department that runs smoothly, which means working smarter, not harder. The best way to achieve an efficient cleaning department is by crunching the numbers and implementing proper workloading tactics.

In our cover story, "Gauging Efficiency," we address the importance of determining the appropriate number of staff and equipment necessary to efficiently maintain a facility and, from this, the cost of cleaning. Click here to learn how doing more with less and meeting cleaning demands can only happen by first using every dollar and labor hour to its fullest.