Posted / 7th March 2019
Does the idea of finding and hiring exceptional cleaners seem daunting? Well, it does not have to be! Here are some great recruiting and training tips for your cleaning business. Now, for some of us, cleaning can be quite a drag and we put it off. But there are others who love to clean and they do it oh-so-well. These will most likely seek you out, but for the rest, here are some helpful ideas in your hiring travels:
- Finding the workers
One of the best tried and true methods of finding applicants is through your other employees. This works well for not only you, but your potential worker. Let’s not forget a happy you and a happy employee, makes a happy client! Setting up an employee incentive program is one way to do this well. Pay your long-time cleaners to recommend new hires. This gives the incentive to find good workers like themselves, who will succeed. This is also a golden opportunity for your employees to give you a good reference as an employer. Learn more about how to recruit and develop superstar team members.
There are many other methods to find applicants — posting to social media, job boards, and more. Be sure to describe job requirements and duties in a thorough and inviting way. Note that the right candidate will be joining a fun team atmosphere. This creates a feel for a happy environment, working with other happy workers. It also weeds out the people that do not do well with teams. Let’s face it, you need a team to clean!
- Picking the right person
The pressure comes when you have to find that right person. No need to stress too much. Following some simple guidelines can make this a stress-free process. You can start by screening using some simple questions during your interview. This will give you a good insight into whether this person is the right fit for your team or not.
Some great examples of these would be:
- Has this person worked in the cleaning industry previously?
- Are they able to work within a team atmosphere?
- What was their reason for leaving their last employment?
- Are they willing to provide previous work references?
It is a good idea to ask scenario questions as well. Asking them how they have handled a difficult situation in the past gives insight into how they will handle problems that may arise. You will want to get a feel for their sense of integrity. This is a business that requires exceptionally trustworthy people.
Now you have a great feeling and want to proceed in the hiring process with your applicant! Excellent! This is good for both of you! Now is the time to do your homework.
You will need to do a background check on each person before you hire them. First, get their consent. If a person denies a background check, do not hire them. It is a safe bet there is a reason they do not want it done, and you do not want to risk you or your clients’ safety and trust.
Do not forget to call and speak with each reference! It is legal to ask a previous employer if they would hire this person again. A simple yes or no is all that is required and will tell you enough. It is not legal for them to tell you anything negative about your possible hire, but you can ask them for positive characteristics of this person. You will get a feel for how they felt about this person just from this simple inquiry.
See also how you can use technology to free up your precious time.
- Training your new hire
Congratulations! You have embarked on a long-time journey with a new cleaning team member. Now is the time to build a strong and fruitful cleaning relationship between not only you and your new worker, but also with your client. A happy cleaner makes a happy client!
You will want to motivate and train your cleaners well. With the proper motivation and a happy worker, the end result will be top-notch. It is well documented that a happy employee gives better results than an unhappy one will.
While good pay is one of the best motivators, there are others as well. Don’t get me wrong, do not skimp on the pay. Your cleaners work hard and deserve to be paid well. It will also give them a positive feeling about coming to work each day.
Make sure they have the proper training. Studies show that people given thorough instructions feel more confident in the job they are doing, producing better results. It is best to have your top cleaners work alongside and train your new hires long enough for them to gain confidence and learn routines. A great idea for this is to have detailed training videos for each routine!
Think about the specific routines for bathrooms, kitchens, etc. For example, when a cleaner starts in a bathroom have them clean the mirror, sinks, counters, shower, shelves, toilet, the floor in that order each time. This provides consistency in cleanliness, gives a specific routine for a faster clean, and is less likely that things will be missed.
To further motivate and develop your employees, try offering these incentives:
- Weekly no complaints bonuses
- Monthly attendance bonuses
- Favourite cleaning tools
- Monthly lottery with a fun gift card as a prize
All of these things help to ensure a happy worker and a positive work environment for excellent cleaning results. Above all else, appreciate your workers and they will, in turn, appreciate you.
Your clients will be thankful to have hired such a rockstar cleaning team!