Making cleaning attractive
February 21st 2007 The main challenges facing the cleaning industry are the recruitment and retention of staff, coupled with an increasingly competitive marketplace and demand for high levels of customer service.
Making the industry an attractive career choice has always been difficult, with stiff competition from similarly paid jobs in other fields. Substantial investment in training and defined career pathways is needed to encourage take up as well as retain existing staff.Asset Skills as the employer led Sector Skills Council is continuing to work with Professional Bodies, Trade Associations and Employers to identify ways in which the cleaning industry can raise its profile and become a more attractive career proposition.
Asset Skills Specialist Adviser Bev Yates notes:“The shift towards daytime cleaning will go some way to removing the social stigma currently associated with a career in cleaning, and encourage more people to enter the industry. The use of daytime cleaning will provide more structured and longer shifts, resulting in a more substantial wage.”
The increase in member states joining the EU and a continually transient migrant workforce means that a large number of those working within the sector do not have English as their first language. This makes the development of communication skills and the ability to work effectively within the office and customer facing environment of paramount importance, enabling companies to meet their clients’expectations. One of the ways Asset Skills is helping to address this issue is the pilot of a Basic Skills Ambassadors Programme. The programme has been designed to encourage users to learn basic skills within a cleaning context, making coursework more relevant and removing the pressure associated with a traditional teaching environment.
Adult Language Literacy and Numeracy (ALLaN) continues to remain high on the political agenda and Asset Skills,working with others, has developed and led the ALLaN forum. This forum promotes awareness of the strong business drivers for improving “basic skills”in the workplace, highlighting the potential for enhanced performance and efficiency.
The impact of this programme is already being felt, especially in the cleaning sector where employers have recognised the value of investment in this area of skills. The resulting increase in customer satisfaction, better use of materials and reduction of errors is seen as a major step forward in assisting employers to deliver good service and enhance the profile and reputation of the sector. At the same time, employees gain the chance to improve their skills and their potential for career progression.
The Pathway Card which was developed in partnership with the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc), the Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA), the British Cleaning Council (BCC) and Purple Passport records an individual’s training programme and achievements in an easy to use format.
The success of the scheme has meant that organisations outside the industry are looking to develop similar models to cater to their specific needs.
The increase in the use of modern technology, and changes in working patters and customer expectations mean many more challenges lie ahead for the cleaning industry. By working with a variety of representative bodies and employers Asset Skills is keen to ensure that the right skills and frameworks are in place to continue to drive the sector successfully forward. For free advice on skills and qualifications issues, contact Bev Yates on 07841 362 143 or via e-mail byates@assetskills.org More articles from Asset Skills: | 
