How Employee Engagement Reduces Turnover and Drives Business

When someone applies to work at a given company of course their primary motivation is income. When employees leave one job for another again often times it because of higher potential earnings, but for many people it’s not. Managers and immediate supervisors are the single biggest reason people leave a job. Does this mean employers must cater to an employee’s every need? No, however engaging employees is critical in order to understand their state of mind and level of job satisfaction. In the janitorial service industry, Central Maintenance can’t just give employees a brief run through their job duties and send them off and expect everything to be great without follow up. There needs to be consistent communication and often times retraining before they fully understand the routine and expectations. Employees that feel supported and that they have good communication with their supervisor will stay at a job longer than those that do not. Beyond the normal engagement related to job performance it is also very important to understand employees at a more personal level. Finding out what drives people and what their aspirations are can strengthen the bond an employee has with a company because it’s not something every employer takes the time to ascertain. Maybe they want to save up to buy a new car, house, boat, etc. or want to put money away for a child’s college savings. Maybe they want to get a life insurance policy or create a will, but really don’t understand how. Knowing these things and being able to help them achieve their goals goes a long way and it doesn’t have to cost the company money. An employee that is engaged in this way feels valued and will hold a higher appreciation for their employer which will result in less frequent turnover. At Central Maintenance people are our business and without them we would not be a successful company. Engaging our employees has helped to reduce turnover which has resulted in better service for our customers and longer partnerships.

www.centralmaintenance.com

A Few Tips On Disinfecting

A big part of any cleaning program is disinfecting, however they are not one in the same. Knowing what to use and how to use it is critical to ensuring it's done properly. The link below provides some useful insight.

http://www.cmmonline.com/articles/237001-a-greener-way-to-disinfect

Why An Effective Cleaning Program is Important for Customers and Employees

Janitorial or custodial programs are extremely important to all businesses for two main reasons: employee retention and new/recurring sales. Think about it. Would you stay and work for a company that had a dirty facility? Would you continue to patronize a business that had unclean restrooms or where you suspect you may have gotten ill? Most people would answer no to both questions and for good reason. Unclean facilities can severely impact a company's reputation which means employee turnover and reduced sales. Not only is a dirty facility unsightly there are very real health concerns as well. Common spaces that are shared by employees and /or customers have many surfaces where cross contamination can occur including elevators, stairwells, door handles / push plates, sinks, urinals, towel / soap dispensers, etc. Statistics show that these are the places where harmful, potentially deadly microorganisms like E. coli, staphylococcus, hepatitis, and various flu strains are frequently found. The key to preventing the spread of illness while maintaining a pleasant appearance is properly educating and training custodians on cleaning and disinfecting procedures. A disinfectant will only work after the surface has been properly cleaned and has had sufficient dwell time to do its job. Proper cleaning affects everyone including private corporations, educational institutions, manufacturing plants, medical facilities and auto dealerships. Taking the appropriate steps to ensure your facility is properly cleaned will keep your employees happy and productive and will also make a good impression on customers to keep them coming back.

FDA Bans Ingredients In Antibacterial Soap

This topic sort of piggybacks on my last post, "The Cost of Illness To Employers". Many people use antibacterial soaps personally (myself included) and quite a few of our customers also provide them including the schools we service. The jury is still out on whether some of these chemicals are truly dangerous over prolonged use, however research conducted suggests that plain soap and water may be just as effective and potentially better at killing bacteria and reducing the spread of infection.


http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/09/fdas-final-rule-on-antibacterial-soaps-bans-19-ingredients/

The Costs of Illness To Employers

To some building owners and facility managers a cleaning program is somewhat of an afterthought. It's something they know is needed, but not as high on the priority list as it should be. Once the potential financial losses are understood their tune quickly changes. Employee absenteeism and "presenteeism", when employees come to work sick, are big problems as far productivity is concerned. Many studies have been done on how quickly viruses can spread in the workplace as well as how long they can survive on a given surface. The dirtiest spots in an office are typically high touch surfaces such as main entrance door handles, elevator buttons, faucet handles, microwave door handles, keyboards, water fountains, phones, and computer mice. According to The Integrated Benefits Institute, the U.S. economy suffers $227 billion in losses each year because of employee sickness. This includes all industries; healthcare, education, manufacturing, food service, retail, business services, etc. Proper cleaning and disinfecting methods can reduce the spread of contagious illness by 80 to 90 percent. This is the best way to keep illness to a minimum and to maximize productivity and profitability. Furthermore, if employees have access to hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes they can contribute in the fight against workplace sickness, improve the overall attendance at their facility and reduce the financial burden associated with absenteeism.