This winter, a British television series was founded on the premise that the cleaners were so "invisible" that they could commit clever crimes without suspicion. Ann Laffeaty discovers that our cleaners are "invisible" and what companies are doing to make their employees feel valued.
A six-part television series aired on British television this winter has received a lot of attention in social media. As lead actress Sheridan Smith as housekeeper, Clean Up's plot revolves around a specific industry principle: cleaning personnel are so invisible that it is possible to commit crimes without suspicion.
The character of Sheridan Smith exploited this dramatic situation to spy on a city merchant and try his luck using privileged information. The writer Mark Marlow claims to have had this idea when he saw the 1987 movie Wall Street, in which actor Charlie Sheen's role was to seek privileged information about Michael Douglas. As Sheen searched the filing cabinets on the screen, Marlow saw that an "extra" was playing the role of a cleaner in the background who could easily have seen Sheen's actions. The background character, however, went unnoticed.
This question has been analyzed very carefully in recent years. For example, an article titled "You really do not want to see us" was published last year in the Journal of Vocational Behavior . The authors interviewed nearly 200 building cleaners to find out how the cleaners were invisible, how they looked and why they felt invisible. Respondents attributed the phenomenon to a variety of factors including class issues, lack of customer confidence and the type of work done. And their responses ranged from anger, resignation and ambivalence to relief in some cases.
The Commission for Equality and Human Rights of the United Kingdom also addressed the issue in the Invisible Employees: Practices Cleaning . The document highlights the essential service provided by the staff to ensure the cleanliness of our workplaces, hospitals, schools, transport and public spaces. He points out, however, that the work of cleaners is often unnoticed and unappreciated and that many cleaners are treated with a lack of dignity and respect.
Some claim that they are seldom recognized by the people who work in their offices. They are rarely addressed by name and those who speak with them almost never say "please" or "thank you". And the maids add that they often feel "the lowest of the lowest".
But is it a true reflection of the current industry? How many cleansers really feel "invisible" and how does this affect their working life? And what do employers do to remedy the situation?
Caroline Hutchins, Director of Operations at Julius Rutherfoord & Co, admits that some cleaners are poorly paid, poorly trained and undervalued. "However, we are committed to being part of the movement for change, in the interest of cleaners and our customers," he said.
"We offer continuing education programs, as well as reward and recognition programs, and pay above the national minimum wage, which means we can hire passionate employees who will be with us in the long run." our employees are more than three times higher than the industry average.
"We also reward employees with our JR & Co Stars Awards, where customers and colleagues are invited to name anyone who has provided excellent customer service and exceeded their expectations.
The CEO of Facilicom UK, Jan-Hein Hemke, acknowledges that sometimes cleaners can end up with invisible workers. "They play a vital role in keeping jobs, hospitals, schools, transportation and public areas clean and comfortable, but this basic service often goes unnoticed and unappreciated," he said.
In 2017, Facilicom became a member of the Commission's Clean-up Working Group on Gender Equality and Human Rights, a sector-led action group to improve visibility and improve working conditions. "Together, we've worked to make things better for all our colleagues in the industry and to ensure that the cleaning teams receive the respect and admiration they deserve," he said.
In addition to providing basic cleaning instructions, Facilicom trains all employees in hostmanship, the art of welcoming people. "This not only strengthens their confidence in communication and dialogue with colleagues, customers and customers, but also increases the added value for our customers," said Hemke.
"By developing and improving the interpersonal skills of our colleagues, we can present a careful yet professional approach to our work - colleagues are more motivated, committed to their tasks and better understand the needs of their customers."
In the opinion of Thor Nielsen, Director of Marketing and Purchasing, invisibility for Insider Facility Services is not a problem. "In our annual survey, we give housewives an opportunity to voice their opinions, and I do not remember an answer that suggests someone felt invisible or depressed," he said. , "The main problems were more work, more money and more social activities."
The company offers its cleaning agents a high level of support from the designated manager as well as excellent training opportunities from day one. Insider Facility Services runs an internal training program, InsiderSkolen, which is in the form of a one-year course. All cleaners receive a salary increase upon completion.
"InsiderSkolen also offers benefits because cleaners can meet with colleagues they would normally not see during office hours," said Nielsen. "And we also offer local social events such as summer and Christmas celebrations."
The company has developed an application called Control Inside Active to enable and reward its cleaners. "He encourages them to bring in ideas, cleaning tips, and other suggestions, all sent directly to headquarters," said Nielsen. "The application also has a sales support feature, and every cleanser that finds a potential customer who offers to a potential customer receives a financial reward."
Isabel Yglesias, director of the European Cleaning and Installation Industry (EFCI), explains that the invisibility of a cleaner largely depends on the end user's personal attitude and cleaner's work program. ,
"At night, cleaning is still common, and when that happens, it means the cleaners do not see the people they clean for, and vice versa," he said. "EFCI strongly supports campaigns that make the cleaning sector more visible," he said. "We're constantly working with unions on day-to-day cleaning, and we've highlighted the value of the industry as a priority in our work strategy, and we're planning more campaigns in the future."
If the cleaners are actually "invisible" to many of us, does it make them feel dishonest? And should cleaning companies and facilities take action to prevent infringements?
Julius Rutherfoord uses passport scanning systems from the airport to identify secret workers during the recruiting process. "Once an employee is hired, we use biometric time and attendance systems to verify a person's identity with their fingerprints or iris," Hutchins said. ,
Thor Nielsen says that during his 12 years with Insider Facility Services, he can only remember one instance of dishonesty in a cleaning service. "There are customers with whom we have signed confidentiality agreements, and the cleaners working in these environments receive additional support," he said. "These types of customers often have their own high security."
Facilicom thoroughly examines its cleaning products and represents an above-average proportion of managers, explains Jan-Hein Hemke. "It contributes to safety and guarantees that we only employ honest employees," he said.
"Cleaners are often the first and the slightest culprits if something is missing, but they are rarely the culprits."
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