Compliance through Cleaning Industry Accreditations
Compliance has never been more prominent and ensuring high standards is a major priority when it comes to contract cleaning. When clients are tendering their cleaning contracts these accreditations are an efficient way to filter and create a shortlist of those best qualified to provide the service. But what do these accreditations mean and why does it matter? This blog looks at compliance through cleaning industry accreditations.
6 cleaning industry accreditations
ISO 9001:2015
ISO 9001 is a globally recognised standard that sets out the criteria for a quality management system. It helps ensure that clients receive consistent, good-quality cleaning services. The 8 key principles are below.
- Customer focused business practices and customer satisfaction
- Strong and competent leadership
- Involvement of people
- A process driven approach to cleaning
- A systematic approach to cleaning management
- A culture of continual improvement
- Evidence based decision making
- Excellence in client relationship management
Examples include structured contract management processes such as operational and strategic SLA and KPI to measure and track cleaning services.
ISO 14001:2015
ISO 14001 sets out the criteria for an environmental management system. It is important as it demonstrates that a company is monitoring, measuring and making improvements to its environmental impact. It matters because it helps organisations make their day to day operations be more sustainable.
Examples include the use of eco friendly cleaning materials, providing integrated recycling services to clients and investing in modern cleaning equipment which use less water and has energy saving credentials.
SafeContractor
Alcumus SafeContractor is an accreditation scheme which recognises a contractor’s health and safety capabilities and demonstrates their commitment and ability. It gives clients reassurance that the cleaning contractor is competent, has met certain standards and puts their employee’s health and safety first and foremost.
Additional options include SafePQQ verification (which is aligned to the PAS91 question set) which covers topics such as finance, right to work, equal opportunities and diversity.
There is also a schedule to SafeContractor relating specifically to COVID-19 cleaning, deep cleaning and office cleaning.
CHAS (Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme)
CHAS is a leading authority and accreditation scheme for contractors to demonstrate compliance to health and safety standards. Certification demonstrates compliance with and sound management of current health and safety legislation. It ensures that contractors adopt best practice for risk prevention and meet excellent standards.
Avetta
Avetta is an accreditation that offers supply chain management and risk mitigation solutions. It is a one-stop-shop for all company documentation and certificates and verification demonstrates that a company is qualified, licensed and has the required safety processes in place. The vetting process varies according to sector and client requirements but generally covers these areas below.
- Safety criteria – clients set their own requirements which their suppliers must meet. This could include health and safety policies, corporate information and sustainability
- Questionnaires for documents, for example insurance certificates, audits and financial statements
- Compliance status, for example GDPR and employee background security checking procedures
Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP)
SSIP is an umbrella organisation where registered and certification body members complete health and safety assessments on suppliers. It is not an assessment scheme in itself and aims to reduce the requirement to be assessed by multiple schemes, avoiding duplication and cost on both sides. Suppliers cannot join or become members of SSIP, but can benefit from accreditation through certification from a member scheme for example Alcumus and CHAS.
TemcoUK Facility Services is a fully accredited contract cleaning company
Temco is an experienced and fully accredited commercial cleaning contractor. We are fully compliant with all legal and regulatory requirements, and meet stringent industry standards to ensure client safety and cleaning requirements. Our accreditations highlight our commitment to good working practices and health and safety management.
Why do accreditations matter? There are two main benefits for clients
The first is that professional accreditation saves time for the client conducting due diligence on their contractors. Independent assessment schemes demonstrate that service providers have been assessed to an industry recognised standard.
The second is that clients will have the reassurance that industry standard procedures are being adhered to. Companies that embrace certification will have had to demonstrate professional management systems throughout their business.
We hold the following accreditations (correct at the time of writing).
ISOs
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
Health and Safety
- SafeContractor including SafePQQ and COVID-19 cleaning
- CHAS
- SSIP
- Avetta
Trade association membership
- British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS)
- The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)
Please contact us if you’d like to understand more about our cleaning accreditations or if you’d like a quote for your office please call 01895 520370.
How much does commercial office cleaning cost?
Working out the cost of an office clean is not as straightforward as it first seems. Every office is unique, and every client has different requirements and specifications. Combined, these determine how long it takes to clean and therefore how much it will cost. This blog looks at these elements, and how much does commercial office cleaning cost.
5 elements in commercial office cleaning cost
In broad terms there are 5 component parts: hours, pay rates, staff structure, cleaning equipment and materials. Get the inputs right, and the results will be correct.
Calculating office cleaning hours
A previous blog looked at productivity and how this is used to accurately calculate the cleaning hours required for a workplace environment. The primary factor used is size, either square footage or meterage. Splitting the space into areas, such as office and washroom, is another determining factor as each has different productivities and therefore affects the hours required to clean.
Spending time at the start to carefully scope the size, layout and cleaning specification required will provide an accurate number of hours for the office clean.
Which cleaning pay rate
There are a number of pay rates which cleaning companies can use, and this can be confusing.
National Living Wage
The lowest rate that can be paid to an adult is £8.91, the current national living wage.
Real Living Wage
The real living wage, as set out by The Living Wage Foundation, is £9.50 UK rate and £10.85 London rate. This rate is reviewed every November with an implementation date of the following May.
Offering Real Value
Often paying at the lower rate can be a false economy. The cost of paying a higher wage rate can, with correct contract management, be offset by proportionally higher rates of productivity.
Real value is added not only by investing in staff but also by embracing technology, having robust systems and processes in place to deliver a motivated and reliable workforce.
The rate that’s right for the contract
What rate to pay cleaning staff is a decision that is taken jointly between the cleaning provider and the client. There are many factors to take into account for example the location, transport links, availability of labour, and shift times.
Staff structure
One of the most important is the management and support for the onsite cleaning teams. Without this, clients often end up having to manage the contract.
There are a number of organizational structures that can be in place for the onsite cleaning team.
Simple out of hours cleaning is often based on early morning or late evening cleaning operatives and a working supervisor. Typically two or three hour shifts and all tasks are completed in this time.
Prestigious sites may benefit from including a daytime housekeeper to carry out duties to deliver a high-end client specification. This helps to maintain standards throughout the day particularly around washrooms, kitchen and break-out areas and all main walkways.
Larger sites may additionally require a non-working supervisor or site manager who would be responsible for overseeing all aspects of cleaning as well as being the first point of contact for any onsite reactive cleaning.
Cleaning equipment
The purchase of new cleaning equipment is included in the overall cost of a contract. Typically, this would include vacuum cleaners and floor scrubber dryers. With the ongoing pandemic situation, clients may also wish to consider purchasing a fogging machine to quickly and easily sanitise office areas to control the spread of COVID.
Cleaning materials & Consumables
Most professional cleaning providers would include the cost of materials in their monthly price. For example microfiber cloths, cleaning chemicals, dusters, vacuum bags and PPE such as nitrile gloves.
Cleaning consumables, which vary each month, are usually charged on a usage basis. Examples of these are waste bags, dishwasher tablets and paper products such as hand towels and toilet paper.
TemcoUK Facility Services
Temco is an established and professional contract cleaning provider, and we operate a transparent pricing policy. We’re passionate about delivering outstanding service and working in partnership with clients to ensure contacts are correctly staffed and managed.
Following a site survey to establish size and scale, we will carefully prepare an accurate quotation based on the hours required to perform the cleaning tasks.
Our preferred option is to pay cleaning teams the Living Wage Foundation rate. Our extensive experience within this industry has proven that payrates need to be attractive to both recruit and retain the right calibre of staff.
If you are looking to review your cleaning provision or would like to discuss your workspace please contact Temco today 01895 520370.
Recruiting and retaining office cleaning staff
One of the many effects of the pandemic is the impact on availability of staff within the UK workforce. Coupled with Brexit, which has limited the numbers of workers from the EU, worker shortage particularly in low-paid jobs is becoming a real concern for the UK. The commercial cleaning sector is no exception. This blog looks at the challenge of recruiting and retaining office cleaning staff.
Cleaning viewed as a low paid sector
The cleaning industry has historically been a low pay sector. Typically characterised with a vicious cycle of high levels of staff turnover and absenteeism leading to operational inefficiency, low standards and moral, and low productivity.
Greater demand for office cleaning and hygiene
At the same time the pandemic has led an increased demand for office cleaning and hygiene services. 2020 has highlighted the importance of cleaning to deliver COVID-safe workplaces to give confidence to returning workers.
The issue now for the industry is recruiting and retaining office cleaning staff.
Recruiting cleaning staff
Finding the right cleaning staff from the start is key. The best candidates often make the best long-term employees. Being clear from the initial job advert about the role and responsibilities, the hours and the expectations will attract a higher quality cleaner.
Retaining cleaning staff
High staff turnover rates on a cleaning contract leads to lack of stability, knowledge and continuity. It often has a negative effect on team morale with increased workloads and reduced productivity as new staff learn the role. More time is also required for staff right to work checks and training, all of which reduce the cleaning hours on site.
There are many factors which affect staff retention. Below we have highlighted four of the main actions to reduce cleaning staff turnover rates.
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Invest in quality training
Training covers a wide range of areas such as health and safety and how to use the chemicals and equipment. And of course, training in how to clean and sanitise effectively is particularly relevant.
Training ensures that cleaners understand exactly what standards are expected of them, and why it matters to the client. Taking time during sessions to make sure that everyone in the team understands this will lead to sense of ownership and pride.
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Invest in efficient machinery
The cleaning industry is undergoing big changes and there are many new and innovative tools and processes which significantly improve efficiency and productivity. This applies to equipment, software and chemicals.
An iMop for example works up to ten times faster than traditional mop and bucket, reducing the strain on the operative. Investing in efficient machinery means the cleaning teams can focus on hygiene and making office spaces safe and clean.
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Paying the Living Wage
Paying cleaning teams the Living Wage is not only a good thing to do, it makes business sense. Rewarding staff a fair wage increases morale, enthusiasm and engagement. It also gives people a sense of pride in their job which in turn reduces absenteeism and sickness. Now more than ever, payrates need to be attractive to both recruit and retain the right calibre of staff.
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Showing respect and improving communication
Making cleaning staff feel part of the team and showing respect is vital to promote loyalty and maintain good working relationships. Saying thank you to cleaners and acknowledging good work is a positive example of how a little can go a long way.
TemcoUK Facility Services – An employer of choice
Temco has a proven track record of professional competence and client retention. Our focus on cleaning excellence supports our aim of being an Employer of Choice.
We are committed to the provision of ongoing, effective employee training to create a quality driven and highly motivated workforce. We have access to the same labour market as our competitors, but we take the competitive edge through other factors. For example our expertise in getting the best from staff, training and developing them to deliver productivity significantly above average.
Temco is a committed Living wage employer. By paying the living wage and investing in our staff, embracing technology and innovation, having good systems and processes all makes for our strong business foundation that delivers a happy workforce, satisfied customers and long- lasting business relationships.
Working in an industry which is traditionally associated with low pay and inefficiency, we believe our success lies in how we recruit, retain, motivate, train and reward our staff. If you are thinking of switching your cleaning provider, please contact Temco today 01895 520370.
5 things to include in an office cleaning schedule
COVID-19 has changed the cleaning industry. Priorities have shifted to a greater emphasis on hygiene and safety, giving staff the confidence when returning to the office. As we slowly emerge from the pandemic, office cleaning is front of mind. Having accurate and updated cleaning schedules in place provides clarity and reassurance to all parties. This blog looks at the 5 things to include in an office cleaning schedule.
Cleaning specification to office cleaning schedule
The cleaning specification is a detailed description of all actions for completion. A good tender quotation process always includes a specification and incorporates it into the resulting contractual agreement.
A schedule is drawn up from the specification to break it down into tasks. It’s purpose is to clarify both to the client and the cleaning teams exactly the areas for cleaning, how often and by whom. This will ensure that the office is maintained to the correct standards of cleanliness and hygiene at all times, that no areas are missed and that staff understand which tasks they are responsible for.
Generic templates can be found online, but commercial office cleaning companies will develop customised schedules that define and deliver the right schedules for each workplace.
Here are the 5 things to include in an office cleaning schedule.
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Understand the cleaning zones
Split the office space into clearly defined zones, as each has a different cleaning requirement. For example:-
- Office / breakout areas
- Washrooms and changing facilities
- Kitchen areas
- Entrance & Reception
- Meeting & conference rooms
- Corridors & stairs
- Lifts and hallways
- External areas eg patios and roof terraces
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List the tasks
List the cleaning tasks for inclusion within each zone or area. For example:-
- Clean and sanitise desks
- Remove smears and finger-marks from glass and windows
- Spot clean storage lockers and pedestals
- Empty waste bins and replace bin liners
- Vacuum carpet
- Mop hard floor
- Remove cobwebs from walls and corners
- Clean and sanitise toilet pan and seat
- Clean and refill soap, paper towels, toilet paper and sanitiser dispensers
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Set the frequency
Every office is different, and even offices operating within the same industry may require very different cleaning schedules depending on their circumstances. The task for each area should be given a cleaning frequency, typically these are:-
- Daily – eg clean and sanitise washrooms and cleaning coffee machines
- Weekly – eg vacuum cloth upholstery on soft seating, booths and pods
- Monthly – eg dusting high level areas
- Quarterly – eg external window cleans
- Periodic or ad hoc tasks – eg 6 monthly carpet deep cleans or annual kitchen deep clean
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Set the location or area
For absolute clarity, precise identification of the location or area is necessary. For multi-storey buildings this could include which floor eg 2nd floor, or more generally a function area eg a call centre or warehouse space.
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Allocate the responsibility
Finally, allocate tasks by cleaning operative. This can include team cleaning where each member has specific roles which work together and save time, for example a washroom specialist means they use only the cloths and chemicals required in this one area.
Where applicable this should also include any supervisory roles.
TemcoUK can help develop clear and detailed cleaning specifications and schedules
With many businesses changing to hybrid working and an increased interest in cleaning and hygiene, it’s essential that cleaning teams can deliver. Their actions must instil confidence that the workplace is COVID secure and hygienically clean.
Compliance is at the heart of Temco’s business and our smart scheduling tools offer accuracy, clarity and full transparency.
Every contract has an agreed cleaning specification, detailing the desired output standard and the frequency for each activity. We regularly review and update this in conjunction with our clients to reflect COVID requirements as they evolve.
From this, we create individual route plans for each staff member. We use our bespoke scheduling planning tool which captures all job tasks. This allows us to quickly create account specific staff plans, which are accurate and can be easily implemented.
We share plans with clients to ensure there is complete transparency of the cleaning operation. This can of course be amended at any time if circumstances change.
If you would like to see our scheduling tools, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01895 520370 or email hello@temco-services.co.uk
Using productivity to calculate office cleaning hours
In these challenging times value for money is as important as ever, and ensuring you are paying the right amount for your office cleaning to deliver the standards you require is vital. This blog looks at why commercial contract cleaning companies should be using productivity to calculate office cleaning hours for quotes, rather than visual inspection.
Productivity matters because it enables accurate calculation of the cleaning hours required for any project. This helps to identify and implement operational efficiency by using appropriate equipment, materials, processes and training. There are many variables and of course no two offices are the same.
The drive for successful contractors is to find new innovations and techniques that enable cleaning teams to achieve high cleaning standards in less time for the optimum outcome.
How to calculate office cleaning productivity
Define the office space
Productivity is based on size, square footage or square meterage, so the start point is to establish the office space size that the quote will cover. This should eliminate all areas not included in the cleaning specification, for example server rooms or technical areas.
Measuring the office space
When architect office plans are unavailable or out of date, the only way to start is to measure the space manually. This can be done by walking around the premises using a small lightweight laser distance measuring tool. At a click of a button the essential measurements can be obtained and recorded.
Determine area splits
The next stage is to understand the percentage split by area, as each has a different cleaning productivity which affects the cleaning hours required. Washrooms for example have much lower productivity than corridors. The different areas would be for example
- Office
- Washroom & changing rooms
- Corridors & stairs
- Meeting rooms
- Reception areas
- Kitchens
What is cleaning productivity?
What is productivity in relation to cleaning? According to the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc), the average productivity rating establishes the amount of area covered by one trained cleaning operative in one hour.
In general terms, this is typically around 230-250 m2 per hour. However, the productivity varies enormously depending on a wide variety of factors. Some examples shown below.
Factors which affect cleaning productivity
Client expectation and cleaning standards
Detailed specifications are essential to accurately calculate productivity. This is what will deliver the cleaning standards. A project with client-facing areas may have a much higher specification that a cost-conscious one who requires only the basic service. And clients who have invested heavily in a high-end office fitout or refurbishment will demand very high cleaning standards of their prestigious office.
Density
High density open plan office space means rows of desks tightly located together. Each individual desk requires cleaning and sanitisation. And in these pandemic times, partitions have been introduced to minimise infection and of course these need to be made safe to ensure workplace hygiene.
Client specifications
Understanding all the elements of the specification is important and additional items for consideration include:-
- Cleaning and restocking coffee machines
- Practicality - Are there individual or communal waste bins, location of cleaning cupboard etc
- Do fridges require cleaning and disposing of food at the end of the week
- Availability of areas to clean, eg late-running meetings
- Is a daytime presence required for sanitisation of high contact touchpoints
Building age, type and layout
Older buildings typically take longer to clean than newer ones thanks to things like quirky design with awkward nooks and crannies, uneven floors and old-style materials. Types of buildings are office, schools and healthcare facilities, each of which have specific cleaning requirements. Finally, layout plays an important role in productivity as open plan offices are generally working at higher productivity rates than older style configurations.
Temco Bespoke Quotation Tool - TemQuote
Temco has developed a bespoke quoting tool TemQuote to accurately calculate cleaning hours required for each quotation. We take building measurements as a starting point, determine the percentage split by area and overlay the client specification and expectations. This provides the hours required for the project. The resulting figure incorporates the latest innovations and cleaning techniques to ensure that the service specification is delivered at the highest achievable productivity levels.
For successful bids these figures provide valuable information to ensure the staff schedules and workplans are effective, efficient and achievable.
If you are looking at your cleaning provision, please call us now on 01895 520370 or email hello@temco-services.co.uk. We’d love to talk cleaning with you!