In today's competitive market place companies large and small from all industries are being forced to question traditional business tools and techniques. Executives and managers are under extreme pressure to maintain the cleanliness of their facilities, to increase labor efficiencies, to reduce overall cost, and to be informed about all aspects of Indoor Air Quality.  The cleaning industry is in a unique position to capitalize on change by reinventing the way we view building sanitation and redefining the importance of the custodial function.

Team Cleaning Approach

The trend in the cleaning industry today is "team cleaning."  In team cleaning, individuals are specialists. Each member is responsible for a specific duty rather than performing the removal of trash, dusting, vacuuming, and restroom cleaning within a fiven area or zone. Within a building, a group of specialists moves through in a systematic method performing specific cleaning tasks. Although there are four types of specialists, a team can be comprised of the appropriate number of specialists for the building's size and cleaning specifications.

The team's focus is to enhance the image of the facility while simultaneously cleaning effectively, efficiently and safely.

Each team member is assigned specific tools and a job card. The job card lists cleaning tasks, core areas for detail work, designated times and the specialist's job description. Each member has a thorough knowledge of his/her functions and  responsibilities. As they move through the building, each member

is checking and being checked to reduce the number one complaint, missed trash receptacles. Many organizations have found that the "Team" cleaning works to:

• Enhance Quality
• Increase Cleanliness
• Reduce Complaints
• Provide Labor Efficiencies
• Increase Worker Safety
• Reduce Employee Turnover

Less Training

Educating team cleaning specialists requires one-fourth the time of normal training. The cleaning worked has a limited number of duties to learn and is able to develop efficiency. Furthermore, when a person is absent, the supervisor only needs to demonstrate the duties of the missing specialist. In zone cleaning, a supervisor must teach each new person every task involved in the building.

Less Supervision

To check the team-cleaned building, the supervisor spot checks two floors and a couple of restrooms and he/she can judge the overall quality without checking the entire building.

Double-Check System

Team members are checking each other's work as they clean. For example, the Vacuum Specialist follows the Light Duty Specialist and will check for missed trash cans before vacuuming the room. The odds that two members of a team will miss a task are minimal.