Did you say ‘thank you’?

25th of September 2019
Did you say ‘thank you’?

ECJ’s UK reporter Lynn Webster brings news of upcoming initiatives aimed at giving cleaning operatives the recognition they deserve.

In today’s highly competitive market the companies with the winning edge not only have well trained and skilled operatives but have a culture of well-motivated teams. One of the biggest motivators is being held in high esteem; earning the respect and acknowledgement for being good at what you do.

Letting your staff know they are appreciated can significantly motivate your most valuable asset with a positive impact on morale and productivity.

Positive feedback

Saying “thank you” creates a positive emotional state for not only those receiving the positive feedback but also for ourselves. It increases our happiness and self-worth. It is a boost to our self-esteem. Research shows that showing appreciation results in an increase of 50 per cent of additional help offered in the workplace. Besides being so significant, this additional 50 per cent of help comes with a more positive attitude, more motivation and energy, and more willingness to do it all over again the more “thank you’s” received.

The role of the cleaning operative; the janitor; the housekeeper is so often taken for granted. This is not only by the general public - each of us in the cleaning and facilities management arena can be just as guilty.

Show your appreciation
Perhaps we should question ourselves as to when we last said “thank you” to one of our own staff; passed on our appreciation to the room attendant making up or hotel bedroom; the day janitor removing spillages in the supermarket or passed the street cleaning team without even a second glance.

Individual companies demonstrate this internally with their own schemes however there are a number of schemes available where all of us can play our part. For example, Thank Your Cleaner Day has become well established from its origins in New Zealand in 2015 and the 2019 day will take place on Wednesday October 16.

Saturday September 21 is World Clean Up Day where everyone globally is encouraged to get involved to do their bit to ‘clean up’.

To coincide with this, Friday September 20 is set to be a further 2019 day of recognition for cleaning operatives around the world to encourage all businesses to actively promote this day of recognition for cleaning operatives. This day of recognition is to say ‘I Respect Every Cleaning Operative Giving Necessary Importance to Service and Environment’. I-RECOGNISE.

Get involved

To add its support to this initiative i-Team, in partnership with Made Blue, is providing a sustainable water bottle for each cleaning operative to reduce single use plastics, encouraging all cleaning operatives to stay hydrated throughout their physical working day, and provide them with a token that is useful not only at work but in daily life.

Each bottle purchased will contribute towards Made Blue, a charity that provides clean drinking water in third world countries.

Whichever initiative you decide to engage with, the important message is to take that moment to embrace the contribution cleaning operatives make to our everyday lives.

THANK YOU!

 

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