Building a Strong Staff Team

 This has been a testing year for staff, with so much uncertainty.  Throughout, I’ve been impressed by our team’s loyalty and stoicism, as they’ve accepted changes to income, work patterns, self-isolation and the financial implications.  Despite having to furlough half of our employees, all have now returned and continued to provide excellence of service, maintaining client satisfaction.  So, what is a “typical cleaner”?  Fundamentally, we look for a strong work ethic, decency and good values.  Our team is currently 75% female, 75% British plus other nationalities.  Over half have been with us for 2+ years.  Ages range from 33 to 80.  Some are “professional” cleaners, and others work around family commitments.   Betterclean’s approach is to offer fair, accurate pay, full training, ongoing feedback, holiday cover, and support.  Above all, we treat our team with respect, something ignored by many other companies who take advantage of this workforce.  Naturally we have occasional issues, and our HR advisory service, Citation, is an invaluable resource, ensuring we follow good practice and legal requirements.  It goes without saying that our client service is only as good as our team.  Treat people well, and you’ll reap the benefits! 

by Caroline Spiller, Betterclean Services Exeter & Taunton, since 11/2016