By: Cathy Green
In the cleaning business just as with any other service business, you will occasionally experience turnover and therefore, will need for any new employees to be trained.
The goal should be to train at least one of your stable employees (the ones you know will be with you for a while) to be a trainer.
You can call that person whatever you desire:
Examples:
Trainer
Team Manager
Team Leader
Team Captain
Whatever you want to call that person based on how your company is set up, is fine.
This person needs to be paid more than you pay your other workers because they will have more responsibilities.
Because you want consistency in your business, be certain to train the trainer!
In my case, there is a certain way I want kitchens cleaned and certain products that I want used.
There is a certain organized method for cleaning bathrooms and I know which products I want used.
Some of my products come in a concentrated form so there needs to be a uniform way to make the products.
And so on and so forth.
It is important that the trainer knowsthe method so that he or she can train new employees. As as your business grows, you will need more trainers.
The goal is to work yourself totally out of the physical end of the business so that your concentration is on running the business and networking and marketing. The goal should be to get to a point where the business runs like a well oiled machine.
My tip for today: Elevate at least one of your workers to the position of Trainer. And before you can do that, be certain that you have established a uniform method for cleaning houses.
I have found that it is hard to find employees who will do the work the way I would want it done. I currently have 4 P/T employees and don’t have the confidence that they would train a new employee as well as I would. I do expect a very high standard from my employees when it comes to cleaning. However, I am also realistic and don’t expect perfection everytime. I have also found it is hard to find employees that stay with this line of work for more than 2-3 months on average. I have been in business now for approx. 1 1/2 yrs. so I am new at this but have gone thru over 12 employees. I would say out of the 12 I would rehire only 3-4. What advice can you give as to finding, motivating, and retaining good employees? Thanks, Tim
Tim,
Email me at uppercrustmaids@gmail.com and I’ll send you my Linkedin information. I have a group for house cleaning business owners and we can help you out.