I recently visited a friend and his mother. As I arrived, I saw two cleaning ladies were leaving the house with tears in their eyes. One of them was repeating she would never come back to be abused for so little money. Frankly, I was outraged. I know my friend’s mother and know how rude and abusive she could be with workers. She always got away with her abusive behavior stating that everyone in her generation expected perfectness; otherwise, she would not have it. I mentioned what I observed to my friend. He admitted that his mother was disrespectful, and her behavior was unjustified. He reiterated that her mother believed that if you were nice and polite to workers, they would not perform their job well, especially cleaners!

I’m here to submit to you that there is no place for such conduct. We do not live in dark ages. We are enlightened to realize that treating anyone with respect would yield higher performance and productivity. Most of the cleaning employees, whether commercial or residential, fear losing their jobs if they complain. That’s why many commercial janitorial and residential employers mistreat or abuse their cleaning staff. To make matters worse, the independent house cleaners are not doing any better. Many private homeowners abuse their services and tend to treat the cleaners as 2nd class citizens. According to the recent study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), The Invisible Workforce: Outsourcing and Employment in the Cleaning Sector, there is clear evidence of abuse within the cleaning services. Migrant workers' poor command of English and lack of knowledge about employment rights makes them particularly vulnerable to mistreatment.

Remember that the minimum wage is about $15 an hour in most areas in California. You cannot expect to have two-three cleaning crew for 4-5 hours and expect paying only $150. You need to understand basic math to be fair (3 employees x 5 hours x $15 = $225). You must also consider the cost of cleaning supply, commute, and a bit of profit.

Whether you are a business owner or homeowner, do the following to ensure hiring the fair cleaning company:

1. Make sure the cleaning company is insured and carry a valid Workers’ Compensation Insurance coverage. You do not want to expose your company or household to work injuries. Your casualty and home insurance are not sufficient to cover the work incident coverage. A cleaning company with a Workers’ Compensation coverage tends to be better employers who care about their company and employees. Aske for the coverage.
   
2. Ensure the cleaning company has employees as opposed to all contractors, and the cleaning company pays wages, and taxes for their employees. By issuing proper paychecks, the cleaning company is ensuring paying their employees legal and proper wages. You can ask the cleaning company if they are hiring employees or contractors.
   
3. Make sure the cleaning company treats their employees with respect and dignity. If you see any sign of abuse, you should step away from that company. Such abusive cleaning company may pose a reputational risk for your company.
   
4. Treat the cleaners with respect. They are employees and they are performing a very labor-intensive work. You cannot do it, and that’s why you are hiring them to do the hard work for you. Do not try to tell them how to do their work. They know how to clean far better than you can imagine. If you see some shortcomings, politely ask questions.
   
5. Pay living wages.
   
6. If you are paying your cleaning company less than everyone else in the market, they are either doing a poor job, or they are underpaying and abusing their employees. Do not work with these companies. They are liabilities.
   

If you are considering a new cleaning company, or if you need to consult with a fair cleaning company that is well-established and offers well-trained employees, contact Simply Crystal Clean. The company has strong values in fairness and abide by all employment laws and regulations. Check out their COVID-19 four-step cleaning/disinfecting process. To take the guess work out of your business cleaning, contact Simply Crystal Clean.

Friday, 01 April 2022