BLOG – Hathaway Cleaning Services

CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT TO RETURN

Helping our Customers open their businesses back up

As we work our way through these challenging times – we recognise Companies are now planning for reopening their business premises. As health and hygiene take on a new focus – there is far more emphasis on cleanliness in the workplace and we wanted to include some suggestions to help you adapt – and to keep your environment safe.

Pre-opening

Cleaning may not be your main business focus, but it is an important part of the story of returning to the office. It is not only about safety and cleanliness – everyone is going to need to feel they can trust that the workplace is clean, in order to head back to work. To provide this reassurance we are recommending a thorough clean including all major touchpoints prior to your team returning. Some of our clients have already opted for a team of professionals to undertake a deep ‘Fogging’ clean to decontaminate the space.

Getting to grips with your new environment and high traffic touchpoints

Safety needs to be at the heart of your thinking . You can review all the COVID 19 UK Government cleaning guidance online at GOV.UK. To comply we have established our own enhanced procedures but your additional cleaning steps during the day, initiated by your employees, will be the most important.

As part of your Risk Assessment – it is important to track how your office spaces are used and what your key touchpoints with high traffic are. You then need to get in supplies and enlist support so that you can regularly clean them. The checklist to the right is a guide on the areas to consider.

Identification of COVID-19 potential contamination

Unfortunately, this pandemic is part of our life for 2020 so it is worth being prepared for potential contamination. If you do identify that one of your employees or a visitor to your offices has been diagnosed with or tested for COVID 19 please inform your cleaners immediately. You can refer to the GOV.UK website for support and detailed instructions. As a minimum your offices will require a specialist clean by your Cleaning Team or a decontamination clean that may include Fogging. We do not undertake this decontamination clean but a local Nuneaton company that does is IC Solutions 24/7 Limited. They can be contacted on 02476 347722.

Business as unusual suggestions

Once people return to the office they will be thinking very differently about the environment, surfaces and equipment around them. At Hathaway’s we have a new role to play in working out how we enhance our clients cleaning for your safety. However, as suggested, actions during the day as you work and interact with each other, will have a significant impact on cleanliness and employee’s trust levels. A few ideas to help the transition include:

Set Up Cleaning Stations. (see above). Your cleaners can provide you with details for purchasing commercial disinfectant and other disposable supplies.
Communicate – provide information on your employee and your cleaner ‘safety first’ office cleaning responsibilities in this new environment. Ask for feedback from colleagues on the touchpoints that have the most traffic and which are of the most concern to them.

Clear Desk Policy. If you do not already have one in place – consider introducing a clear desk policy – clear desks are much easier to keep clean. If there is a shortage of storage space give each person an archive box to place their work in each evening so that the desk is clear.
Focus on Hands – with Sanitizer at entrances to the office, in washrooms and in meeting rooms. Put posters up to remind people of good handwashing techniques and to remind them of personal hygiene standards for coughing and sneezing.
Keep it personal – to reduce potential contamination opportunities ask people to keep their own mug on their desk and if appropriate clean their own desk surface.
Clear out rubbish regularly – Provide more bins with bin bags within them and set up more regular collections.
Communication Support – Experts Gallagher have built the Work Safe Work Smart brand and a suite of free materials to help you land those all-important welcome back messages for employees. The link shares free resources to enhance your employee communication in the office including posters and wall decals to encourage hygiene and cleanliness.

We hope this information is useful. If you need any help from us in preparing for your return or in cleaning your premises local to Stratford upon Avon – do get in touch.

Getting ready for Spring

We often have a clearout and thorough clean at home to welcome in the new season – offices could do with the same. Whilst several of our clients ask us to come in and do a blitz clean; working alongside window and carpet cleaners to welcome in the Spring – this post is not about this. It is more about you and your team preparing and getting the office ready for the spring; and if appropriate, to prepare for your blitz clean.

It might simply be a matter of assigning a series of projects across the business or if things have got a bit out of hand – a team afternoon/ weekend event to have a good clear out! A few ideas to get you started include:

Firstly, a simple mantra for everyone to look at their own space : KEEP FIX RECYCLE DUMP
In the Kitchen clear out ALL the cupboards especially those tea stained or chipped mugs; plus any old crockery. Then clear out and clean the Fridge making sure you then agree the schedule/ rules for clearing it out regularly.
This is also an opportunity for an office refresh – to get more organised and maybe send someone off to IKEA to buy a few items to cheer up your space – pictures, plants, crockery or even new storage. Or maybe a new set of mugs with team names or your logo on?
Also take a look at what people are storing under their desks and in corridors/ office corners – is everything needed? Can they be stored elsewhere?
Empty out Marketing and Stationery cupboards/ rooms – remove all out of date literature/ stationery/ promotional items. Recycle what you can. Ask people to return items / stores from their desk drawers that they are not using. Make sure it is well organised when you put it back and reflect on what you can learn for future purchasing based on what you find.
Ask for out of date/ broken kit – check all your tech stuff / specialist equipment/ furniture – if it is broken, can it be fixed/ reused? – if yes, get it done. Then look at what you might recycle and off to the tip with the rest.

If you are really brave you could also suggest everyone does a digital spring clean too – to clear out the debris in their inbox and online world.

When you are finished – all you need to do is give us a call to start that blitz clean to the office space, carpets and windows – to put a spring in everyone’s step!

Then someone can go out and buy the daffodils and chocolate biscuits!

Getting your cleaning brief right

Getting the right brief – is the foundation for getting the specification right and getting the service you need for your business. So what do you need to cover and what should you be asking – to help you get the right provider for you?

Start with the Scope – what do you need doing?

Walk through the space to review your total space identifying by room any special areas (customer spaces, confidentiality etc.) or specialist cleans needed?
Discuss how often and how many people are needed with the provider?
What needs doing every time and how should other tasks be scheduled?
What is standard in the scope and what are the extras?
Determine if you want office or out of hours service? If out of hours consider access to premises and any security considerations e.g. personnel checks, alarms and key holding.
Do you have any employees with specific allergies or sensitivities?
What is your budget for providing this office service?

Then the providers Specification – what are they offering you?

What is their reputation locally and are they comfortable with you talking to existing customers?
Will they walk through the premises with you and discuss the scope room by room?
Can they arrange additional services like deep cleans, carpet cleaning, window cleaning and other specialist cleans?
Ask them to outline the materials and methods that would be used in each area? What do you have to pay for and how is it costed?
Can they provide other consumables and flowers? What are the costs involved?
Check their credentials in terms of insurances, health and safety and environmental policies?
Is their a manual specifically for your site? Can you see an example?
How and how often is the service reviewed?
How easy is it to get hold of someone if a specific issue arises?
How do they recruit, check, train and treat their team?
Check out whether dedicated people will be assigned to your business so you get to know each other? Will you get a chance to meet them?
Are the people local – also what about no shows, sickness and holiday cover?
If people are being transferred – how do they undertake TUPE transfer making it work for all those involved?
Do they have a business ethos and values that align with your own business?
Does the written quotation meet your needs and clearly show you what you are getting?
Do you want to work with this company – what is your gut telling you?

Cleaning is not complicated but professional office cleaning is a business service that needs to be done properly by the right people. It is different to domestic cleaning requiring the right skill-set and mindset because it is all about your business and the environment you work in. At Hathaway Cleaning Services the above is our starting point so we know we have all the bases covered for you – with a professional service – focused on your business and its needs – at an affordable price.

The positive impact of flowers in the office

Spring brings an abundance of bright and cheerful flowers. The daffodil is a great example for this – a simple sign that spring is coming.

Whenever I go into an office space where there are flowers – it seems to lift the spirits and add something to the environment. In these budget conscious times, it is an investment in your environment, just like a bowl of fruit – but it does not need to cost the earth. Such small touches that say something about your business – for some businesses it is appropriate to work with local florists to match your brand but for many this seems over the top. At Hathaway Cleaning Services we can provide a simple weekly bouquet service – that keeps your flowers fresh.

When working with clients on flower options we tend to suggest in reception and meeting areas initially – well away from your IT systems! And choosing the right ones – well back to that Design Director who had a thing about biscuits – the mantra was one type and simply one colour and that seems a pretty good guide to us. An easy yet stylish option – is a bunch of single colour Tesco or Asda roses for £5 – that will last a week. No garage forecourt flowers – please!

What do yours say about you?

I never thought much about it until I worked with a Design Company where the Design Director stipulated exactly what biscuit was to be served at client meetings. It had to be Dark Chocolate Choco Liebnitz biscuits! Chosen because they were no ordinary biscuit – slightly indulgent – a cut above the rest – high quality – the message was clear – it was a brand statement. Such attention to detail may seem over the top for many companies – however such little details all add up to create the right overall impression – and impressions matter in business. That is why when we design the cleaning service we provide for you – we make sure we cover those little details – especially for customer facing areas- because everything needs to add up to create the right impression.

Finally what do the biscuits you serve your customers at meetings say about you and your brand? Are you a posh chocolate, plain digestive, variety selection, hobnob, jammy dodger, custard cream, kit kat or ….?