FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
THE CLEANING PROVIDER’S VIEW
DOMINIC PONNIAH,
CEO, CLEANOLOGY
With no vaccine available and queries over the value of antibodies against COVID-19, the profile of cleaning has never been so high and, as businesses start to reopen, hygiene is top of everyone’s agenda.
We are hearing a great deal of talk around ‘the new normal’, with questions about whether we can change attitudes to the environment and pollution. However, one area that is already undergoing major change is the cleaning industry.
Key workers have played a crucial role in recent months, and it has been gratifying to see cleaners applauded alongside NHS staff. Hopefully, we will begin to see greater recognition for our front-line staff translate into wider support for the real Living Wage.
When it comes to pay, perception plays a large part. In 2019, Cleanology commissioned the first independent research into attitudes around wage levels and perceptions towards cleaners’ pay. The results painted a clear picture. While 63 per cent of employees were concerned that cleaners should be paid fairly, only 39 per cent had an accurate idea of the real figures on pay.
At Cleanology, we support the view that commitment and fair pay go hand in hand. Almost half of our clients pay real Living Wage rates, and we include the Real Living Wage rate as mandatory in 40 per cent of our bids. This is not a luxury – when staff feel they are paid fairly, they invest in the job, in the client, and in their own future. They work to a higher level, stay longer, and become a valued member of the team in the building where they work.
At the same time, it has become clear that many established ways of working are not fit for purpose under the new regime. For many cleaning businesses, the arrival of COVID-19 meant ‘normal rules of engagement’ ceased to exist. Clients suspended and cancelled contracts, and it remains to be seen how many of our competitors will survive.
While the furlough scheme has helped provide many employees with stability, the nature of our industry means that some have fallen through the net. As we return to work, we are finding that some staff who returned to their home countries for lockdown have chosen to stay with their families.
At the same time, the need to provide extra cleaning in workplaces means Cleanology is likely to fast-track existing plans to replace large numbers of part-time cleaners with a smaller group working full-time hours. We see this as a positive move, which we were already working towards.
As we navigate new waters, we urge clients to recognise the crucial role played by cleaners and reward them accordingly. We are all facing new challenges – some predictable, others unknown – but we do know that responsible, responsive cleaners will play a large part.
THE FM SECURITY PROVIDER’S VIEW
MIKE BULLOCK,
CEO, CORPS SECURITY
Paying the Living Wage has to be a collaborative approach between an FM service provider and their client. Every business will have different requirements and commercial constraints, so it won’t always be able to be implemented immediately, but it is important both parties have a plan in place to work towards paying a higher wage.
As an FM service provider, it is our job to educate our clients about the benefits of paying the Living Wage and that cost shouldn’t be the only point considered. Service providers need to illustrate clear advantages for a client’s business. Paying a higher wage for roles that have traditionally been low paid increases staff retention, garners more highly trained staff and delivers a better quality of service. Often by paying less in wages, it costs more in the long-term as staff turnover is higher and this comes with increased administrative and training expenses combined with a reduction in service levels.
In most cases, people want to do the right thing and support better pay for their critical FM workforce, but some clients automatically assume they can’t afford it. However, with careful planning, service contracts can be reviewed to help achieve this. In the security remit, this could mean, for example, that technology is implemented so fewer officers are required. Therefore, those officers that are appointed can be awarded a higher wage.
FM providers must also ensure Living Wage is an integral part of the tender process. Just simply tacking on a separate Living Wage proposal is not enough. The Living Wage proposal needs to be a fundamental part of every step of the process and client engagement is vital.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve already seen the cost of business interruption and this is far greater than costs associated with paying the Living Wage. Businesses that pay the Living Wage attract a more skilled employee with increased motivation and productivity. The Living Wage Foundation reports that more than 80 per cent of employers believe that paying the real Living Wage has enhanced the quality of the work of their staff. In the security industry the role of the security officer is now fundamental in safeguarding the welfare of people so getting the best quality service is key. If organisations don’t have highly trained and adequately paid officers in place, it could be a severe detriment to the health, welling and safety of their people.
The recent pandemic has shone a light on the role of FM. In the security industry in particular the risks frontline workers have been exposed to is high following so many interactions with the public. This has been evidenced by the COVID-19 death rate for security officers being higher than any other occupation.
In the post-pandemic world, we will see an increase in demand for security qualifications and with this we’ll see a shift in the role of security moving towards a professional career. With the role expanding to now embrace safety and health and wellbeing, and increased duties and demands in responsibilities rising, so too should pay.
