FM CAREERS - TRAINING
APRIL 2021 53
According to recent research by
the British Cleaning Council (BCC),
there are approximately 1.63 million
workers in the cleaning industry,
making up around five per cent of
the UK workforce. This is a significant
number of people, many of whom
have been operating on the frontline
throughout the pandemic and have
seen the valuable role they play in
society finally applauded.
However, to perform their job safely
and to a consistently excellent standard,
ongoing, high quality and relevant
training is required. Of course, this was
true before the Coronavirus crisis, but
the work of professional cleaning sta
will be scrutinised like never before,
once we emerge from tight lockdown
restrictions.
At a time when customers’
expectations of cleanliness are higher
than ever, training is integral to help
uphold standards and, ultimately,
influence where consumers spend their
time and money.
NOT AN UNSKILLED PROFESSION
Due to its low pay and seeming lack of
prospects, cleaning is o en perceived
as an easy, unskilled job. This could not
be further from the truth. It is so much
more than swilling a mop and bucket
around the floor or giving a surface a
quick wipe down.
In fact, cleaning can be hazardous
and must be done properly to protect
not only the wider public, but the sta
themselves. For example, operatives
working in areas where there are sharps
(needles and other objects used to
puncture the skin), must be trained how
to manage them correctly, to reduce the
risk of personal harm. Infection control
is another area in which all sta should
be knowledgeable, from protecting
oneself whilst working with COVID-19 in
general circulation, preventing it from
spreading further, and knowing how to
clean-up a er a potential outbreak.
Another occupational hazard for
cleaning sta is working with chemicals
and fluids that may be harmful to health
if they are not handled correctly. That’s
why it’s important that workers are up
to speed with and meet COSHH (Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health)
regulations.
From a legal perspective, businesses
have a duty of care to ensure their
employees’ health and safety, but the
benefits far outweigh the investment
required. A well-trained workforce
will contribute to the bottom line,
particularly in the current climate.
Quality training helps operatives achieve
best practice every time, enhancing a
business’ image and making it a more
attractive place to visit.
Additionally, training can also
positively impact mental health and
wellbeing. By investing in education,
employers are placing value on the work
undertaken, which can help boost both
sta morale and productivity. From a
business perspective, this has another
knock-on advantage: higher sta loyalty
and retention, resulting in reduced
recruitment costs.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO
LEARNING
In the past, one of the biggest obstacles
was that training simply wasn’t very
accessible. Traditional courses were
taught classroom style; times and
venues were fixed, which meant
considerable costs were incurred.
Businesses had to factor in travel
expenses, the price of the courses
themselves, as well as the cost of lost
work (if sessions take place during
working hours).
However, as the world has become
more digitised, so too has training. In
fact, e-learning has become invaluable
over the past year, when it has just
not been practical (or safe) to attend
courses, with the social distancing
measures that have been in place.
At Jangro we o er an award-winning
e-learning system, called the Jangro
Learning Management Solution (LMS),
which has been accredited by the CPD
Certification Service and is accessible
to all of our customers and their
employees. It covers a wide range of
topics, with varying course lengths and
users are able to train remotely at times
that suit them. This allows cleaning
operatives to dip in and out of short or
longer sessions, making learning highly
flexible and accessible.
Just some of the modules available
are: Colour Coding & Infection Control,
Health and Safety, Washroom Hygiene,
Floor Care, and Kitchen Hygiene. COSHH
is one of the most popular courses, and
recently received an update to make it
even more user friendly.
Since its launch in 2013, the LMS
has grown phenomenally, enabling
thousands of cleaning industry sta to
perform their duties to a high standard,
without risking their own health (or
that of others). Testimonials include:
‘In-depth, expert information in each
module means I have everything I need
when it comes to training my sta ’, ‘It’s
so adaptable for me with my hours’,
and ‘The important thing is all cleaners
should be knowledgeable about the
products they are using’.
This is something we couldn’t agree
more with. Given the challenging
conditions cleaning operatives currently
face, empowering them with high
quality training is the least we can do.
CLEAN STANDARDS Joanne Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, discusses how training within the cleaning sector is more
important than ever and the many benefi ts to be had by employers and employees alike