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| Thursday, July 29, 2010 |
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| [Wednesday, June 21, 2006] |
| We are in the planning stage of implementing the Team Cleaning process to replace Zone Cleaning. We are an in-house service provider and service 3 million plus gross square footage divided among 34 office buildings, all within a five mile radius. Does anyone have any lessons learned or suggestions they can offer?
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| Team Cleaning - Lorenzo Macias |
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Answer # 1:
As a consultant who has worked with organizations implementing team cleaning, there are several "danger" points to expect:
(1) There will be someone on the team who is slower than everyone else, and this can affect the entire team.
(2) Some will get "bored" doing the same routing every day, so anticipate some type of rotation and cross training program.
(3) It takes time (e.g., something months) for the team to become efficient and comfortable with a new system.
(4) Ensure that the "team leader" corrects deficiencies as they occur, rather than letting them build up.
(5) Offer your staff the opportunity to come up with a name for the cleaning program, such as "turbo cleaning”, “high performance cleaning", etc.
(6) Document improvements resulting from team cleaning: utilities’ savings, lower equipment and chemical usage, etc.
(7) Expect and Demand Excellence.
Perry Shimanoff, President
MC2 Consultants
mc2sancarlos@msn.com
Answer # 2:
Congratulations on initiating improvements in your organization and for seeking advice from others who have been through the process.
On a couple of items, I'd like to take a somewhat different approach than my colleague above.
(1) This statement creates the impression that a team works together. This is untrue, as you know from attending the training course. One Specialist, fast or slow, cannot affect the whole team. Remember, the duties are clearly defined by Specialists and are focused so that variation in productivity by individuals is greatly diminished.
The key 'team' that is referred to, may be the Light Duty Specialist (Starter) and the Vac Specialist (Closer). These are the only 2 of the 4 disciplines that work in tandem (Closer following the Starter). In this regard, we have designed the Quadrants and Job Cards to take into consideration various production rates. As you set up your first facility do not forget to test and study these assignments for effectiveness. This testing does not create different production rates for each individual, but rather a rate per position which individuals are expected to meet.
(2) I agree with the concern for potential boredom. However, you may be surprised how infrequently it occurs. To offset this, and for absenteeism, you should have 20 - 30% of your Specialists cross-trained.
(3) I agree that you and your superiors will need time to effectively convert. Let me give you some time targets to shoot for:
Starter - basic training - (dust removal, trash collection, spotting, etc.)- 4 hours
Understanding quadrants - (routine, detail & periodic frequencies)- 4 hours
Understanding the Job Cards - (routing, allotted time, quad sequence)- 4 hours
About the same time for the Closer
Restroom Specialist depends upon the system utilized, but is about 8 hours.
The Utility group is divided into 4 levels ranging from pulling trash to aseptic cleaning. Here you should focus on standards from organizations like IICRC.
Remember to spend enough time on the planning of your pilot facility. You and your transition team are all learning, just as the Specialists are learning. Be patient, lead, show resolve, yet listen to ideas and concerns from others.
If you hit a wall that causes you to stop and reassess, do so with a persevering attitude. All change has some resistance. When you incur resistance smile on the inside, because you're at the place where you should be, and let leadership prevail. Total time to implement a 100,000 Sq. Ft. should be 4 - 6 weeks.
Jim Harris Sr.
Concepts IV Consulting
Jim@conceptsiv.com |
| ICAN representative |
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