How can FM professionals work with other departments to maintain cleanliness?

Cleanliness is not only a matter of hygiene and safety, but also a reflection of your organization's culture and values. As a facility management (FM) professional, you have a key role in ensuring that your workplace is clean and inviting for your staff, customers, and visitors. But you can't do it alone. You need to collaborate with other departments and stakeholders to create and implement effective cleaning strategies and standards. Here are some tips on how to work with other departments to maintain cleanliness.

1 Communicate your goals and expectations

The first step to successful collaboration is to communicate your goals and expectations clearly and consistently. Explain why cleanliness is important for your organization, what are the benefits and challenges, and what are the roles and responsibilities of each department. Use different channels and formats, such as emails, meetings, posters, newsletters, and feedback forms, to reach out to your audience and keep them informed and engaged.

Add your perspective

Shivani Seunarine

I believe that practice makes perfect so I teach in order to constantly improve my skills. Project Management Practitioner| Facility Manager Practitioner| Agile Practitioner | Trainer |Business Owner
Report contribution
Actually I totally agree with this. Once persons are informed they would be part of the cleanliness of their department. We engage persons and also it would assist fm to better resource our custodians. We need to outline what their responsibilities are to cleanness.

Like
Ebrima Nanko

Airside Officer at the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority| Virtual Assistant |ACI certified WHM| Former Aviation Security|Teacher| Room Fellow
(edited)
Report contribution
Facility management professionals could put in place waste control mechanisms and guidelines for human factors that could compromise cleanliness by identifying contact persons in the different departments for monitory purposes.

Like

2 Provide training and resources

The second step is to provide training and resources to help other departments understand and follow your cleaning protocols and procedures. Offer regular and customized training sessions, workshops, webinars, or online courses to educate your staff on the best practices, techniques, tools, and products for cleaning different areas and surfaces. Provide them with easy-to-access and user-friendly resources, such as manuals, checklists, videos, or apps, that they can refer to anytime and anywhere.

Add your perspective

3 Seek input and feedback

The third step is to seek input and feedback from other departments to improve your cleaning performance and quality. Invite them to share their ideas, suggestions, challenges, and concerns with you and your team. Listen to their perspectives and experiences, and acknowledge their contributions and efforts. Use surveys, polls, focus groups, or interviews to collect and analyze their feedback. Implement changes and improvements based on their feedback, and communicate the results and outcomes.

Add your perspective

Shivani Seunarine

I believe that practice makes perfect so I teach in order to constantly improve my skills. Project Management Practitioner| Facility Manager Practitioner| Agile Practitioner | Trainer |Business Owner
Report contribution
In my experience listening to different units and gathering ideas assists in improvement. One of the suggestions we took was changing the type of cleaning supplies.

Like

4 Monitor and evaluate

The fourth step is to monitor and evaluate your cleaning results and impact. Use key performance indicators (KPIs), such as cleanliness ratings, customer satisfaction, infection rates, or waste reduction, to measure your progress and success. Track and report your data regularly, and compare it with your goals and benchmarks. Identify gaps and areas for improvement, and adjust your actions and plans accordingly. Celebrate and reward your achievements and milestones, and recognize and appreciate your partners and collaborators.

Add your perspective

5 Foster a culture of cleanliness

The fifth step is to foster a culture of cleanliness across your organization. Make cleanliness a priority and a value that everyone shares and supports. Promote a sense of ownership and accountability among your staff, and empower them to take action and responsibility for keeping their workspaces clean. Encourage a positive attitude and behavior towards cleanliness, and motivate them with incentives, recognition, or gamification. Create a community of cleanliness champions and advocates who can inspire and influence others.

Add your perspective

Shivani Seunarine

I believe that practice makes perfect so I teach in order to constantly improve my skills. Project Management Practitioner| Facility Manager Practitioner| Agile Practitioner | Trainer |Business Owner
Report contribution
What I have seen is that persons may think that is not their job to clean their spaces but the custodian. What we in FM need to do in order for this to be work is to communicate our overall strategy to senior executives and then let this be a top down approach for culture change.

Like

6 Collaborate for continuous improvement

The sixth step is to collaborate for continuous improvement. Don't stop at achieving your cleanliness goals, but strive for excellence and innovation. Seek new opportunities and challenges to enhance your cleaning standards and practices. Explore new technologies, methods, or solutions that can help you save time, money, or resources. Learn from best practices and benchmarks in your industry or sector. Network and partner with other organizations or experts who can share their knowledge and insights with you.

Add your perspective

Shivani Seunarine

I believe that practice makes perfect so I teach in order to constantly improve my skills. Project Management Practitioner| Facility Manager Practitioner| Agile Practitioner | Trainer |Business Owner
(edited)
Report contribution
I totally agree with this .We have to continue look at improvements and innovations. Once of my improvements was the development of a task management system. I also developed new relationships with cleaning companies to assist my organization with new techniques.

Like

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

How can FM professionals work with other departments to maintain cleanliness?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Communicate your goals and expectations

2 Provide training and resources

3 Seek input and feedback

4 Monitor and evaluate

5 Foster a culture of cleanliness

6 Collaborate for continuous improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Facility Management (FM)

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Facility Management (FM)

More relevant reading

How can FM professionals work with other departments to maintain cleanliness?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Communicate your goals and expectations

2 Provide training and resources

3 Seek input and feedback

4 Monitor and evaluate

5 Foster a culture of cleanliness

6 Collaborate for continuous improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Facility Management (FM)

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills