Proud to clean

How many times have you heard "I am only the cleaner" or "they are only the cleaner"? Such phrases may be commonplace within some organisations but not at Midlands-based commercial cleaning provider we clean which has a compassionate approach to its cleaning teams, with a simple but powerful message ‘we clean and proud of it’!

Showing respect

The directors of we clean, David Harker and Paul Concannon, do not employ ‘cleaners’ but cleaning operatives which reflects the importance and respect that their 400-plus frontline cleaning staff deserve. The company develops the professionalism and knowledge base of its employees by providing quality internal and external training programmes that lead to the attainment of highly recognised industry-specific and general workplace qualifications. 

Duncan Thomson, health & safety training manager for we clean, said: "we clean's refreshing approach to the delivery of cleaning services to its clients focuses first and foremost on its cleaning staff, ensuring that they feel connected to the organisation and its ethos, and take the upmost pride in their work."

Investing in people

An industry professional for over 30 years, Duncan is responsible for managing all aspects of the organisation's health & safety and training provision. He explains: "As an Investor in People Organisation we clean ensures all staff have their own individual training record which is carefully monitored by myself in conjunction with their area contract manager. We identify with the cleaning operative the specific training they may need to carry out their duties in the safest and most efficient way. 

"In addition, we actively encourage and financially support those staff that wish to develop their skill base further to progress through the company’s organisational structure into managerial or specialist cleaning posts." 

Training facility

Appreciating that at times it is difficult to deliver structured training to its cleaning teams on client premises, we clean opened an in-house training facility at its Birmingham head office in September 2014. The facility provides staff with DVD/power-point based training presentations and the opportunity to carry out practical cleaning disciplines on a number of different floor surfaces. There is also a modular washroom facility where staff are trained in the correct procedures for safely and efficiently carrying out these critically important tasks to deliver the highest possible standards of washroom hygiene. 

"For our new staff it provides the opportunity for us to ensure that they understand their duty of care and to learn the we clean way of carrying out their daily activities, whilst for those staff with service longevity it provides a great opportunity to ‘refresh’ their core cleaning skills and knowledge base," Duncan concludes. 

Everyone's a winner

By putting the operative first we clean are developing a very positive reputation within the cleaning industry highlighted most recently by securing contracts with Aldi at their head office facilities in Atherstone, TNT and MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association). These complement long-standing contracts with the West Brom Building Society, Birmingham’s iconic Symphony Hall and Hippodrome Theatre, and Brindleyplace leisure and business destination.

The importance placed on the presentation of its cleaning teams has helped we clean to develop long term relationships with a number of establishments.

Director David Harker says: "All members of the we clean team are provided with corporate workwear and PPE that endorse our brand for delivering professionalism. The we clean commitment to its staff and corporate image has resulted in a number of high profile clients wishing to dual brand their cleaning teams on site to cement a real partnership approach to cleaning."

The we clean approach seems to be working as the company reports staff retention figures of 83%. This provides the basis for a consistent service delivery which ultimately has allowed it to secure a number of long term cleaning contracts and an impressive client retention rate. The company's commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of its cleaning staff also resulted in we clean being recognised as the outstanding External Cleaning Contractor for 2014 by the independent Loo of the Year awards panel.