What's in a name?

During a recent conversation over a cup of coffee with a professional acquaintance (and, indeed, a personal friend too), we started discussing the word ‘barista’. It hadn’t escaped our notice that today, the staff at most large high street coffee chains are known by this moniker. Some coffee making professionals – particularly those who have taken years to perfect brewing the perfect cup of java – might take umbrage at this, thinking that barista is a title that should be earned, not granted by an employer. 

However, what is absolutely undeniable is how this one word can elevate the job role to new heights. A ‘coffee maker’ is reactive, even robotic. A ‘barista’, by contrast, shows skill, dedication and the utmost care with each coffee made. And, judging by the incredible levels of customer service and professionalism shown by staff in coffee chains and shops up and down the country, I think that they are proving the naysayers wrong, and are most definitely taking this definition to heart. 

Yet this attitude doesn’t come simply from having a certain job title – barista is not a magic word which instantly confers superior coffee-and-service abilities upon a person. Instead, it comes from how that job title makes an employee feel about the work they are undertaking. How it causes them to take greater pride in what they do. Ultimately, how it raises their levels of self-worth and job-satisfaction. 

Improving staff morale & motivation

This conversation then made me think about some of the hardest workers within our own industry – namely cleaning staff. Whilst I am not advocating the need for a job title change en masse (in fact, cleaning staff bear many different labels throughout the world), there is much to be said for continually improving the way they feel about their work.

On the whole, from what I have seen and heard throughout my years in the industry, I am confident that many cleaning staff experience good levels of job satisfaction. In my opinion, this is often down to the overwhelmingly first-class cleaning companies that operate in this country, who are highly effective at motivating and inspiring their employees.

Nevertheless, I am also acutely aware that cleaning can sometimes seem like a thankless task. At ISSA, our key mission statement is to change the way the world views cleaning – and with good reason. Too often, cleaning is only noticed when it is not done. Alongside our members and partners, we are committed to working tirelessly to increase the appreciation for cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. 

Yet this appreciation for the true, tangible and tremendous value of clean must not only be espoused to the general public. It must also trickle down, and be fully appreciated by those on the front line. A deep understanding of the value of clean is perhaps one of the greatest, most important ways in which cleaning staff can feel a greater – and fully deserved – sense of job satisfaction. 

In this endeavour, education is vital. Rather than merely cleaning for cleanings sake, staff need to be fully aware of why they are undertaking certain procedures. Whether it be the practise of certain techniques to lower infection rates in a hospital, the use of a particular chemical cleaning product which is less likely to irritate children at a school, or how cleaning an office space can ensure the productivity of employees in an office space; cleaners should be continuously made aware of the hugely positive impact their work has.

It goes without saying that increased self-esteem and happiness in the workplace equate to doing a better job. However, boosting job satisfaction need not be done by changing what you do, but by how you think about your work. Luckily for us in the world of cleaning, we have a lot to be proud of. Ensuring that we all are aware of this is perhaps one of the best ways to improve morale – and thus to drive forward the professionalism of the entire industry.