By Julia Messinger

Facility maintenance is a complex responsibility, with many factors to consider, and elements and outsourcing professional cleaning services could help make your job easier. One of the core elements of facility maintenance is a building’s cleaning program. A robust, effective facility cleaning program not only helps prevent the spread of germs but can also boost a company’s image and contribute to a positive customer and employee experience.

Cleaning also continues to be in the spotlight as people’s expectations have heightened following the pandemic. A recent survey found that people are putting increased emphasis on the cleanliness of the workplace, with nearly 90 per cent of respondents feeling that workplace cleaning protocols are important.

Keeping a facility clean around the clock is a multifaceted operation, with a long to-do list. Outsourcing more difficult and time-consuming tasks can help ease the burden on facility managers and employees, allowing them to focus on other responsibilities. This can be very helpful in accomplishing more tasks in the same amount of time and knowing that important maintenance duties are being completed on schedule to keep your building operating at – and looking – its best.

Save money while improving cleanliness

Outsourcing services has always been a cost-effective way for businesses to improve their bottom line. Essentially, it reduces overhead costs and allows you to pay for the exact service needed. When it comes to cleaning, outsourcing select professional services allows facility managers to cut down in-house cleaning time, while achieving increased and consistent results. Even better, outsourced professionals provide their own top-of-the-line equipment and products specifically designed to complete the job, eliminating the need to purchase and maintain costly equipment and products only used for one task.

It’s important for facility managers to determine which services make sense to outsource and what is more beneficial to keep in-house. For example, cleaning and laundering facility floor mats can be an extremely time-consuming, labour-intensive task for employees. Also, it must be performed regularly as mats can get saturated and dirty very easily. By outsourcing this, mats will be professionally cleaned, laundered, and replaced on a schedule to maximize performance. In addition, there is no need to invest in inventory, saving you money on replacement costs.

Outsourcing intensive tasks such as floor mat cleaning help businesses save time, money, and manpower, while also providing the peace of mind that it will still be completed correctly and on time.

Alleviate stress and staffing challenges

Facility management can be stressful. In fact, a recent building operating management survey found that 59 per cent of people were most stressed by not having enough time in the day to get everything done.

Enabling facility managers to outsource facility services can help ease the stress of being bogged down with routine cleaning and scheduling duties. Since outsourced cleaning professionals track their cleaning tasks and maintain a level of cleanliness, facility managers will have more time to focus on other building matters and tend to any urgent issues that arise. This can help alleviate facility manager burnout.

In addition to freeing up valuable time, outsourcing facility services can help improve staffing challenges. Facility managers won’t need to spend time recruiting, hiring, and training additional staff for often high-turnover cleaning positions – especially during the current turbulent job market. This helps save headaches and resources, knowing that the job will be completed by trained, outsourced professionals. Outsourcing also eliminates the need to pull in employees that weren’t hired for cleaning, helping with employee retention.

Make everyone feel more comfortable

A clean work environment has been linked to improved mental health. It can help increase productivity, heighten focus, and boost happiness. With the amount of time people spend at work, it’s important to provide a clean and welcoming environment so that people feel comfortable. Outsourcing less glamorous, yet critical, jobs such as deep cleaning bathrooms can help ensure a positive restroom experience for all building occupants.

Since restrooms require a lot of attention, some facility managers partner with a service provider to ease the burden. In-house staff typically handles spot cleaning and daily cleaning, while a service provider handles inventory management and deep cleaning. Outsourcing restroom deep cleaning eliminates the need for employees to do the heavy lifting and the extra dirty work. It also eliminates the need to stock auto scrubbers, dry vacuums, wet vacuums, pressure washers, and grout cleaning machines. By freeing up inventory space and limiting labour associated with ordering and inventory management, employees can focus on their core responsibilities, eliminate guesswork and let out a sigh of relief that they don’t have to deep clean the restroom.

RELATED: what your washrooms say about your business

Find the perfect fit

When looking to outsource professional facility services, thoroughly research and compare providers to see who will provide the most value-add to your facility, employees, and customers. The right service provider should complement and boost your existing in-house cleaning program. Look for a partner who is flexible to fit your specific needs and can adapt quickly to any changes that you need to protect your investment.

Outsourcing is not taking the easy way out. If it simultaneously boosts the bottom line and improves employee morale, it’s a smart business move and a win-win for your building. You can have peace of mind knowing that specific facility services will be completed on time and on schedule to help improve your image, protect your business, save you money, and provide an inviting atmosphere in your building.

Julia Messinger is a marketing manager for the Facility Services division of Cintas and is currently responsible for product line management in the cleaning tools and chemicals category.  For more information about facility services offerings from Cintas, visit cintas.com/facilityservices.