Facilities Management
Housekeeping in a building or property can be one day-to-day task overlooked but is of great importance. When it comes to housekeeping there is the option to either do it in-house or to outsource it to a facilities management service provider. Here we will take a closer look at the different responsibilities of housekeeping work and some warning signs to look out for when your in-house housekeeping team is no longer performing optimally.
Responsibilities of housekeeping work
Good housekeeping is more than just cleanliness. It’s also about eliminating and controlling any possible workplace hazards and is a task that must be done continuously and consistently much like regular maintenance. A good housekeeping program must include the following:
- Maintenance — This involves keeping buildings, working areas, fixtures, and equipment safe and in working condition. Replacing any damaged items in a prompt manner is part of maintenance in order to ensure it would not affect the daily work and operations.
- Employee facilities — Areas for employee facilities such as locker rooms and washrooms must be clean and maintained. Any areas for eating and drinking must be cleaned out after each shift for the next use.
- Cleaning dirt and dust — Ventilation systems can only do so much so using vacuum cleaners are a must in taking out non-hazardous dirt. Manual cleaning may be required for areas not applicable for vacuum cleaners such as windows, lockers, pipings, lighting fixtures, and so forth.
- Cleaning surfaces — Cleaning the floor regularly from spills can help prevent slipping and improve overall floor conditions. Replacing any broken or damaged tiles in the flooring is also a must to remove the tripping or slipping hazard. High-traffic areas that cannot be continuously cleaned like entrances to buildings should be coated with anti-slip flooring.
- Garbage disposal — Good housekeeping requires the constant collection of waste disposal and segregation before going into waste disposal facilities. Waste bins should be easily identifiable with the right labels, especially for segregation.
- Materials storage — Organizing materials can help solve any storage problems. Materials should be stored in places that do not interfere with daily work but should still be easily retrievable, and should be marked clearly. Materials that are hazardous and flammable should be stored in appropriate containers designed to hold them and should meet the safety requirements set by regulations.
Should you outsource housekeeping?
Some signs to look out for would be if you are noticing a strain in your HR when it comes to meeting the demands of hiring and training. Managing staff, training, keeping standards, and finding supplies can be quite demanding and is an entirely separate business function from your main operations.
Dedicated cleaning staff are trained to do regular housekeeping in the most efficient manner, so if there are any lapses in your regular cleaning and maintenance then it might be a sign that your current in-house housekeeping is inefficient. Training and finding the most efficient maintenance plan can take off a lot of time from your business’ resources and staff to conjure up something that is not your expertise.
Housekeeping and maintenance is a continuous process and so is knowing which are the right materials to use based on building codes and changing best practices. It can be difficult to stay on top of these trends while pursuing regular business operations.
These are just some of the reasons why outsourcing can bring ROI for businesses as they let professionals do what they are trained to do best while your business can focus on its core operations and on what really matters.
Outsourcing: The next step
If you decide to outsource your housekeeping instead, it is imperative to find a trusted facilities management partner – an organization with a dedicated track record of past clients served. Santos Knight Frank is a renowned real estate services agency that has a great track record of serving clients with services such as occupier services & commercial agency, investment & capital markets, residential & sales leasing, property marketing, research & consultancy, valuation & appraisal, project management, asset management, property management, facilities management, technical services & engineering solutions. Just visit our website and speak to our real estate practitioners at https://santosknightfrank.com/.
If you want to know more about Facilities Management, you can also read about Facilities management outsourcing: Five steps to success.
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