Successful janitorial managers require more than just industry know-how. Find out how to up your custodial management game.
Whether you’ve been a manager for a while or you’re just getting started with your first management role, there’s always something you can do to improve your custodial management style. That’s not to say that you aren’t doing an outstanding job, but it does mean that there are ways to hone current skills and develop new ones to bring your team to the next level.
In fact, one of the first characteristics of strong custodial management is recognizing that there’s always something new to learn. Because businesses change, products change, and trends change, even someone with twenty years of experience can always find fresh information and skills to add to their managerial arsenal.
But what other characteristics does a successful custodial manager possess? What might hinder his or her ability to reach the next level?
Obstacles to successful custodial management and how to overcome them
You may already know what you need to succeed, but it’s also important to know the obstacles that might stand in your way. Though every custodial management style is different, there are certain things you want to avoid.
For example, micromanagement leaves workers feeling unmotivated and doing only the bare minimum to get a paycheck. That fosters an unhealthy working environment, which leads to faster turnover – not something you want to risk in an industry with a notoriously high turnover.
Lack of communication can also be an obstacle to successful custodial management. If your team doesn’t know what you want from them, they’ll be hard-pressed to deliver.
Other common obstacles include a failure to lead by example, punishing employees for mistakes, making unreasonable demands, and a poor demeanor. These behaviors interrupt the trust you need to create a good working relationship between yourself and your employees. When that trust is disturbed, so is the working environment, and that won’t last very long.
On the other hand, if you know what to avoid, you can quickly figure out some of the things that you’ll want to do to take your custodial management to the next level. In most cases, opposite behaviors are the keys to the success you’re looking for.
Add to your success using janitorial management software designed to move you ahead. Sign up for your personal demo today and to find out more!
Communication, for example, is one of the most important elements of good management. Keep your teams informed, manage expectations, and create a positive work environment through respectful, productive conversations. Make sure your teams know that they can approach you with any issues, and then make sure to be approachable!
Another key to success is to use mistakes as teaching opportunities rather than to punish. Punishment tends to hurt someone’s confidence, whereas teaching builds them back up so that the next time they’re faced with a challenge, they’ll have better tools to solve the issue and get the job done.
Other keys to success include leading by example, being an expert when it comes to the tools of your trade, hosting small company events once in a while to build bonds and culture, and publicly celebrating employee wins. It also helps to maintain a set of company values or a mission statement and make sure everyone knows what they are, demonstrate drive, and most of all, treat everyone the way you want to be treated.
Keeping up with technology
Staying current with technological advancements in your industry is another requisite for good management. Things are changing faster and more regularly than ever before, which means it’s crucial to try to keep up if you’re to remain competitive.
Janitorial management software in particular is a recent trend in the custodial industry that has changed the way many do business. Besides being able to keep track of customers and projects more easily, this software ties you together with your teams so that you can always be in communication even when you’re at separate work sites.
Janitorial management software can also help you increase profits by helping you track supplies and job timing, keep track of duties, and ultimately help take on more customers without using up more valuable time.
There’s also something declarative about using the latest software technology. It tells both your employees and your clients that you take your work seriously and you want to be the best of the best. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and purchase every new upgrade that comes along, but it does mean that you’ll want to clearly demonstrate that you’re not back in the stone age of custodial management.
In short, being a successful custodial manager comes down to respect, communication, good leadership, and taking advantage of the technology available to streamline and improve your workflow. Adhere to those things, and you’ll find that your success will become even more fruitful as you move through your career.
Boost your managerial success with Janitorial Manager. Sign up for your personal demo today and to find out more!