When your janitorial company culture is focused on maintaining a professional demeanor, your team and your company will thrive.
Every company has a culture. It may be more or less obvious. It may be intentional or not. Either way, it’s there. With a thoughtful approach, commercial cleaning and janitorial company culture can be a potential business asset.
Here’s the catch: Your janitorial company culture can also be a detriment. The worst part, though, is that your business culture can impact your success without you even realizing it.
It’s understandable. The idea of company culture was huge during the tech boom. Things like ping pong tables and catered lunches were held high as examples of company culture. There’s so much more to it than that, though.
The truth is, business culture has been around since the very first person paid someone else to do a job for them. And there are so many ways you can use it to your advantage.
From bidding to maintenance to employee training schedules, Janitorial Manager can help your organize function more professionally. Schedule a free call with Janitorial Manager and make your work easier and more profitable.
What IS company culture?
Company culture is also known as corporate culture or business culture. Forbes describes it as “the collection of unwritten norms, beliefs and collective attitudes that shape how things get done within your organization.”
Great Place to Work points out that “Company culture is how you do what you do in the workplace. It’s the sum of your formal and informal systems and behaviors and values, all of which create an experience for your employees and customers.”
Let’s put it in more concrete terms, though. You walk into a restaurant on a busy Sunday afternoon. The place is packed. You see the waitstaff buzzing around refilling drinks, taking orders, and clearing empty tables. The host walks up to you. “Two people called out today, so we’re really behind. You can sit and wait if you want, but it’s going to be a while.”
Now let’s go to a different restaurant with the same scenario. It’s as busy as can be and the waitstaff is trying hard to keep up with everything. The host approaches you. “Hi, folks. There’s a bit of a wait for a table, but I’m happy to take your name and get you some drinks and an appetizer if you don’t mind waiting.”
With just this information, you can probably already see the difference in company culture. Restaurant #1 seems like the kind of place where employees are unhappy, overworked, and unsupported by management.
By contrast, restaurant #2 is just as busy, but it’s likely that employees feel cared for, understood, and that management is there to help them. It’s not only about making employees feel good, though. Where are you going to spend your money? Do you, as a customer, want to feel like you’re just another obstacle on the way to higher revenue? Or do you want to go where you know you’re appreciated, and you’ll get great service?
Of course, this brings us to the question of what professionalism means in relation to janitorial company culture.
Applying professionalism to your janitorial company culture
The United States Department of Labor defines professionalism as “conducting oneself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence.” The Office of Career and Professional Development at Virginia Tech describes professionalism as “the conduct, behavior and attitude of someone in a work or business environment.”
That seems simple enough. So, how do you apply professionalism to your janitorial company culture, and why does it matter? Here are five ways to ensure professionalism is central to your business and what that means for your company, employees, and customers.
1. Focus on excellence. Excellence covers a lot of ground. Your clients expect excellent work. Your employees expect an excellent job experience. And you expect your employees to provide excellent service. That means paying attention to the details. Check task lists to make sure everything gets done. Conduct inspections to ensure consistency and quality. All of this will pay off in longer-term contracts, word-of-mouth referrals, happier employees, and better revenue.
2. Focus on customer service. Your customers need to be at the center of every business decision. That means you and your team are responsible for making customers feel heard, appreciated, and happy with your work. That doesn’t mean you need to give away extra work or fulfill every request. Sometimes that’s just not possible. However, it does mean explaining why you can’t do something or, even better, offering different options for how you can meet their needs.
3. Be reliable. Reliability is a vital part of your janitorial company culture. This includes arriving on time, knowing what’s expected on the job, and understanding how to do the job. Although reliability itself isn’t the most obvious professional trait, a lack of reliability stands out and will hurt your business. Reliability may also fall under traits like competence or knowledge.
4. Conduct your business ethically. This comes down to honesty and integrity. You take accountability and correct mistakes. You charge appropriate rates for your services. Your business is properly licensed and insured. In essence, ethical business behavior simply means doing the right thing. This extends to your interactions with your employees, and even their interactions with customers.
5. Be respectful. Respect is the cornerstone of good communication, which, in turn, is essential for business success. Customers notice respectful interactions among your employees and between you and your team. That translates to a more comfortable and positive experience for your clients.
Fostering professionalism as integral to your janitorial company culture pays off. Not only will your customers notice, but your team will, too. The result is less employee turnover, higher customer retention, and more referrals, all of which make your work easier and your company more profitable.
Keep up with your customers, contracts, prospects, and bids. Learn more today with a discovery call and find out how to make your business efforts more efficient, cost effective, and professional!