Zone or Team Cleaning: Which is better?

[e9er]

I have had training in team cleaning . I have implemented team cleaning in larger building we service. Do you use team cleaning in you accounts.



Even small janitorial companies should look at the possibility of implementing either a "team" or "zone" approach into their cleaning practices. Incorporating one of these systems into your maintenance program can result in more efficiency in your cleaning business, thus saving you more money and added profits.

Before you decide on a cleaning system to use take a careful look at the building you are cleaning and make note of the building's needs. It may be time-consuming, but a thorough evaluation of the building now can make the time your staff spends cleaning more efficient. Once you identify a building's specific needs you can decide if zone cleaning or team cleaning provides the most benefit.

What are the differences between zone cleaning and team cleaning? Zone cleaning means one employee performs all tasks for a specific floor or section of a building. This system gives the worker a sense of "ownership" as they are responsible for a specific area. The individual gets to know all the ins and outs of the specific area that he or she is assigned to.

Because the individual performs all the cleaning tasks for their building or area, there is less of a chance of boredom, which can be a problem with other forms of cleaning. In addition, security is less of a concern as fewer individuals will have keys to a particular building or area.

Team cleaning is almost the exact opposite of zone cleaning. Team cleaning groups related tasks. A team of specialists go through the area systematically. Rather than cleaning a specific area, each individual on your cleaning staff performs a specific task. Zone cleaning tasks are generally broken down into the following areas:

1. Light Duty Specialist: Dusting, emptying trash, spot cleaning.

2. Vacuum Specialist: Vacuuming carpets as well as hard floors.

3. Restroom Specialist: Cleaning, sanitizing and restocking supplies in restrooms.

4. Utility Specialist: Cleaning lobby areas, spot cleaning glass, mopping and scrubbing hard floors, and hauling trash to dumpsters from central collection points.

You may want to customize a specialist's duties to fit a particular building. One of the advantages of team cleaning has to do with training. You do not have to train an employee in all areas of cleaning. It may even be difficult to find employees that are adept enough to become an expert in all areas of cleaning. By focusing on certain types of work, the team members will become more skilled and efficient in their particular tasks, meaning greater overall efficiency and an overall cleaner building.

Team cleaning also means less equipment. With zone cleaning, each cleaning employee needs a vacuum, brute, and restroom cleaning supplies. When using a team cleaning approach you only need one "whole set of equipment" for an entire building as each individual will only use one piece of equipment for each task.

There are benefits to each cleaning system, and the cleaning system you use in your buildings will depend on several factors. This includes the size of the building, the number of employees cleaning in the building, the number of buildings you clean, and your client's individual needs. Implementing the right cleaning system will help keep your costs down and your profits up.

[HotH2o]

You will find that using one or the other will work good in a location but not all locations. You will also find that using both methods in a location will work best.
Is anyone using any other methods to clean? Split, skip cleaning, etc.?

[wesdawg67]

I'm all for team, especially if someone calls in sick or something. But like mentioned, a lot has to do with the account.

[e9er]

How big does the account have to be before you use team cleaning.