When thinking about priorities and key departments within any business, functions key to the business’ operation are at the forefront; finance, HR, sales, all typically covered by organisational teams and personnel.
Where does the cleaning function feature on your list?
To me and my team at APM, it is our world, our business and our passion, but to a lot of organisations, cleaning is fairly low down on their list of priorities.
However, do not underestimate the importance of a regular commercial cleaning contract, or one-off deep-cleans, whether your business trades in office premises, social care environments, commercial building sites, municipal buildings or you are a landlord, responsible for multiple facilities. The value the in employing a professional cleaning company with a clear hygiene strategy, knowledge and experience with regards potential hazards, risks and requirements, is multifold.
There are currently 1.47 million people employed by the industry in the UK; equating to around 5% of the workforce in our country; making the cleaning sector a top ten UK employer – comparable to the Transport and Storage sector.*
Providing a vital service to the economy, not only in the provision of healthier, more hygienic workspaces but in terms of bucking the trend, with national turnover within the sector increasing by 30% since 2013 – greater than that of the growth of the economy, the cleaning sector should never be dismissed, in terms of importance.
Thanks to the pandemic (there’s a phrase you never thought would be uttered!) the cleaning industry rose to the forefront and the spotlight shone firmly on us, continuing to work alongside other vital sectors and flexing to accommodate new, stringent requirements in terms of hygiene and safety in the workplace.
These last few years have cemented our worth and our resolve to continue to evolve and offer the most effective service and services to commercial and domestic clients throughout the country.
One of the ongoing challenges which continues to face us at APM, however, is the sourcing, recruiting and employment of key personnel. Our new training academy, The Business of Cleaning, addresses this very issue as we seek to attract new blood into the industry and demonstrate the worth of those working within the sector.
Thankfully, once employed, our teams tend to stay, thanks to attractive packages and a vibrant, diverse, hard-working but fun environment.
So, please do not underestimate our industry; catapult it to the top of your list. Growing, strengthening and with renewed focus, our industry and work is vital and we are not going anywhere!
* statistics from British Cleaning Council
