A Janitorial Cleaning Contract
What is that like?
If I thought COVID was the worst thing that could happen in the past 10 months, I was wrong.
Let me be clear: I feel extremely lucky that I have not been infected with the virus. My brother-in-law, one of my employees, and a few friends were not so lucky, so I am counting my blessings. How about you?
Let’s get back to the issue I want to discuss with you today. Eight years ago I got into janitorial cleaning with a bit of luck, but mostly because of my work ethic and personality trait.
I won a huge bid and started my janitorial journey, armed with lots of enthusiasm and brushes of all sizes!
I started out with a scope of work (SOW). An SOW tells you what area to clean and how often, and some have more details than others. But how you really clean is up to your company’s standards.
It’s all up to you to decide how you want your team to clean the washrooms, the offices, the lunchrooms, the shops, the warehouse work spaces and hallways. The SOW mentions the areas, the general duties, ie. dust mopping and washing floors, as well as how often they expect the work done.
When I joined the commercial rank of the cleaning world, I had no idea what I was getting into. But wow! did I learn firsthand AND fast!
At age 52, I got my butt in gear each evening and drove to site to clean with my team - all night! I was determined to learn and serve my new client - and serve I did!
I always strive to provide the best cleaning possible, but let’s be honest, I cannot be everywhere, every night! So other people on my team have to be in charge of the cleaning facilities.
Considering that it takes a team (more like a village) to clean large commercial buildings, and our company standards are high, we do our very best every time. For my clients and my team, I am only a call away, ready to comply, fix any shortcomings, and basically help when needed.
This January, head office informed me that the luxury service I provide has to come to an end. In the midst of a pandemic and in the name of money, my contract is being slashed in half.
Do you know what that means?
Well, it means that what I stand for in cleaning is undermined and has very little value to them. It means that my client has to survive without our exceptional cleaning service, and in order to make their numbers add up, they want only the very basic cleaning.
I am sure they care about COVID or the potential outbreak that could arise from these cut-backs, but they say they have little choice in the matter. They will put some responsibilities in the hands of their capable employees - meaning, everyone is to keep safe from COVID by cleaning their own hands and desks and wearing a mask. It’s not that hard and - by now - we all know what to do to keep safe.
In this challenging Pandemic and oil crisis, we all have to adjust.
But I am really upset for the first time in a long time, I feel distraught. I am determined to find a way to keep my team working, so I will accept the new financial cutback and scope of work (SOW).
Unfortunately, I will have to lay off many people on our team. Some of them have other jobs which means they can feed themselves and pay rent. But a few of them are going to have to be on EI (employment insurance) and that means no more health benefits.
I know there is some good to come out of this situation. I just don’t know what that is just yet.
My team is resilient and those who will stay to “hold down the fort” will come up on top. I can say for sure it will be a learning experience for all of us at Domestic Goddess Housekeeping.
Who wants to miss out on such an opportunity of growing and learning? Not me! Not us!
From France’s desk
Comments in French
Je suis désolé d'apprendre les coupures budgétaires imposée à ta compagnie de nettoyage. Cela semble ironique. Être infliger des coupures à l'entretien ménagé. Au moment où partout dans le monde en nous demande d'augmenté et pratiquer l'hygiène et le nettoyage à tous les niveaux.
Je suis d'accord avec ton énoncé France. Il nous faut toutefois être réalise. Cette pandémie affecte tout le monde sans exception et les entreprises ne sont pas épargnées. Comme bien des gens de notre société cette pandémie Covid 19 est la plus grande expérience vécue par ses effets dévastateurs.
Cela dit lorsque j'étais très jeune plus de soixante ans passé. Je me souviens vaguement de la pandémie de la polio. Ceci est demeuré dans ma mémoire car les membres de la famille de mon père ont été atteints de cette terrible maladie. En plus de mes cousines et les enfants de certaines connaissances.
Qui ont aussi demeuré paralysé par cette pandémie appeler polio toujours vivant aujourd’hui. Ils continuent de vivre avec ce terrible handicap soient des membres supérieur ou inférieurs de leurs corps paralysé ou encore les deux extrémités. Je suis d’accord lorsque tu dis il y probablement du bon qui va sortir de ce défi à relever qui sont les problèmes causé par la Covid 19.
Pour avoir personnellement relevé différent défi dans ma vie. Comme bien d’autre gens d’ailleurs Je peux dire que nous devons vivre aux dessus de ces défi qui se présent à nous. Première étape quelle attitude je vais prendre face à ce nouveaux défi de perdre mon emplois, perdre mes contrats ou encore perdre mes collèques de travail ce qui peux être aussi très déstabilisons pour certaine personnes.
En temps qu’entrepreneurs nous avons souvent tendances à nous soucier de la mise à pied de nos fidèles employés. Je ne dis pas que cela et une mauvaise chose d’avoir de l’empathie. Par contre dans de telle situation sans exception nous sommes tous et toutes responsable de notre propre comportement et attitude à relever ce défi. Seulement ceux et celle qui garde une attitude gagnante vont y trouver les solutions espéré.
Ne pas voir la solution toute prête immédiatement devons-nous peux nous pousser vers le désespoir et le plus souvent dans cette émotions de peur de l’inconnu. C’est en général à cet endroit que les gens se tournent. Croyez-moi le plus vite tu acceptes cette réalité à laquelle tu es confronté. Si tu choisi de nager avec le courant. Le mieux tu vas te sentir et le plus vite les solutions vont se présenter à toi.
-Angélina Gionet
I'm sorry to hear about the budget cuts imposed on your cleaning company. It sounds ironic - being inflicted by cuts on housekeeping at a time when all over the world is asking us to increase and practice hygiene and cleaning at all levels.
I agree with your statement France. However, we must be realistic. This pandemic affects everyone without exception and companies are not spared. Like many people in our society, this Covid 19 pandemic is the greatest experience lived by its devastating effects.
Having said that when I was very young, over sixty years ago, I vaguely remember the polio pandemic. This stuck in my memory as my father's family members suffered from this terrible disease, in addition to my cousins and children of certain acquaintances. Who also remained paralyzed by this pandemic called polio is still alive today? They continue to live with this terrible handicap whether of the upper or lower limbs of their bodies paralyzed or even both extremities.
I agree when you say there is probably good that will come out of this challenge which are the problems caused by Covid 19.
For having personally taken on different challenges in my life. Like many other people I can say that we must live on top of these challenges that are before us. First step, what attitude I will take in the face of this new challenge of losing my job, losing my contracts, or even losing my work colleagues - which can also be very destabilizing for some people. As entrepreneurs we often tend to worry about the layoff of our loyal employees.
I'm not saying that it's a bad thing to have empathy. On the other hand in such a situation without exception we are all responsible for our own behaviour and attitude to take up this challenge. Only those and the one who keeps a winning attitude will find the hoped-for solutions.
Not seeing the ready-made solution immediately we can push ourselves into despair and more often than not into this fearful emotions of the unknown. This is usually where people turn. Believe me, the faster you accept this reality you are facing - if you choose to swim with the current - the better you will feel and the faster the solutions will present themselves to you.
-Angélina Gionet
Comments in Filipino
Yung pandemya na nagsimula noong unang mga buwan ng 2020 ay isang malaking dagok sa lahat ng bagay na nagpapatuloy hanggang ngayon. Ito ay parang isang ‘food chain’ na nagsimula sa pagsarado ng madaming Negosyo upang maiwasan ang paglaganap ng ‘corona virus’ na nagresulta sa kawalan ng trabaho ng madaming empleyado. Dahil din sa pansamantalang paghinto ng eksport at import ng mga produkto sa madaming bansa, ito ay nagresulta sa pagbagsak ng ekonomiya.
Marami mang negatibong naidulot ang pandemyang ito, huwag sana mawalan ng pag-asa ang ibang mga kumpanya. Bagkus ay gawin sana itong lakas para magpatuloy sa kinabukasan--upang itaguyod ang kanilang negosyo, pati na rin ang kanilang mga empleyado. Ito ay pansamantalang trahedya lamang na malulunasan din sa lalo’t madaling panahon.
-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally From The Philippines
The pandemic that began in the first months of 2020 took a toll to everything that continues to this day. It is like a food chain that started with the closure of many businesses to prevent the spread of the corona virus which resulted in the unemployment of many employees. Also due to the temporary cessation of exports and imports of products in many countries, this has resulted in economic collapse.
Although this pandemic has caused a lot of negative things, I hope other companies do not lose hope. Instead, make it a force to be reckoned with in the future - to promote their business, as well as their employees. This is only a temporary tragedy that will be solved as soon as possible.
-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally From The Philippines
comments in spanish:
My friend, I would say that Covid is one of the growing pain of humanity!
Just facing challenging times like this, our sense of common unity is growing and our resilience will show up stronger.
It is not that particularly that cleaning is “undermined”; many projects, contracts and programs are on hold or cancelled. At this very moment in the world uncountable professionals in every area are unemployed and many not even able to get EI.
I am confident that you and your company will overcome this phase and adjust to the SOW with courage because you just do not give up!
-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia
Mi querida amiga, diría que Covid es uno de los dolores de crecimiento de la humanidad.
Simplemente enfrentando tiempos desafiantes como este, nuestro sentido de común-unidad crecera y nuestra resiliencia se desarrollará más fuerte.
No es que la limpieza esté “menospreciada”; muchos proyectos, contratos y programas están suspendidos o cancelados. En este mismo momento en el mundo, innumerables profesionales en todas las áreas están desempleados y muchos ni siquiera pueden obtener la IE.
Estoy segura de que tu y tu empresa superarán esta fase y se ajustarán a las nuevas condiciones con valentía.Por que tu eres fuerte y muy capaz.
-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia