Out with the cleaning rota, in with a cleaner

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makeupartistzoe

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Hiya Geeks!

Over the last four years I've had a few stylists and beauty professionals come and go, but I've always struggled with maintaining a clean and tidy salon!

Currently my staff are all on booth rental and in all their contracts it reads 'the consultant agrees to keep the locate of services in good working condition and undertake a good housekeeping routine to keep the location clean and tidy.' I've tried to divide the staff into two teams hair and nails ( they work upstairs) and beauty ( staff room and downstairs) and each team keep the two sections of the salon clean. That didn't work as one of each team wouldn't be bothered or want to go home early dumping all the work on others.

Most recently, which has been much better but not massively is every other day we pair up and do a full clean, Hoover, mop, bleach the loo... But again two of the team are less motivated to be bothered and they all like to moan about it. Plus communal areas like waiting areas and retail needs to be dusted and it all just mounts up!

I've mentioned in staff meetings cleaning isn't consistent and other people are going to have different 'standards of clean' to others, so I'm going to have to employ a cleaner and out their rent up to cover it. I felt like I was punishing the ones that make more of an effort than others ( but then even those don't clean to my standards.)

I'm meeting with them all on Friday morning to go through notice of their contract change ( all changes won't apply until October where their contracts are reviewed, that's in their contracts.) I'm thinking of saying...

'Your daily housekeeping and cleaning rotas aren't matching my expectations. I'm repainting my tan room, the bathroom and glossing a few areas of the salon at the end of August, with that I'm doing a deep clean. For the month of September I'm going to trial a different cleaning plan. I still expect you to empty your bins into the main bin at the end of each working day...< then list things like washing up, decluttering stations > but hoovering, mopping, dusting and the loo is to be done by a cleaner. So instead of hiking up your set rent each month the cleaners bill will be divided between each person based on how much they have worked. Ie a part timer will work less and should really pay less in, if they are making less mess. The cleaner will be flexible and will work less if our apprentice can work more and if everyone is more mindful of keeping a little bit more tidy each day'

How would you find that in your salon? I have a team who HATE cleaning, but then I'm really into making sure our standards are the highest- and I know all salon owners that have put their blood, sweat and tears oh and £££ into their salons should back me up! I can't just let our apprentice do everything coz we work two late nights and six days and as we aren't that big and reasonably busy it's better for a morning clean or after hours.
 
Hmmmm I see where you're coming from but if I was one of the therapists who did tidy up after myself and helped dust communal areas etc, I wouldn't be happy about having to pay a cleaning bill to cover other people's laziness.

I think it needs to be reiterated to everyone that it is stated in their contracts that they all muck in. If you're having issues with a couple of therapists only, then you'll have to pull them up on it




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Also I foresee issues with splitting a monthly cleaning bill. What if a full timer has had 2 weeks holiday? Do these 2 weeks get added into those who haven't had hols even though they've worked their normal number of hours?

This is basic stuff ie bins and keeping stations clean and tidy. I can't believe that a grown adult would not keep their work station tidy. I guess common sense isn't that common! That's not a dig at you by the way, it's just we're all adults. If a loo roll needs to be changed I'd just do it without a thought!

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Agree with lily pie. I would find it confusing to work out who pays what. I rent out rooms but actually make the cleaning part of the package. The reason I did this is because some people's idea of clean is minging, so my therapists just turn up and work, empty bins if relevant, then leave.
The rent I charge makes it worthwhile enough to tidy up myself with my paid member of staff and get a guy in once a week who does a really thorough clean.

Vicki x

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Tbh if i had staff not pulling their weight i would be putting them on a disciplinary even if they are renting from you! With regards to team cleaning each department should be cleaning their own area and staff room if you make the mess you clean it simples. If someone wants to go early then tough as their area will need to be clean to your standard anf you check it before they get to go home. I would also show each area and staff for that area how you want it to be cleaned and get them to do it. If you have to get them in on a day off to do this then so be it. Sadly so many people do not think the hygiene of their work environment is important and sont see it as their responsability. No need for a cleaner you just need to take a tough stance with this one.

Oh and when concrats are up for review add in that cleaning duties are a requirement and need to be salon standards no debate.

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Thanks Geeks, I've been thinking long and hard about it!

Lily pie, its funny you mention about loo roll, as they really do not have any problem with not putting loo roll insides in the bin! It's such a small salon, any clutter really looks awful. I'm just going to revise their contracts today and get the ones that do more cleaning the opportunity to tell the ones that don't, that they have a problem, I'll let you all know!

I'll probably adopt Vickis methods and spend more time cleaning at my standards and pull them up on general mess.
 
Some people leave a lot to be desired! Glad you're getting it sorted x

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I agree with squidgernetball -
I think the fairest way would be to include the cleaners wage in the therapist's rent
That way, no one can argue about how many hours each other worked and the slight rent increase will soon be forgotten when they aren't getting nagged at to clean.
I pay a cleaner to thoroughly wash floors, shower cabinet, toilet & sinks each week and love walking into a sparkling salon. I do the minimum tidy every night but I'm usually too knackered to lift a mop &#128532;
 
Heya! Meeting went the same as always! I did all the talking and read through bits of the contract that needed to be revised... Didn't really get much of a response out of the ones that hate to clean and avoid it. The ones happy to are still happy to do what they are doing. I've just now got to write them all a letter to pass me their updated insurance details etc and I'll individually have to pick up the two that hate to clean on their letters and thank the ones that really respect those clauses!

Thanks geeks, you can try and be as fair as fair can be, but it's bloody hard! Xx
 
Busy spas have cleaners because the therapists can be doing eight hours of treatments per day.

If it's ergonomically and financially constructive to employ a cleaner for a few hours a week then I don't see why not :)
 
I also struggle with this issue. The therapists clean when I ask them to but when left to their own devices then some of them really don't do a lot.
Was thinking of maybe making each of them in charge of an area and rotating each week/month? Not sure! I say it every time we have a meeting and nothing really changes.
Did cleaning lists which were great and then people just 'forgot' to fill them in. Grrrrr frustrating!!
 

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