Finding Good Employees Who Want to Clean!
You’re getting more business than your staff can handle, you want to expand and take on even more. So what’s holding you back? Could it be the lack of good employees? You know, the ones who show up every day, want to do a good job and are thrilled to be a part of your company. How many times have you hired “just the best cleaner” or “a really nice person” only to find out later that the work ethic is not what you wanted? Perhaps the applicant told you they would be happy with part time when really what they wanted was a 40 hour a week job. What do you do?
Start with the application process. Is your employment ad targeted to the type of employee who works best in your company? Are you specifically addressing the employee profile that has proven to be successful in your organization? Are you seeking types of individuals that are like the most successful of your current employees or are you talking to any warm body who applies?
Ask about previous experiences. Always ask prospective employees to “tell you about a time when” they handled a particular situation. To avoid getting the answer they want you to hear, ask questions in a way that makes the prospect dig deep into their experience to “tell you about a time when” perhaps their car didn’t start and they could get into work. This will give you better insight into how they handled situations in the past, which is always a clue as to how they will handle the future. Did they call their office? Did they do nothing? Did they get a ride into work from a neighbor? All these are predictions as to how they will handle a similar situation.
Red flags on applications. Of course you will want to be alert to gaps in employment and ask what the applicant was doing during that time. You will take notice of educational background, and plans for the future as well. Call at least 3 references even if all you get is the dates of employment and the position. This will give a good indication of the integrity of the applicant. If they lie on the application, chances are, there will be other discrepancies in the work history and work ethics.
There are many great applicants in the labor pool now. It is up to you, the business owner, to seek them out and target the best fit for your company.
See my interview with Jean Hansen of TheJanitorialStore.com below:
http://www.cleaningbiz.tv/2011/04/finding-star-employees-cleaning-business
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