Have you Leaned your Clean?
We’ve all heard of LEAN, Six Sigma and process excellence, and how they decrease costs, improve productivity, and develop more effective people and companies. But what if you could get results like these simply by applying LEAN to your cleaning? We tend to think of cleaning as housekeeping. Are all the mops off the floor? Are all the supplies shoved into the storage closets? Are there dirty spots on the carpet? In fact, the way property managers and manufacturers look at cleaning right now is almost retro, more focused on clean (supplies and tools) than LEAN (methods). Don’t be retro, be LEAN! Corporate cleaning is so much more than housekeeping. Consider this:
- A clean work environment makes employees feel more cared for by their employers.
- The cleaner the workspace, the smarter the employees. A study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health found that good housekeeping protocols make employees healthier and smarter.
- Clean increases productivity. In fact, employee ambition may be directly correlated to clean.
- Clutter reduces focus which is dangerous. Other research has shown that office clutter can clutter employees’ minds.
- Your company is 70% more likely to be successful if you do this. According to one Gallup poll, companies are 70% more likely to succeed if they do all the right things, including making sure employees feel appreciated and have the tools.
Who needs LEAN? This checklist can help you determine which issues your facility may be experiencing:
- Do you view cleaning as a necessary evil?
- Is cleaning assigned less importance than other operating processes?
- Is your cleaning staff trained on best practices? Do they use cleaning products that preserve assets, support sustainability, and prevent safety hazards, such as fires?
There are so many benefits to LEAN. Visit Veritiv's LEAN page to watch our video or to request a LEAN Event.
