International Thank Your Cleaner Day is celebrated on October 17th. First established by BSC New Zealand in 2015, this is a very special day for your often under-appreciated cleaning staff to get the thanks they really deserve. Workplace cleaning staff provide an essential and valuable service, keeping your office environment healthy and safe. Thank Your Cleaner Day is a great initiative, encouraging everyone to do something special for their cleaning team to let them know they are appreciated.
So, why say thanks? Because it’s the right thing to do! Cleaners and custodial staff work around the clock to keep offices and workspaces pristine and hygienic. They are often not recognised for the amazing work they do – you might not even see them around if they work night time or weekend shifts! David Serville, CEO of Crewcare New Zealand says, “You often don’t notice good cleaning, but it’s important to notice the cleaners every now and again. Thank Your Cleaner Day helps start this conversation”.
Your cleaners are doing a really important job. As well as keeping shared areas pleasant for everyone to use, they are contributing to the overall health and safety of your workplace. A clean and healthy workplace means happier employees, less sick leave, and a nice environment for staff members and visitors to your business.
Let’s be honest, if everyone at work were left to clean up their own messes – the place would get pretty gross. Your cleaning heroes are doing this work so that you don’t have to. This is also a good reminder that we should be showing our appreciation to these hard workers all the time, not just once a year! Make a conscious effort to greet and thank your cleaning staff every day.
Get involved
There are lots of ways to join in for Thank Your Cleaner Day. It can be something as simple as a thank you card, a friendly note, or a review! If the budget allows, maybe some flowers and chocolates, a shared morning tea, or a coffee shout for the cleaning crew. Take a look at some of the activities from previous years to get some inspiration – there are some great examples from all over the country!
You can also use this day as an opportunity to spread the word about workplace cleaning and hygiene practices. Put up some fact sheets around the office, have some fun together and perhaps share some photos of your day on social media with the hashtag #thankyourcleanerday. Thank Your Cleaner Day has been very well received by the cleaning industry and by those celebrating with them. The initiative is catching on around the world with seven countries participating in 2017, and 11 countries are gearing up for 2018!