The second day of the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo was kicked off by Mike Clark from ThinkRight who shared insights and recommendations into how employers can target, engage and motivate their employees to make a difference in their business’s overall service delivery. At the top of his list was the importance of a business’s culture.
“One of the biggest factors that affect the culture of an organisation is the people at the top,” Clark explained to delegates of the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo.
“Your vision, your values and your mission all affect the culture of your business. Do people in your organisation know why you exist? Do they just have a job or are they part of something that is bigger? And are they part of something that is able to make a difference in people’s lives?”
Clark didn’t shy away from challenging employers in the room, by asking if their staff would be able to explain the values of the business they work for and if they knew why they were actually employed.
“That’s what sets up the culture of an organisation,” he continued. “People need purpose. People need to know that they matter and that they make a positive difference.”
He asked whether attendees stressed the importance of the cleaning industry and if they actually believed in it.
“The cleaning industry has a reputation for being the bottom of the bottom. And yet, if things aren’t clean, everything falls apart. Cleaning actually plays an intricate part in society. Do you believe in that? Do you push for that manner of thinking in your business?”
Clark also looked at how those in the room measured success in their organisation.
“When you teach someone to drive, it is very clear what success looks like. It is measurable; they either pass or fail their driving test,” he said.
“What does success look like in your workplace? Can you define it as clearly as how to drive? If not, and you want to get the most out of your team, that is one of the first key things that you need to look at.”
*Click here to read more of the highlights from the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo’s education sessions.