If you use a commercial cleaning service to clean your office, a way to reduce that cost would be to ask your employees to empty their own trash. It’s a small thing on a per person basis, but it can add up to a substantial savings on your janitorial costs.
Sharon L. Cowan of Cleaning Business Consulting Group notes that emptying trash cans, especially in large offices, is a very labor intensive chore for janitorial service providers. If you have your workers take their trash to a central location instead of having the janitors do it, you can cut a significant portion of the labor cost of your facility cleaning expense. This cost-reduction strategy, which Cowan says is a major trend in the janitorial industry, will work whether you use a commercial cleaning service or your own cleaning staff.
Will you get some push-back from employees who object to being asked to perform what they might see as a menial task? Maybe. But there are some things you can do to prevent grumbling and promote acceptance.
First, make the policy apply to everyone at every level—including senior executives. The only exemptions should be people who are physically incapable of participating. Encourage managers to set an example by emptying their trash cans when others are around to see them doing it. And communicate the benefits of the policy so everyone understands the reasons behind it.
Second, make central trash collection points reasonably convenient and well-maintained. One large receptacle per floor or department is a good guideline. Don’t ask office workers to trudge across a hot (or cold or wet) parking lot to a smelly dumpster with their trash cans. If you have a multi-floor facility, avoid having people get on elevators or escalators or climb stairs carrying their trash. Trash collection receptacle(s) should be discretely positioned so they are easy to access but not an eyesore. If you must ask workers to take their trash to an outdoor location (even though that’s not recommended), make sure the area is well-lighted and safe.
Third, set reasonable, flexible guidelines for when individual cans should be emptied. Workers who generate a small amount of paper trash only don’t need to empty their cans every day. Those whose trash includes food wrappers and other items that are likely to attract bugs and generate offensive odors should empty their cans daily before they leave work.
Finally, consult with your janitorial service provider or building maintenance team for the best way to incorporate this cost-reduction strategy with other waste management programs such as recycling and paper shredding.
