The Omicron strain of COVID-19 has caused a huge amount of anxiety and stress across the nation and has also had a huge impact in the cleaning and hygiene industry itself.
We’ve been forced to cope with a workforce which is limited due to the sheer number of staff absences. This has had a worrying impact with fractures appearing from all sides. Parts of the industry are at breaking point, staff are on their knees exhausted and the subsequent fatigue being experienced lends itself to accidents.
Why are so many staff absent? Many who have been providing frontline services for nearly two years have succumbed to the virus, some are in self-isolation or shielding and others are caring for children and family members who are affected. The vast majority are absent simply because they are burnt out. They have fought the battle for so long and now find themselves covering for absent colleagues in environments where workloads have increased due, essentially, to the increase in cleaning frequencies required to ensure containment of the virus.
In addition to this, when it is time to return to work some colleagues are understandably reluctant because of the risks, as well as being undervalued by the government. As a result, the sector is haemorrhaging experienced cleaning operatives who have lost faith and prefer to move to what they perceive as greener pastures, such as HGV driving.
This leaves existing staff to take on extra duties and managers to roll up their sleeves to help, yet they are still unable to fill the gaps as well as manage and audit the cleaning service effectively. It is a fact that, if this carries on, risks will increase, standards will fall and audits will fail.
We are starting to feel the ramifications across the healthcare, hospitality, contract cleaning, and transport sectors in particular, with shortcuts, slip ups and accidents increasing. What can we do if we can’t get the staff? We are not miracle workers - we simply cannot keep this pace up. The health and wellbeing of our workforce is at stake here and the risk to the public is high.
The labour market pool is almost dried up, agency staff are not in the main adequately trained and exploitation is rife as agency rates have increased significantly.
During my work in the healthcare sector, I see how proud cleaning colleagues are of their work and how they do their best to fill the gaps. Longer shifts and overtime have become commonplace in an effort to support colleagues who are already exhausted and on their knees. This is not sustainable and will impact on people’s physical and mental health. We are seeing cases of staff turning to alcohol and substance abuse with anxiety, depression, domestic abuse, self-harming, and divorce all on the increase. If this carries on, I fear we will see colleagues’ health and wellbeing destroyed in the longer term.
In the NHS and hospitality sectors, we are adopting a number of new techniques to encourage new entrants such as tailoring working hours to suit job applicants. If we want to fill the vacancies, we must start looking at making the cleaning role more attractive. Our cleaning teams have never been more important so let’s shout about that fact. If the industry can be seen as an attractive occupation supported by government maybe we can mend the fractures before the damage becomes irreparable.
The BCC is striving to make the sector’s voice heard in government, with the aim of winning recognition for the cleaning workforce who are protecting the nation, achieving key worker status for staff, supporting the Living Wage, and developing education and training for personnel. Standing together in unity is strength. Please support the BCC in its endeavours to raise the profile of our cleaning heroes.
About the contributor
Delia Cannings
Chair
British Cleaning Council