Kelsey Hargreaves, Technical Manager at BICSc, reports.
As we move through new waves of uncertainty in our economic climate and workforce climate, we as an industry are one of the major players throughout the business, looking at efficiency and productivity. Whether we look at innovative machines, or time saving chemicals, it is imperative that we do not miss the most important factor within productivity: the person.
In recent months, the technical team at BICSc has been very busy aiding customers with reviews of service level and productivity, and throughout all the discussions that we have had, there is one part of a productivity review that many people neglect to consider:
What is meant by productive time?
So, what is meant? For the sake of this article and the reviews that most of us complete, productive working time refers to the portion of a cleaning operative’s shift that is spent actively carrying out cleaning tasks – vacuuming, dusting, mopping, sanitising, etc.
It seems elementary to think that, but we often forget the key tasks or happenings that a cleaning operative, or a ‘working’ supervisor’s time is subject to within the day. So, think about it, what are the ‘unproductive restraints’ that are part of your service?
The obvious tenets of the time taken for breaks, setting up equipment, walking between areas, or packing away at the end of the shift are the clearest examples of unproductive time that we need to account for. While these non-productive tasks are necessary, they don’t contribute directly to the cleaning output and thus must be accounted for separately.
Misunderstanding productive working time can lead to a host of issues, such as unrealistic workload expectations, staff burnout, inconsistent cleaning standards, and even high turnover rates. By accurately understanding and allocating time, cleaning operations can be better structured to match the reality of the work being done.
Break times: Legally and logically essential
Break times are a legal and ethical requirement. In most environments, staff are entitled to at least a 20-minute break for every six hours worked. These breaks allow cleaning operatives to rest and recharge, reducing fatigue and maintaining performance. However, these breaks must be excluded when calculating productive working time. For example, on a six-hour shift, if 30 minutes are taken for a break, only 5.5 hours are potentially productive – and that’s before accounting for other necessary tasks.
Set-up time: The hidden cost at the start
The start of every shift often involves preparing equipment – filling mop buckets, collecting cleaning products, checking machinery, and donning PPE. This can take 10-15 minutes or more, depending on the facility layout, the equipment needing preparation and the complexity of the cleaning required. This is essential time, but it is not cleaning time.
Walk time: The silent time consumer
Cleaning operatives often work across large facilities – hotels, universities, hospitals – where they may need to walk considerable distances between tasks. For example, moving from one building to another or between floors can take several minutes each time. Over the course of a shift, this can add up to a significant chunk of time. If this isn’t factored into schedules, the actual time available to complete cleaning tasks can be significantly overestimated.
Putting equipment away: Wrapping up properly
At the end of a shift, equipment must be cleaned, returned to the cleaning store, and left ready for the next use. This is crucial for maintaining hygiene and prolonging equipment life. Like set-up, this process takes time – often 10–15 minutes – and must be deducted from the total working time to calculate the true productive time.
Bringing it all together
Let’s take a practical example. A cleaning operative on a 6-hour shift may spend:
• 30 minutes on a break, are they taking any other breaks?
• 15 minutes setting up
• 20 minutes walking between areas
• 15 minutes putting equipment away
That’s 1 hour and 20 minutes lost to necessary, but non-productive tasks. That leaves only 4 hours and 40 minutes of truly productive working time. That is without factoring in time taken for other tasks that an operative may need to do: bed changes, tea rounds, spills/reactive cleans.
Understanding the concept of productive working time is not just about numbers - it’s about setting realistic expectations, protecting the well-being of cleaning staff, and ensuring consistent, high-quality results. When managers and supervisors factor in break times, walk times, and prep and close-down periods, as a start, they can build more accurate schedules and workloads. This leads to better performance, improved morale, and a stronger, more professional cleaning service overall.
What are you not factoring in?
https://www.bics.org.uk/
About the contributor
Kelsey Hargreaves
Technical Manager
BICSc