10 Tips to keep your cleaning staff motivated

So you have a housekeeper, she's cleaning your house and doing it right. But have you ever noticed that over time, the house cleaner has been slowly getting less and less motivated?

Well, you should! Not only does a lack of motivation lead to sub-par results from your cleaner, but it also creates an unhappy environment for both yourself and the cleaner. Here are ten tips to keep your cleaning staff motivated.

**This post will help you learn how to make sure your cleaners remain motivated day after day. For more specifics on how to work with various types of cleaners, go to our post on Getting the Right Cleaner for the Job .**

1. Know what motivates your cleaner

Never assume you know what keeps your cleaner motivated! Every cleaner is different and has a unique set of motivators that determine how well they do their job. Some cleaners work better when given a longer time to clean a space or when told to spend less time polishing the silverware (they get distracted). Some cleaners get inspired by feeling that they are important members of the team and others want validation by being asked about their day at home. These are just some examples of what motivates different housekeepers. So the first step to keeping your cleaner motivated is to find out what truly motivates him or her.

2. Be on their side

People want to be understood and appreciated. It's why we have small talk before a conversation, it's why we ask people how they are doing, and it's why we become friends with people who have similar interests. We need someone who is on our same side so that they can understand us and support us in our endeavors (aka clean our house better). When you care about your cleaner, they will care more about their work, because cleaning your house will become their job as well.

3. Set boundaries

Your cleaner's job is to clean the house, and he should be allowed to do so without distractions (that means no cell phones, no checking social media, etc). But there are times when you work with a cleaner where it's best to be flexible with certain boundaries. For example, you may have a cleaner who loves working on your windows... but they only span 10 feet in length rather than 15. If there is a window that needs attention, it's best to let that cleaner do their thing.

If you have a cleaner who loves to watch TV while they work, that's fine too. It is better for them to enjoy cleaning your house than not do it at all. However, if the televisions are on too loud and there is no interaction between you and your cleaner, then he or she may be spending too much time watching TV. That's when it's best to give them some extra work to do in hopes that they will be too preoccupied with the extra tasks and therefore not bother with the TV anymore. The point here is that sometimes you need boundaries in order for someone to clean your home effectively but flexibly.

4. Be flexible

It's not just about boundaries, it's about being flexible as well. For example, if you need your house cleaned on a specific day that does not work with your cleaner's schedule, be willing to change the date to fit their schedule. If you are happy with how clean your home is, then great! But if you notice the house cleaner is getting less motivated, then it may be a good idea to let them know on some of the days they are giving a service that they may want to pick up extra work elsewhere or even change their shift altogether (in which case they can get extra work while they are at work).

Always look out for your cleaner because this will benefit both of you in the end.

5. Respond to calls

If you ever notice that your cleaner is getting less motivated (and they give a service that is not giving you the results you expected), then it makes sense to find out if there are any underlying factors at play. For example, did the cleaner have a dispute with their last job? Or did they recently go on vacation and get stuck home for an extended period? Has your cleaner heard about a new opportunity that opened up in their field and they want to know if they should take it? If these things happen, then you can be flexible with the way you do business so that your cleaning services will still get done without problems (that is why responding quickly to calls would be a good idea).

6. Be generous with praise and recognition

It is never a bad idea to be generous with your cleaner. Remember, people need to feel special in order for them to do their best work. If you give your cleaner the opportunity to feel like he or she is part of a team that is valued, then they will take more pride into the work that they do for you. Praising them for small tasks will also go a long way. This can be done by just asking how their day went and letting them talk about it fully or by asking them what their preferred method of payment is (if they say cash or check, then give them cash!).

7. Be honest

Honesty is a good quality to have in every field of work. If you do not need some of your workers to come back to the house even though they are tired, then be honest and tell them so. They will appreciate it more than you could imagine. Be sure to be honest with your cleaners too because they will appreciate it when you trust them enough to let them know if they are slacking off on their work rather than keeping it a secret.

8. Be supportive

When you are doing the cleaning, it's not just about putting your time into the chore. It's also about making sure that the cleaner feels comfortable and supported throughout their work day, which will make them happier and more productive. While you can't control every aspect of their job, you can support them by helping them understand what they are supposed to do as well as how to do it effectively. As a matter of fact, one way to be supportive would be to simply ask your cleaner what he or she likes to eat for lunch so that you can provide them with meals when invited over during lunch time (and we know some cleaners who love this!).

9. Be formal with them

Although you will be working with your cleaner for a long time, you should always be cordial with them. That means being friendly rather than rude. It also means respecting them by being formal in the way that you address them (for example, "please call me John") and think about what titles are suitable for the appropriate situations (for example, if your cleaner is off for a week or two then it's best to refer to them as "John, when he or she returns"). Lastly, it's also important to remember that people do not care how much money they make as long as they feel like they are making enough to survive.

Conclusion

Taking these next steps will help you and your house cleaner to establish a strong working relationship and ultimately, a long-term one. These tips can be applied by anyone in any industry.There is also no reason why you need to pay a fair amount of money for home cleaning services when there are ways for you to do it yourself for cheap. When buying cleaning supplies , make sure that the products meet your standards of quality, are properly labeled and do not have dangerous chemicals in them (such as those used to clean toilets). And, below you will find the best product picks that we have found over the years on Amazon.