Category: News Article

This week, the Cleaning Coalition of America hosted a private industry roundtable with elected officials and key business leaders in New York City to discuss pandemic learnings, the future of work, and the evolving relationship between the private and public sector.

The event was joined by Senator Anna M. Kaplan, Assembly member Latoya Joyner, NYC Pandemic Response Institute, Citizens Budget Commission, Business Council of New York, and other key stakeholders.

“Now more than ever, we need to send a message that New York is open for business and our workplaces are safe,” says Senator Anna M. Kaplan. “It is imperative that elected officials work hand-in-hand with the business community to chart the most productive path forward. Ultimately, when business succeeds the City succeeds.”

“Cleaning for health is the new standard and the Coalition is dedicated to championing best practices for the industry – a commitment to our nation’s health and safety that we take seriously,” says Patrick Dunnigan, executive director of the Cleaning Coalition of America. “This event only furthers our commitment to serving as a bridge between businesses and policymakers to create healthy spaces.”

Earlier this year, the Cleaning Coalition of America conducted a survey of New York City C-suite executives to understand lessons learned from the public health crisis and plans for a post-pandemic future. Most notably, the survey found that the in-person office is here to stay and essential to a company’s bottom line. However, obstacles still remain for a full return to the office, with over two-thirds of C-suite executives saying their employees have expressed concern that in-person work could pose a health and safety risk.

Read full article here.

Javier E. David

The challenges of remote work are getting harder and harder to ignore, as employees and bosses alike grapple with the realities of indefinite separation from the office.

The big picture: A growing number of corporate executives want to put an end to the work-from-home revolution. But workers have gotten used to the flexibility, and they have the leverage to demand it.

Driving the news: Tesla CEO Elon Musk stirred the pot last week with a blunt warning that workers would have to spend a “minimum of 40 hours per week” in the office, or find a new job.

• It raised the question about whether other employers might also adopt a tougher stance.
• JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon only recently softened his stance on remote work, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has been on a mission to return to the 5-day status quo.
• A March survey by Cleaning Coalition of America, which canvassed over 200 New York-based C-Suite executives, found that a whopping 76% think in-person work is essential to the bottom line.

By the numbers: 7.4% of American workers are teleworking because of COVID, down from a pandemic era high around 35%, according to federal data.

State of play: The convenience of hybrid working is being tempered by the limits of virtual collaboration, which empirical data are now starting to identify.

• One University of Chicago study found that remote workers put in longer hours but were less productive — effects that were especially pronounced among parents. Workers spent more time in meetings, the study found, but lost out on important face time with their managers.
• A September 2021 study of Microsoft workers found that the software giant’s business units became “less interconnected” over time, and that an over-reliance on email and messaging made it “more difficult for workers to convey and/or converge on the meaning of complex information.”
• And a Webex study published last month found high degrees of “meeting fatigue” among remote workers.

What they’re saying: “Hybrid work and video meetings are the new normal, and companies need to provide employees the best technology to reduce meeting fatigue and minimize negative physical ramifications, while taking steps to improve collaboration practices and reduce meeting overload,” the authors of the Webex study wrote.

Yes, but: However flawed, remote work arrangements have become a linchpin of a COVID-era labor market defined by high employee turnover.

• For many knowledge workers in an economy with more open jobs than workers to fill them, WFH is more de rigueur than ever before.
• Even when they’ve done it unenthusiastically, more employers have embraced flexible work-from-home arrangements.

But it’s becoming increasingly apparent that Zoom and Google Chat aren’t substitutes for in-person dynamics that bridge communication gaps and help build careers.

While a majority of New York City companies are currently remote, 76 percent of C-suite executives say in-person work is critical to their company’s bottom line and revenue, according to a new survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America.

Obstacles, however, still remain for a full return to the office, with over two-thirds of C-suite executives saying their employees have expressed concern that in-person work could pose a health and safety risk. In return, senior leaders are embracing enhanced cleaning of the workplace (75 percent) and installing hand sanitizer stations (77 percent). Business leaders are also offering subsidies for childcare costs, transportation vouchers, and monetary incentives.

“The pandemic required New York businesses to fundamentally rethink their operations and the value placed on workplace health and safety,” says  Paul Budsworth, president – North America, Diversey Holdings. “Understanding how New York City’s executives are planning for the future is crucial for our industry to be the most effective partner moving forward.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic created more awareness of the value of workplace cleaning,” says Stanley Doobin, owner and CEO of Harvard Maintenance. “In this post-pandemic era, increased cleaning and disinfection must be the new standard for any shared space.”

Fielded from March 16-29 – two years since the closure of non-essential businesses – the survey polled 258 C-suite executives from companies representing a broad range of industries and company sizes to understand key learnings from the public health crisis, plans for a post-pandemic future, and their perception of New York City and New York State’s pandemic response.

The survey found that New York City business leaders are broadly supportive of the local administration’s pandemic response, but want to see stricter measures going forward. In fact, 75 percent of New York City business leaders report feeling “satisfied” with how elected officials navigated the pandemic and the policies put in place – citing “Key to NYC” and the State’s HERO ACT as beneficial to their respective businesses. If faced with a future public health crisis, 63 percent of C-suite level executives will turn to local elected officials first for guidance, followed by public health officials, external consultants, and the business community.

“As we look to develop future public health plans, it is important to learn from the past and understand how various policies and measures impacted businesses,” says Josh Feinberg, president of the Cleaning Coalition of America. “The Coalition is committed to serving as a bridge between the business community and policymakers to ensure safe and healthy workplaces – not just now, but in the future.”

Moving forward, executives are not leaving anything to chance. In fact, 80 percent have developed a pandemic response plan. Still, in the event of a future public health emergency, a plurality of New York City executives would like to see better protection of frontline workers – including priority access to PPE and vaccinations.

A link to the full survey recents is available here. 

Although many employees continue to work remotely more than two years into the pandemic, employers see value in bring their workers together in a central location. A new survey from the Cleaning Coalition of America, a partnership of six of the nation’s largest facilities services companies, found 76% of C-suite executives said the in-person workplace is essential to their company’s bottom line and revenue.

The survey polled C-suite executives from companies in New York City representing a broad range of industries and sizes. Most respondents said they believe that stricter cleaning protocols will improve employee confidence in returning to the workplace.

The survey found:

• 75% of respondents say cleaning is the No. 1 incentive that will bring employees back to their work facilities.
• 68% have moved their office location during the pandemic.
• 20% cited the importance of cleaning as the most important lesson they learned from the pandemic, followed by the importance of improved technology (17%) and the benefits of remote work (15%).

“The pandemic required New York businesses to fundamentally rethink their operations and the value placed on workplace health and safety,” said coalition member Paul Budsworth,  Diversey North America president.

“In this post-pandemic era, increased cleaning and disinfection must be the new standard for any shared space,” added coalition member Stanley Doobin, Harvard Maintenance Inc. owner and CEO.

Read full article here.

Facility Executive

While a majority of New York City companies are currently remote, 76 percent of C-suite executives say in-person work is critical to their company’s bottom line and revenue, according to a new survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America.

Obstacles still remain for a full return to the office, with over two-thirds of C-suite executives saying their employees have expressed concern that in-person work could pose a health and safety risk. In return, senior leaders are embracing enhanced cleaning of the workplace (75%) and installing hand sanitizer stations (77%). Business leaders are also offering subsidies for childcare costs, transportation vouchers, and monetary incentives.

“The pandemic required New York businesses to fundamentally rethink their operations and the value placed on workplace health and safety,” said Paul Budsworth, President – North America, Diversey Holdings. “Understanding how New York City’s executives are planning for the future is crucial for our industry to be the most effective partner moving forward.”

“The Covid-19 pandemic created more awareness of the value of workplace cleaning,” said Stanley Doobin, Owner and CEO of Harvard Maintenance. “In this post-pandemic era, increased cleaning and disinfection must be the new standard for any shared space.”

From March 16-29 – two years since the closure of non-essential businesses – the survey polled 258 C-suite executives from companies representing a broad range of industries and company sizes to understand key learnings from the public health crisis, plans for a post-pandemic future, and their perception of New York City and New York State’s pandemic response.

The survey found that New York City business leaders are broadly supportive of the local administration’s pandemic response, but want to see stricter measures going forward. In fact, 75 percent of New York City business leaders report feeling “satisfied” with how elected officials navigated the pandemic and the policies put in place – citing “Key to NYC” and the State’s HERO ACT as beneficial to their respective businesses. If faced with a future public health crisis, 63 percent of C-suite level executives will turn to local elected officials first for guidance, followed by public health officials, external consultants, and the business community.

“As we look to develop future public health plans, it is important to learn from the past and understand how various policies and measures impacted businesses,” said Josh Feinberg, President of the Cleaning Coalition of America. “The Coalition is committed to serving as a bridge between the business community and policymakers to ensure safe and healthy workplaces – not just now, but in the future.”

Moving forward, executives are not leaving anything to chance. In fact, 80 percent have developed a pandemic response plan. Still, in the event of a future public health emergency, New York City executives would like to see better protection of frontline workers – including priority access to PPE and vaccinations.

IN-PERSON WORK STILL MATTERS

While many businesses have changed their office space during the pandemic, senior leaders say the in-person workplace is critical to their company’s bottom-line.

•      68% of businesses have moved their office location during the pandemic.
•      76% say that the in-person workplace is essential to their company’s bottom-line and revenue.

Business leaders are prioritizing enhanced cleaning to keep the workplace safe and incentivize a return to the office.

•      75% say cleaning is the number one incentive to return to the office.
•      20% cited cleaning as the most important business learning from the pandemic, followed by improving technology (17%) and the benefits of remote work (15%).

C-suite executives are broadly supportive of New York’s pandemic response.

•      75% of executives say they are satisfied with the local government’s pandemic response.
•      63% of C-suite leaders will turn to local elected officials first for guidance, followed by public health officials (57%).

New York executives have prepared their own pandemic response plans, but want to see stricter and more proactive enforcement of public health measures during future public health crises.

•      80% of business leaders have developed future pandemic response plans.
•      25% of executives support stricter measures and enforcement of current pandemic restrictions.

Read more about facility management cleaning and maintenance issues here. 

C-suite executives recognize that ensuring adequate office cleaning is vital to workers’ willingness to return to the workplace.

Many more workers are working in offices now than they were for most of 2021, but that doesn’t mean they are completely over the pandemic. That seems to be something that C-level executives are recognizing, as a recent survey found that they have identified that office cleaning practices are the number one incentive for workers to return to a workplace.

The new survey from the Cleaning Coalition of America, a partnership of six of the nation’s largest facilities services companies, found that three-quarters (75 per cent) of respondents to their survey of C-suite executives cited office cleaning as the most important measure to ensure employees are happy to return.

It’s fair to say this is likely to be a priority for executives, given that 76 per cent of the respondents said that an in-person workplace is essential to their company’s bottom line and revenue.

Most respondents said they believe that generally stricter cleaning protocols will improve employee confidence in returning to the workplace.

The survey also found that 68 per cent of C-suite executives have moved their office location during the pandemic.

In addition, one in five (20 per cent) cited the importance of cleaning as the most important lesson they learned from the pandemic, followed by the importance of improved technology (17 per cent) and the benefits of remote work (15 per cent).

“The pandemic required businesses to fundamentally rethink their operations and the value placed on workplace health and safety,” said coalition member Paul Budsworth, Diversey North America president.

Fellow coalition member Stanley Doobin, Harvard Maintenance Inc. owner and CEO, stressed that in the post-pandemic era, increased cleaning and disinfection “must be the new standard for any shared space”.

Read full article here.

he Cleaning Coalition of America (CCA), the leading trade group representing cleaning service professionals nationwide, today welcomed Georgia-Pacific, Diversey Holdings, GOJO Industries, and Kimberly-Clark Professional as Official Partners of the organization. As four of the nation’s top hygiene and cleaning product suppliers, these new members will strengthen the CCA’s voice as a champion for cleaning best practices and measures that protect public health.

Founded in 2020 by six of the nation’s largest facilities services companies, the CCA advocates on behalf of professional cleaners and suppliers nationwide to shape and advance crucial policies that promote healthy and safe spaces. With the addition of leading hygiene and cleaning product suppliers, the CCA represents the entire cleaning value chain – from the scientists developing innovative cleaning supplies and the manufacturers producing these products to the millions of professional cleaners nationwide who use these tools every day. 

“These partnerships with the nation’s preeminent hygiene and cleaning product suppliers represent the next chapter of the Coalition – one that spans across all facets of cleaning and disinfecting,” says Josh Feinberg, president of the Cleaning Coalition of America. “Together, we will continue to work with policymakers, industries, and businesses to develop smart policies and protocols that promote a safe and responsible return to business.”

More than ever, embracing enhanced cleaning regimens is both a health and business imperative that can help reduce the potential for COVID-19 outbreaks, support the nation’s continued economic recovery, and mitigate the spread of viruses that cost U.S. employers more than $225 billion annually in lost productivity – nearly $1,700 per employee. Over the past two years, the CCA has leveraged the expertise of its founding members in the commercial cleaning industry to develop resources and original reports to inform a safe return to in-person business and to keep workers healthy amid the pandemic.

Now, with declining hospitalization rates and widely available vaccines, America is reaching an inflection point where endemic-focused policies can replace pandemic-driven restrictions.

As the Coalition looks to the future and ways to mitigate against the next public health emergency, the addition of the largest global hygiene and cleaning product suppliers will bring a critical perspective on the products, tools, and technologies needed to keep shared spaces healthy and safe.

“As a company dedicated to helping advance hygiene in public places, GP PRO applauds the work of the Cleaning Coalition of America in advocating on behalf of professional cleaners and cleaning suppliers nationwide,” says Julie Howard, vice president and General Manager of GP PRO’s Towel Category. “These individuals have served tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to working together with the Cleaning Coalition and other leading hygiene companies to support them and to create a positive impact in all corners of the industry.”

“The pandemic upended the way business leaders think about cleaning. It is no longer simply enough for businesses to say they are providing a clean environment – they must now demonstrate to their employees and customers how they are keeping their shared spaces safe and healthy,” says Paul Budsworth, President – North America, Diversey Holdings. “We are excited for the future and continuing to learn, grow, and innovate alongside our partners at the Cleaning Coalition of America.”

“As hygiene behaviors shifted over the past two years, the cleaning industry stepped up to meet the demand for essential cleaning and hygiene products,” said GOJO Industries’ John Lerner, Chief Commercial Officer. “As we look toward a post-COVID future, we believe those habits are here to stay so we made strategic investments in our manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain capabilities to ensure a secure supply of PURELL products. As part of our continued role in societal health event readiness, joining the Cleaning Coalition of America will provide a forum where our industry can share their collective knowledge to create a safer future.”

“We are thrilled to embark on this new venture with the Cleaning Coalition of America to build a legacy of positive impact,” said Andy Clement, chief customer officer of Kimberly-Clark Professional. “As a leader in hygiene with trusted brands that help people around the world work better, we are eager to share our expertise and perspective to help businesses to create exceptional workplaces that are healthier, safer and more productive.”

Last year, the CCA released Clean Slate: A Reopening Guide for New York Businesses. The report, developed in coordination with independent experts in infectious disease and environmental hygiene, outlines recommendations for how businesses can maintain a safe and healthy workplace and mitigate the spread of viruses. Most recently, the Coalition conducted a survey examining the perceptions of 1,800 U.S. workers on returning to the workplace. The survey found that an overwhelming 93.4 percent of vaccinated respondents and 82.2 percent of unvaccinated respondents cited workplace cleaning protocols as important – with 77.2 percent of workers wanting the workplace cleaned daily.

Read full article here.

CleanLink

With COVID-19 cases surging and the fear of contracting the next highly transmissible contagion widespread, American workers are placing a renewed emphasis on cleaning, according to a new survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America (CCA).

The survey finds that U.S. workers increasingly value enhanced cleaning of the workplace and feel safer seeing professional cleaners onsite – a sentiment shared by both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans. An overwhelming 93.4 percent of vaccinated respondents and 82.2 percent of unvaccinated respondents cited workplace cleaning protocols as important as employees return to the office, with 77.2 percent of workers wanting the workplace cleaned daily.

“American workers experienced a turbulent year that has forever changed their expectations around workplace safety,” says Josh Feinberg, Cleaning Coalition of America president. “As employees return to the workplace, it is more critical than ever that businesses rethink their cleaning best practices and adopt a more holistic view of safety that prioritizes worker well-being. Both current and prospective employees need to know that their employer will not sacrifice worker health for an improved bottom line.”

Fielded in late October 2021, the survey examined the perceptions of 1,800 U.S. workers — 1099 vaccinated and 501 unvaccinated – to understand expectations surrounding return-to-work as businesses look to reopen in the coming weeks and months.

Almost two years into the pandemic, nearly half of Americans — 43 percent — still have lingering concerns about returning to the workplace. In fact, 38.3 percent of respondents would consider changing their jobs if the workplace was not cleaned properly. However, a clean workplace is not the only concern, with respondents citing COVID-19 infection rates as a primary impediment to returning to in-person work.

“With employees worried about contracting COVID-19 or other illnesses, businesses are facing an uphill battle in attracting workers back to the workplace and must go the extra mile to build confidence,” says Kenneth J. Collins, president of Collins Building Services, Inc. “While many businesses previously put an emphasis on cleaning for appearance, cleaning for health must be the new standard for any shared space.”

Key findings include:

As businesses reopen, Americans have lingering concerns about the safety of the workplace.

·  43.0 percent of respondents believe that returning to the workplace could pose a risk to their health and safety

·  38.3 percent of respondents would consider changing their jobs if the workplace was not cleaned frequently

Americans are putting increased emphasis on the cleanliness of the workplace, a trend that will likely continue far beyond the pandemic.

·  89.9 percent of respondents believe workplace cleaning protocols are very or somewhat important ­

·  77.2 percent of respondents believe the workplace should be cleaned at least once a day

With the pandemic increasing worker anxiety, both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans find comfort in knowing their office is being cleaned regularly.

·  62.1 percent of respondents believe that seeing professional cleaners at the workplace would make them feel safer and more protected from contracting COVID-19

·  47.1 percent of respondents cite regular disinfecting of shared spaces as the most important step employers can take to make workers feel safe

·  47.5 percent of respondents have asked their employer about their company’s cleaning protocols

Still, cleaning is not the only impediment to returning to the office.

·  35.2 percent of respondents say COVID-19 infection rates are the greatest impediment to returning to the office

·  17.4 percent of respondents say vaccination rates are the greatest impediment to returning to the office

The complete survey can be accessed here.