Talk the Professional Talk

How Language Can Elevate the Cleaning Industry

I have written about the importance of word choice in the past.?I believe that the vocabulary we use in the cleaning industry is especially critical. It is time to understand and appreciate the intricacies of this vital profession. It is time for a terminology update, and it is up to those of us within the industry to lead the way.

Take the word janitor. The word comes from the Latin?janus, meaning "arch" or "gate." Janus is the name of the Roman god known as the doorkeeper of heaven.

While its origins are interesting, the word is outdated and falls short. For starters, the term implies cleaning technicians stand with keys in hand, waiting to let people in and out. This completely discounts the lifesaving work of these frontline workers and their impact on providing clean, safe, healthy environments. Further, in today's world, the term janitor is often viewed negatively as the lowest on the ladder of professions. How often do we come across well-meaning "success" stories about the janitor who "rose"' to become "somebody?” Whether they became a CEO, doctor, teacher, or movie star, the implication is that now they are "somebody" when before they were not.?

I've been in a verbal fist fight for years with organized labor over the slogan "Justice for Janitors." I guess the alliteration is catchy, but to elevate the industry, we need to talk about it differently. We need to give our workers the respect they deserve, including referring to them as the professionals they are.

Janitor isn't the only antiquated industry word I dislike. "Cleaner" or "floor cleaner" sound like products, not people. “Waxer” is another, especially since most surfaces today don't require waxing. I am partial to the use of environmental services or EVS for healthcare. However, I believe it can confuse people outside the healthcare industry who see the term as referring primarily to the outdoors. (Google "EVS"?and you will see what I mean).?

Just as our tools and equipment have evolved dramatically in recent years, our language needs to evolve with it.?

Our work and our team members are...

Essential & Invaluable

Without healthcare environmental services (EVS) workers and our industry's other frontline workers:

• Hospital patients would not survive, and medical professionals could not safely perform their work of saving lives.?
• Our school children, teachers, and administrators would not have safe places to learn, teach, and grow.?
• Aerospace facilities would not have dust and pathogen-free cleanrooms to build our nation's defense equipment.?
• Technology companies couldn't create microchips, computers, phones, or other electronic devices.?
• Office spaces would be empty with employees and customers recalling the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risks posed by an unclean environment.
• Food and drug manufacturing facilities would shut down and cause further supply chain issues.

All industries are dependent upon the cleaning industry, and during COVID, we kept them up and running. Our work is essential—and invaluable.

Making a Difference

During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Servicon hired more than 600 employees, many of whom had never worked in the industry. When businesses began to reopen, and many of our hires had a chance to return to their previous occupations, very few did. One new employee who had worked in retail and now works with us in healthcare said he would never go back, explaining that in retail, you had to put up with rude, unappreciative customers. He said that as an EVS technician, he feels appreciated and he has an opportunity to make a difference by contributing to the healing process. I hear this over and over again.?

People want their work to be important, to make a difference. It's one thing to work selling T-shirts bearing a band's name and another to go into a rehabilitation facility and watch people healing because you are preventing them from getting healthcare-associated infections. Our industry impacts people's lives. It's time for the language we use to reflect this.

Professionally Speaking

So ,what terms do I like that Servicon uses? I love "custodial technician" for several reasons. First, the word comes from the Latin word custos, meaning “guardian," and is defined as someone who looks after something—such as the health and safety of facilities, the environment, and the people who occupy them. It also implies a sense of caring. Meanwhile, technician makes it clear that this is technical work that requires education, training, and expertise. It also suggests a career path, which we should be emphasizing. Many people don't realize it, but there is no limit to how you can grow in our industry.?

Other terms I like that emphasize career paths are those that are common to other industries; lead, supervisor, and manager are terms that are understood by all and indicate a level of authority, growth, and expertise.?

A Skilled Science

During our 30-, 60-, and 90-day reviews of new hires, I often hear, "I had no idea how much there is to know!" Similarly, many of our people come from different industries, such as our director of innovation, who has a medical technology background, and our chief transition officer, whose experience is in tech start-ups. They were both blown away by how much there is to learn in our industry. While some verticals require more knowledge than others, delivering the best level of service to our customers involves education and training. For example, infection prevention requires an understanding of science, including the various types of pathogens, what formulas will eradicate what germs, the difference between a virus and bacteria, and what techniques and equipment are most effective against specific pathogens. The list goes on. The days of grabbing a mop and getting started are long gone. Our talk should reflect this.

Talk the Talk

Our job is to get the conversation started, to educate our customers. It can be done subtly, asking questions such as, "When you say cleaner are you referring to the product or type of work or…?" Sometimes, I keep using elevating terms until others start to follow suit. I am also grateful to the many industry consultants who outline the scope of work for clients and help them update their language.?

I firmly believe with updated language comes updated thinking.

One of our clients that has adopted our terminology recognizes and appreciates the skill level of our technicians. When the company needed to make financial cuts, the client did not turn to the cleaning budget first, as is often the case. Instead, the customer decided to close the cafeteria and bring in food trucks. Not only did the trucks pay to be there, adding to the company's revenue stream, but the employees were thrilled by the larger selection of diverse offerings. The workers also continued to feel safe coming into the office, knowing we were ensuring their clean and healthy work environment.

I love being a visionary, but as a CEO, I am also practical. I understand that if individuals seeking employment are typing "janitor" into the search engine, we have to use the term to advertise job openings. Yet the visionary side of me is confident: If we use language that elevates the industry and promotes it as the skilled profession it is, one day, people will search "custodial technician," “floor care specialist," or any of a host of other professional terms and find us.

What words do you like or dislike to describe the industry and/or its workers? What about the industry overall— Cleaning? Cleaning and maintenance? Do you like the term custodial technician? Does EVS make the grade for healthcare? Any thoughts pro or con for building service contractor/BSC? I'd love to hear your thoughts!