The establishment of an effective training program is a crucial—but often overlooked—component in the development of a high performance custodial service. As with training in any field that requires specific knowledge and skill sets, your custodial training process should utilize the best adult learning principals, keep safety first, and be consistent throughout the organization.
An effective custodial program for your organization will consist of the following key elements:
In this phase you will be engaging your audience with detailed descriptions of the various components of your custodial program.
This portion of your training program is best conducted in person, but can be done via video or using a LMS (Learning Management System). Strong emphasis should be placed on the importance of cleaning, customer service, and the prevention of high-impact “Service Failures”. Information should be presented that highlights the negative impact of service failures as well as the appropriate methods of prevention.
During this portion of the custodial training is best to create a distraction free environment that will allow the trainees to absorb the training without the stress of completing a cleaning routine. This will be your opportunity to demonstrate the procedures while keeping your trainees actively engaged in the process. To be consistent make sure to follow all procedures as described in your written training materials.
You will now have the trainees perform the various custodial tasks. You should use constructive feedback to correct any errors and provide answers to questions as they arise. Having the trainees perform the work themselves will help validate what the trainees have learned.
Work with each trainee until they are confident in their ability to perform all tasks. Ask the trainee to repeat back and review the steps of each task to ensure they firm understanding. Some of the more critical tasks may need more than one repetition. Be sure to answer any questions or fill in any gaps during the review.
Your custodial training program should contain a training follow-up schedule. Conduct a follow-up in the first few weeks to ensure that the new custodian understands the required task and has necessary tools to complete their cleaning assignment. Future follow-ups should be scheduled as needed.
Using these 5 keys will ensure that each trainee receives training in a manner that best speaks to them. Custodians who feel well trained and valued will perform at a higher level and have increased job satisfaction.
What tips do you have for an effective custodial training program? Share your thoughts in the section for comments below.
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