Talking Stick - May/June 2008 - 23

and should provide detailed information about attendance requirements, the uniform policy, and sexual harassment. Steve Waller, director of residential life at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, describes a training program for new staff that includes a motivation for success: “We developed a Custodial Training Series that each new employee has to complete. If the employee completes the series during probation they earn a promotion and one-step pay raise.” Obviously, employees need to understand what is expected of them before they can demonstrate their own ability to meet these standards. The supervisor should have a checklist of expectations for each employee in addition to a checklist of the skills that each new staff member is asked to satisfactorily demonstrate, and the employee should sign and date both lists. Any employee who cannot demonstrate these skills or does not appreciate the importance of attendance, teamwork, and customer service should not be allowed to gain full-time status. Not all training can be handled simply as a matter of checking completed items off a list. There are often differences in background, for example, that need to be considered. At the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, accommodation is made for language differences, as Fred Fotis, director of housing and conferences, explains: “At the University of British Columbia many of our staff use English as their second language, and our ability to supervise effectively must take that into consideration. We use incumbent staff as ‘buddies’ in training programs and have sponsored staff in English language and high school equivalency programs. Like our resident population, our custodial staff come from a myriad of different backgrounds, and good supervision has to be aware of differences that result from those diverse backgrounds.” The key to establishing and maintaining these high standards is supervision. A decentralized zone, or building-oriented staff and supervision model, allows for greater empowerment of ﬁrst-level supervisors, whether they are called supervisors, leads, or managers. In this model it is easier to promote unit pride and decision making when the custodial and maintenance staff who are closest to the residents care about their work. First impressions are important, and the condition of the residence hall is a direct reﬂection on the supervisor and the housekeeping staff. Creating a lasting dedication to maintaining immaculate facilities requires a feeling of ownership, which will probably not be inspired, or will not persist, in a team-cleaning model or when housekeeping staff ﬂoat to multiple buildings during the day. Standards can be applied successfully only when supervisors lead by example. The supervisors in this model can be the public face of the department, and they can pass that responsibility on when they assign coordinators or directors to each hall. The autonomy given to residence hall supervisors begins with letting them know that the assigned hall is their building; they should feel inspired to impress. “Ownership is a key concept to be stressed throughout training,” says Dave Manos, assistant director at Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park. “Ownership works best if appropriate decision-making boundaries are established and freedom to make decisions within those boundaries is granted.” CUSTODIAL STAFFING GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES 2nd ed. (APPA, 1998) Many ACUHO-I and APPA members agree that this is a go-to source for maintaining and boosting custodial staff. It has been completely revised and contains information on several types of specialized facilities including residence halls. For more information or to order, visit www.appa.org. Pride of ownership can be enhanced by treating supervisors as professionals, allowing them, for example, to be the ﬁrst contact for students and parents through contact information on the department Web site that includes a direct e-mail address and a listing of their ofﬁce hours, location, and phone number. They can also be issued a business card and an identiﬁable uniform separate and in addition to the standard-issue wear. Waller explains LSU’s approach to this idea: “ We had our supervisors in a unique color to identify them in ﬁeld, and for our top line supervisors we purchased slacks, pants, and vests to elevate their look and status.” One way to demonstrate a real commitment to custodial staff is to make sure they are provided with reliable and well-maintained equipment. Even if they are aware of high expectations for building upkeep, it is difﬁcult to meet this standard if the equipment is deﬁcient. It may be necessary, too, to question outsourcing speciﬁc tasks, such as carpet care, and to consider the message this may be sending to staff. May + June 2008 23

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Talking Stick - May/June 2008

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