Sarojani Kumar is one of the qualified cleaners at Counties Manakau Health who wears her Careerforce qualification badge with pride.
Every cleaner knows they are an essential part of an organisation and when you have 200 plus proud, qualified cleaners looking after a hospital; Counties Manukau Health knows you have a recipe for success.
Last year, INCLEAN (magazine) New Zealand shared the story of the graduation of 205 staff at the Auckland hospital who received their National Certificate in Cleaning level 3. A year later, we check in with Alen Prokopis, Operations Manager Cleaning to see what difference training has made.
Alen reports that the positive results are showing in the monthly cleaning audits, with this year’s results tracking above what they have been in the past. However, the biggest difference is in the increased morale, respect and sense of pride people take in their work, which translates to people doing a better job.
“The whole team takes more pride in what they do. They understand the importance of their role and wear their badges with so much pride. In our monthly meetings, staff are now speaking up with ideas and suggestions – that’s never happened before.”
Over 90 percent of the hospital’s cleaners now hold the level 3 qualification. The team was supported through the workplace learning programme by Careerforce – the industry training organisation that supports health and wellbeing, and encompasses the cleaning sector.
“They are more committed to their job and patients definitely receive better service from the cleaning department. The cleaning standard and hand hygiene has noticeably improved.
“Morale of the staff is very high and they are working together better than before. Our department is very culturally diverse and our cleaners are showing more respect towards each other’s cultures and helping each other out more.”
Careerforce Chief Executive, Ray Lind, says it is heartening to see the positive effects of training in action. “We know that a more qualified and competent workforce translates into better quality and improved results. To hear how positive the training has been for Counties Manukau Health is a real endorsement for investing in workplace training – it does make a difference.”