Create spreadsheets (part 1 of 2)

• Make a series of continually updated documents which contain a wealth of information and which are tools for the administrator, administrative assistants, and custodians.
• The cleaning and room setup and teardown spreadsheets will list the amount of time it takes to do a specific task.
  • This information can be used to determine how many custodians you need on a regular basis. I suggest planning to use about 85-90% of a custodian’s time for the regular items and leave about 10-15% for special setups or unforeseen events.
  • This data can be used in performance evaluations of the custodians.
  • This data is also helpful in explaining to committees why the church needs the number of custodians it does.

Lead On!

Steve

Establish online room requests

• Work with your website guru to develop a registration page for room requests.
• Everyone (staff person, member, outsider, etc.) must complete a room request online to ask for a room.
• Upon hitting “submit,” emails are generated and sent to the appropriate staff person(s) and back to the person making the request.
• This system creates an electronic paper trail, and it also creates a document which can be used in doing the room setup.

Lead On!

Steve

Make custodians responsible for specific areas (this is only if you have more than one custodian in your church)

• There is a debate about whether custodians are responsible for the entire building or specific areas. They actually are responsible for both.
• Custodians should be responsible for specific areas for cleanliness and room setups and tear-downs. As a matter of week-to-week practice, custodians should focus on their part of the building for regular activities.
• Custodians should be available and willing to help each other in major setups and tear-downs which are beyond their specific area of responsibility but are part of the entire building.
• Custodians should help each other with major cleaning projects and still have time to take care of their particular part of the facilities.

Lead On!

Steve

Have weekly walk-arounds

• The administrator and custodian(s) should walk around the facilities regularly. Walking around is a great way to see what needs doing, and it lets the staff know you don’t live in your office.
• Showing things to a custodian helps him or her know what you’re seeing and what they need to do about the item in question.
• Keep a list (mental or in writing) of things you noted on the walk-around and follow-up on them at the next walk-around.

Lead On!

Steve

Meetings

• Keep the custodians informed. After all, they are some of the most visible members of a church staff and can answer questions about meeting locations. Helping in this way will help the ministers and administrative assistants who would otherwise have to answer these questions.
• Meet with the custodial staff at least every other week to go over the upcoming calendar regarding out-of-the-ordinary events.
• Use the meeting time to set high expectations for all areas they are responsible for. If you set low expectations, people will live down to them.

Lead On!

Steve

Give tools & equipment & training

• A church is responsible for providing its custodians with all tools necessary to do his/her job. A custodian cannot be expected to perform duties well without the necessary tools, resources, and training.
• Encourage the custodians to wear out a machine before it rusts out. Challenge them to really use up a piece of equipment by using it heavily.
• Training is one of the most valuable and most overlooked tools for custodians. They need cleaning supplies and equipment, but they can also benefit a great deal by being trained in good and new techniques.

Lead On!

Steve