Training of cleaners

Hi

I need to do cleaning and sanitation training with the cleaners on the floor. Any ideas or suggestions how to make it more fun and practical? They don't do well with me just standing and talking...   Tried getting them more involved by asking questions and taking the training from there but they were not very responsive. Not using projector/computer during training. Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks

Try Hands On activities.

Anything that forces people to partake in activities will surely get them involved. Using real life examples, or situations that can be directly related to those that you are training can sometimes make things more interesting/ fun - when they understand why they are learning something, it usually helps to get them involved. 

Especially when it comes to cleaning / sanitation... you could totally go the "gross-out" path and show them real examples of filthy factories to exaggerate the importance of cleaning properly.

I've taken the SOP and trained employees specifically on equipment (okay, here's the drain cleaning brush and the drain, show me how you do it) then gone through the SOP like a checklist.   Employees do not like this a lot because it's kind of nerve wracking to have your boss stand there and correct/audit your job, and it takes a ton of time, because you have to do each employee individually.  Not extra fun, but you end up with a solid SOP and your employees sure know how to clean.   Not really practical for general / all area cleaning. 

Are they mixing their own chemicals, working with wet/dry cleaning?  

I've found dry cleaning is much more difficult for me to train on because in my mind I'm thinking "What?  Just clean it.  There's compressed air, there's a brush, there's a scraper...what training do you possibly need?"   I've had to train some spoiled brat to use both a vacuum and a swiffer.  Sometimes pointing out areas that are hard to reach or often overlooked is very helpful if you go back and reinspect them for a while.   Chemicals / wet cleaning is easier for me because there are a clear step of steps to follow.  

Hi

 

I need to do cleaning and sanitation training with the cleaners on the floor. Any ideas or suggestions how to make it more fun and practical? They don't do well with me just standing and talking...   Tried getting them more involved by asking questions and taking the training from there but they were not very responsive. Not using projector/computer during training. Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks

I agree that the hands on approach is the best. You learn by doing, especially in the sanitation field (These people spent all night cleaning, the last thing they want to do is sit down in front of a screen in a dark room to listen to someone just talk [to encourage them to sleep]). Go out onto the production floor and have them simulate like what Magenta-Majors is suggesting. However, I don't correct as they go. I have the sanitor complete the process and then ask the group ok what did he/she do wrong? Nothing works better then letting them banter and they can't wait to hop on one another. What I think has also helped is taking pictures as they go. I transform my SSOP's into a Pictorial Work Instruction. Has the same function but with pictures.

Hands on is best but when time is limited...it can be difficult to accomplish that.  Especially first day on job.  I usually use power point, then they are under the auspices of a good lead or supervisor and then I follow up. 

I agree that the hands on approach is the best. You learn by doing, especially in the sanitation field (These people spent all night cleaning, the last thing they want to do is sit down in front of a screen in a dark room to listen to someone just talk [to encourage them to sleep]). Go out onto the production floor and have them simulate like what Magenta-Majors is suggesting. However, I don't correct as they go. I have the sanitor complete the process and then ask the group ok what did he/she do wrong? Nothing works better then letting them banter and they can't wait to hop on one another. What I think has also helped is taking pictures as they go. I transform my SSOP's into a Pictorial Work Instruction. Has the same function but with pictures.

All good points.  Having them all contribute to the process of working out what is best helps.  If you run the training as a hands-on session with them making suggestions on how to do it better, you may find more effective ways to clean and sanitize.  After all, they do it every night, so they are kind of experts on what does not work well.  And if they can take ownership of the process, they will be more apt to follow it.

The SSOPs in picture form is a great idea as well.  Pictures are really worth 1,000 words.

Injecting some humor is always good.  People remember facts better if an emotion is attached to it, and you would like to have fun attached to any work activity.  Making up a crazy certificate to give them after the training may give them a smile and evoke some pride.  Maybe something about being Crazy about Cleaning?  Anything to relieve the boredom and make it a more human experience helps.

Just an additional example.  There's nothing more boring than safety talks, so I inject some funny pictures in my talks just to keep people awake and make them feel more happy.  I made one for the end of the Lockout/Tagout presentation (a really boring topic), showing a picture of He-Man holding a lock saying that they control the power.  It always gets a laugh.

I'm sure you can come up with something that will work.

Martha

Thanks everyone. Got them more involved and also got someone to translate into their own language and it did go much better this time around.