It would seem that there is no labor lower paid and less prestigious. However, this is a common misconception. In self-respecting cleaning companies (that is, those engaged in professional cleaning of premises), there is a fairly strict selection when hiring.
The staff should not only have a certain minimum of personal culture.
Job descriptions of the cleaning lady may include the use of professional equipment, a certain procedure for performing work, and observance of the level of secrecy.
In Russia, it is generally accepted that one does not need to learn how to wash floors. However, the job descriptions of the cleaners in a serious company imply the ability to handle various types of surfaces, including floors. Large supermarkets use special equipment. Cleaning companies in the job descriptions of the cleaning lady also include cleaning carpets, polishing parquet.
Dust in expensive modern offices is already unacceptable to wipe with a rag. Each furniture surface has its own cleaning agents. A polished or
glass table should shine; dust grooves or smudges cannot remain on it. The job descriptions of the cleaning lady may include the observance of certain rules for the treatment of objects and documents located in the office of the bosses. Indeed, very often we are talking about important and secret papers, which not only cannot fall into the hands of strangers, but should not be accessible to anyone at all.
The duties of the cleaning lady, therefore, depend primarily on the characteristics of the enterprise and the nature of the premises. In clinics and hospitals, it will be necessary to observe different levels of cleanliness and sterility of the wards, operating rooms, and common areas. Overalls and equipment are also used depending on the characteristics of the premises. Large supermarkets have long used not a bucket and a rag to clean large surfaces, but washing machines, which can only be operated by trained personnel.
It is not worth mentioning that the duties of a cleaning lady will include subordination, discipline, a
neat appearance, and cultural behavior in relation to other employees and guests of the enterprise.
In many office buildings, specialized firms with special equipment are involved in window cleaning. The job descriptions of the cleaning lady should include not only the method of opening and locking the premises (it should be taken into account who and when turns on the alarm, who is the last to leave the office, who is responsible for turning off the appliances), but also what exactly should be cleaned. For example, high windows on the upper floors should not be washed by people who have not undergone special training, who do not have safety net and equipment. Such a violation of safety precautions may cost the lives of personnel and result in liability (up to criminal) for management. The use of cleaning and disinfectants, methods of handling certain surfaces and rooms should be prescribed separately. Whether the cleaner is a financially responsible person and to what extent will depend on the specific working conditions in the enterprise.