by Tanya Hughes
T
he legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” I think about that quotation often as I reflect back to January 6, 1984, and all the days that were to come after it. I was being given the opportunity to work at a prestigious university, the University of Florida, and I felt like my life was about to change. The day I first went to work on campus, just putting on the uniform gave me an adrenaline rush. The passion that ran through my veins helped me understand the accountability that comes with a high-level commitment to an organization that is making an investment in you. When a person can hold on to their passion within an organization, even if they are not sure of the road ahead, this demonstrates an inner determination. For myself and many other custodial and maintenance workers, with all the challenges and uncertainty that we have faced over these recent months, being able to draw on this passion has been a valuable resource.
Things certainly have changed over the decades I have worked in this field. When I first became a manager, I relied on a lone clipboard and legal pad to perform inspections, chart employees’ progress, and track inventory. Now, in the 21st century, technology has put us in a cutting edge arena filled with different devices, software, and equipment. The old rotary machines that we used to strip floors have been replaced by new automatic orbital equipment, which can empower an operator to cover more square footage and to be more efficient. At the same time we increasingly incorporate sustainability initiatives as we embark upon green cleaning initiatives to create healthier cleaning alternatives. This allows our organization to reduce the negative impact on both the ozone layer and our landfills. All of this is part of creating a climate and culture that erases the former ways of doing our jobs and embraces change for a safer, more efficient workplace.
At times it feels like these changes could be classified as nothing short of a miracle. But that type of growth is due to the passion of leaders who were determined to make jobs easier and to serve as thought leaders who would move our organizations and profession further forward. This growth led to improved training and identification of new trends. This commitment to making an organization better means not settling for less.
Now the world finds itself in the middle of a pandemic. Custodial and maintenance staff all around the globe have had to remain on their campuses as essential staff to ensure that the campus is safe when students return. While many of these workers have continued to display their innate passion, loyalty, and dedication, managers also have to find ways to motivate their teams and continue to propel them forward. During such times of uncertainty, I have found it beneficial to be able to fall back on my passion and my principles and use them to guide the training, preparation, motivation, and management of campus teams. It is pivotal to provide the required training and not forget that staff are invaluable assets and should be treated as such.
While passion can occur naturally, it is also something that can be taught and nurtured. How can this best be done? In my view, there are five principles that should ignite the passion to persevere through adversity and serve as reminders of why people show up for work each and every day. The first principle is to be honest and true. Never be afraid to say you don’t know an answer or admit you are not familiar with a situation. Honesty is and will always be the best policy. It builds strength, stamina, and character as the driving force for reaching and impacting others’ lives.
The second principle is to maintain a positive attitude. Showing up to work with a positive attitude sets the stage for the day and makes for a productive one, which in turn creates an atmosphere of unity and harmony. When individuals show up and do not mind assisting in the areas where there are shortages, this means they recognize that the team must act as one and will work to make a day’s work as seamless as possible.
The third principle is to be knowledgeable. A worker willing to gather all the knowledge they can about the profession sets them miles apart from the rest. There should not be anything a person does not know concerning the facilities they are responsible for. Having the passion to excel means possessing the latest technology, enhancing professional development opportunities, and staying abreast of trade information to remain knowledgeable.
The fourth principle is to demonstrate ownership. Passionate staff who have ownership of their position become problem solvers, know how to respond to crises and involve other stakeholders, and take pride in their area. Staff who demonstrate ownership become advocates for making sure everyone understands that their success depends on the success of their teammates. Ownership means having a built-in passion meter that sounds when there is an issue in a facility, or when something just can’t be figured out, and then being willing to step in and help locate the appropriate resources to solve the problem.
The final principle is to accept responsibility. A responsible staff person will own up to mistakes and ensure that others who work with them will take responsibility not only for what goes right but also for when things don’t go well. Oftentimes a person’s passion will fade or be withdrawn if a decision is made and it doesn’t turn out the way it was expected. However, when true passion runs deep that person will understand the importance of not giving up and will remain true to what creates a sense of responsibility. When working with a team of individuals, it is a manager’s responsibility to make sure each person has what is needed to advance further in their careers and to regularly enhance their professional development.
Passionate employees thrive on helping others while creating a strong and inclusive developmental work climate where others can feel empowered and know that they made a difference in someone’s life that day.
There are other steps a manager can take to better inspire passion within their team. First, it should be obvious that leaving the office confines establishes a strong bond that will unite a staff. Communication in the heart of a crisis cannot always appear in an email. Managers build trust within a team when they make time to visit the front lines and provide direction. These actions change the dynamic of a team. It is also important to lift up a team and remind others of the many changes that custodial and maintenance crews have had to undertake during these months: working to introduce new disinfecting chemicals, drastically revise cleaning schedules, update standard operating procedures, change staffing patterns, incorporate the use of personal protective equipment, and reinforce high-touch surface cleaning. The importance of these initiatives and the willingness to weather this storm has been stressed through countless face-covered conversations. It’s not always easy, but the passion for the profession wins out most every time.
Perhaps most of all, though, this passion can come from recognizing who this work is done for. Ask almost any custodial worker and they will say that when they are in the residence halls they are keenly aware of the students who live there. They feel responsible for those residents and recognize that parents are entrusting them to protect their child while they’re away. They see it as their job to remove any impediment that may adversely affect a person’s day. It is their responsibility to make sure residents focus on studying instead of worrying about their health and well-being in unclean facilities. Each time they are there to help open and close halls at the beginning and end of the semesters, they see opportunities to assist a resident with learning soft skills and life skills that will aid them in the way of life. And it is their passion that drives them to create environments that will deliver the wow-factor when guests, families, and students first arrive in these facilities.
I believe that every day brings about a chance to do a job better than the day before. Just as people notice someone who is doing the bare minimum, those who take that extra step can create a domino effect that will inspire others and change the minds of those who may think janitorial work is a menial task. Displaying a passion for this type of work creates a culture where people don’t mind working the late hours, will volunteer without excuses, and are with the team from start to finish. They will roll up their sleeves during a building flood and not think twice about the un-pleasantries that come with the job. Rewarding them for their effort because of hard work, sweat, and tears allows the passion to soar to a whole new level. This, in turn, will pay off in a number of ways.
Instilling this passion means having and retaining staff who know the buildings where they work inside and out. Promoting from within sets up the ability to ensure that the institution has a team who not only knows the facilities but is also part of the history of the area. They take pride in their tools, their closets are in pristine order, and their equipment looks like it just came out of the packaging. They work behind the scenes without striving for recognition. Passionate employees thrive on helping others while creating a strong and inclusive developmental work climate where others can feel empowered and know that they made a difference in someone’s life that day. This successful group joins together to create a dynamic collection of individuals who pause and reflect on their journeys and note how their passion leaked into the hearts of others without their even knowing it. A passionate custodial staff carries its keys with pride.
During such times of uncertainty, I have found it beneficial to be able to fall back on my passion and my principles and use them to guide the training, preparation, motivation, and management of campus teams.
From time to time I will ask my custodial department to describe themselves and their work with just one word. Some of the words that I often hear include positive, belief, serious, hardworking, real, patient, detailed, dedicated, respectful, happy, and grateful. The passion of a custodial worker is exemplified in the lives of staff who are ready to create change and move the dial forward to produce highly cleaned and maintained facilities and to do so in environments where their work is appreciated and acknowledged no matter the crisis. I know I cannot assume that others will possess the same passion I do, but I also know that the passion I have can be transferred to others. Again, during times of uncertainty, when there are challenges, I urge everyone to act on their principles to guide them in the training, preparation, motivation, and managing of teams.
The pandemic and everything that has come with it has made many of us reevaluate priorities and values. Considering how much time we all spend at our jobs, it is impressive and a blessing when the job can also provide fulfillment and confidence. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to acquire this passion I hold so true, and I appreciate how it serves as a resource that continues to motivate me to help others on their journey. I think back to my previous supervisors who I thought were hardcore and all of the times I could not necessarily understand what they were trying to teach me. In retrospect it turns out they were shaping and building my skills into what I know today. They helped form my passion. Now I hope to pass it along to others.
Tanya Hughes is the associate director for facilities management building services at the University of Florida in Gainesville where she has worked for more than 36 years.
