In a perfect world, we’d like to keep everything in our business in-house. That way, we have more control over every aspect of our business. For business owners, this is like a dream…
…which means it isn’t feasible in reality a lot of the time. After all, businesses have limited time and resources and need to allocate them properly while taking care of the company’s needs. Cleaning and maintenance are no exception.
When it comes to commercial janitorial services, in particular, is outsourcing or in-house the better options? Let’s look at the cost effectiveness of each approach and some of the other factors that will go into your decision.
Factor #1: Cost Effectiveness
It’s true that in-house janitorial services seem like the most cost-effective option at first glance. By hiring your own cleaning staff, you can tailor their schedules to fit your budget and business needs. But there are several hidden costs associated with in-house janitorial services that can add up over time. These include:
- Salaries and benefits: Hiring full-time employees means you’ll need to pay competitive wages and provide benefits like health insurance, PTO and so forth. Even if you’re using existing employees, their salaries will be applied to janitorial work instead of other tasks.
- Training and supervision: In-house staff will require ongoing training to stay updated on the latest cleaning techniques and safety protocols. You might also need to allocate resources for supervision and management, depending on the size of your company.
- Equipment and supplies: Equipment and supplies (ones that are high quality, at least) are expensive. As is maintaining and replacing these when they wear out.
- Liability and insurance: In-house employees increase your liability. You need to cover workers’ comp and address any legal issues that arise from workplace injuries.
Outsourcing janitorial services, on the other hand, may carry a higher upfront cost, but it’s more predictable and straightforward. In fact, this approach can offer significant cost savings, especially for medium-sized businesses. Here’s how:
- Fixed costs: There is usually a contract with outsourced janitorial services, which come with fixed costs. This makes it easier to budget for cleaning expenses without worrying about unexpected costs that may arise.
- No employee overhead: You avoid those salaries, benefits, training and supervision expenses mentioned above, as these are all handled by the janitorial service provider.
- Professional tools and supplies: There is no need to invest in equipment and supplies with an outsourced janitor. These companies are already equipped with the right tools and products for the job.
- Reduced liability: The cleaning company is responsible for their employees, reducing your liability for workers’ compensation and other insurance issues.
Factor #2: Quality and Consistency
When it comes to an in-house cleaning crew, consistency is only as good as your team members and your ability to oversee them. You have more control over the cleaning approach that meets your standards, true, but consistency and quality can vary, especially if your company has high turnover rates (which is often true in janitorial positions). With an outsourced janitorial company, on the other hand, they already have stringent training programs and quality control measures in place. After all, their income is based on their ability to provide consistent, high-quality service. Their reputation depends on their work and they are motivated by high standards. All you have to do is choose the right company.
Factor #3: Flexibility and Scalability
You’ll be able to dictate an in-house team’s schedule and tasks, adjusting changing needs as necessary. But this can also be limited by your staff’s availability and size and any scaling up will be challenging, costly and may require hiring more people. Outsourcing offers greater flexibility and scalability, as professional cleaning companies can easily adjust their services to meet your changing needs, whether it’s additional cleaning during peak seasons or specialized services for unique situations. Best of all, they can scale without the need for you to manage additional hires.
Factor #4: Specialized Expertise
In-house cleaning teams may be great for generalized cleaning tasks, but what about the specialized knowledge required for certain jobs? If the task involves handling hazardous materials or high-level disinfection, for example, the team will be in over their heads if they aren’t trained properly for it. But a professional janitorial company brings a wealth of expertise and specialized knowledge. They stay updated on the latest cleaning technologies, protocols and industry standards. And if you choose a company like Fernic Building Solutions, you get commercial building maintenance expertise at your disposal in addition to janitorial services. That’s a big benefit in itself.
If you’ve been debating whether to keep your janitorial services in-house or outsource them, consider giving Fernic Building Solutions a call. We’d love to go over what we can offer your business and provide a consultation or no-obligation quote. Contact us today!