“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”
― G.B. Stern

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need days the likes of Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Teachers’ Appreciation Day. Ideally, we would express our appreciation for those we appreciate frequently and sincerely enough that we wouldn’t need calendar days that remind us to say, “Thank You.”

Unfortunately, we live in the real world, in which we are so caught up in our own worlds that we often forget to express sufficient gratitude to those who do so much. With this in mind, BSCAI has co-sponsored with Kärcher a day designed to drive the expression of gratitude to a group of professionals who more than deserve it. On Oct. 18, we invite you to participate in “Thank Your Cleaner Day” (TYCD).

Tens of thousands of cleaners work day and night, weekends and holidays to keep our working and living environments clean and hygienic. We know that hygienically clean environments contribute significantly to the overall health and well-being of everyone in our communities and cities nationwide, and help generate a positive image for individual businesses.

Not all of these people, however, are visible to those who benefit from the safe and clean environments professional cleaners create. BSCAI membership chair and president and CEO of ESS Clean, Inc., Paul Taylor, CBSE, believes in the importance of recognizing these unsung heroes of the workplace.

“The other day, one of our supervisors suggested that we spend a lot of time working with team members who are difficult or have other issues,” Taylor says. “She suggested that we need to spend more time and resources thanking and appreciating the people who are quiet, who don't require much of our time, but who just show up every day, do their job, do a great job and go home. She is right.”

What some ways you and your clients can express gratitude? You can print the TYCD poster located on the BSCAI website, and then display it around your office and your website. Personalize this TYCD employee letter template and distribute to your cleaners. Buy your cleaners lunch — be creative!

“Last year we took advantage of Thank your Cleaner Day to appreciate those no-nonsense people who just ‘do their job’ and do it well,” Taylor says. “We took goodie bags and personally delivered them to some of those quiet performers on our team.”

John C. Markey, CBSE, executive vice president of Absolute! Building Maintenance sees TYCD as a reminder to celebrate cleaners year-round.

“At Absolute! Building Maintenance, Thank Your Cleaner Day happens several days a year,” Markey says. “Our front line staff receive a small birthday present on their birthday, and we also award ‘spiffs’ during the year for the associates wearing their safety reminders. … This one is specifically for TYCD: $100,000.00 bars with the wrapper telling them they’re worth a lot to us.”