The Ideal Janitor Job Description, Rights & Responsibilities

janitor job requirements and rights

The janitor job description and rights are one of the basic rights which every organization must grant to its janitors. Justice for Janitors is a tale of courage to speak for the rights of a very important segment of our society which serves us yet, remain unserved.

Sohail, a janitor worked with me in the leading bank of the country. He was a very hard working guy, always arriving to work in time, rushing here and there all day, serving the staff and customers efficiently. Floors and the glass doors always shone. Everyone in the office was happy with his efforts except himself.

He was very quiet one day so I asked him the reason. He replied, “I didn’t get a salary this month”. I suggested him to call his manager as he was an employee of a cleaning company providing its services in our bank. His manager said,” Bank hasn’t paid us your salaries yet so you have to wait”. Now, Sohail was in a situation where no one was taking his responsibility as if he didn’t work for anyone. Then, I asked my manager and requested him to disburse Sohail’s salary from the branch’s expenses which we adjusted later with the company. Sohail was really happy and grateful. And I was wondering that here I helped him but what about other branches where many other Sohails work and they also didn’t get the salary.

Providing justice for janitors

Imagine this in your company where your janitors require your support and you help them a little. The job satisfaction they could get and the dedication they offer in return is priceless.

clean workplace for job satisfaction

An organization is a complex structure standing on a number of pillars that hold its existence and strengthen its chances of success. One such pillar is the janitorial staff that is undoubtedly an important stakeholder of every company. Almost every country and organization deprives janitors of their rights. Very few exceptions exist where janitor job requirements and rights are fulfilled. This article is based on raising the voice to get justice for janitors.

Janitor job requirements

The foremost consideration in terms of janitor job requirements is organizing the janitorial duties and responsibilities. Like all other staff members, janitors also have proper job descriptions. According to labor laws, they have to perform those duties like other staff members. But most of the organizations put irrelevant workload on the janitorial staff, outside their job descriptions. Many janitors are seen performing the duties of watchmen, tea boys, or peons. This not only affects their focus on the job duties negatively but the work burden also increases the janitorial turnover rates. Your janitors don’t stay for long with you? This might be the reason you should consider eliminating.

A good organization always follows the JDs very strictly. If your employees are performing the work that is not giving them any credit in papers or in the form of incentives, then you are violating the employee right’s laws. Therefore, your market reputation is going to hurt. Janitorial staff is that one group which is delivering you a clean workplace where the employees’ skills thrive better and there exist more chances of job satisfaction. Hence, satisfying this workgroup is as important as satisfying a high-level personnel.

Janitor job description

The janitor job description includes the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Cleaning and mopping the floors of the office.
  • Cleaning and maintaining the parking space of the office building.
  • Dusting the furniture, machines, and office equipment.
  • Cleaning the windows, doors, and planters.
  • Emptying the trash daily.
  • Making sure that the office is all cleaned up before office timings so as not to make any disturbances later.
  • Notifying the office manager of the cleaning supplies’ needs.
  • Cleaning the washrooms and taking care of sanitation.

These are the basic job duties of a janitor but depending upon the nature of business and location, relevant tasks can be added.

Note: As a janitor, request your Job Description from your employer, read it and then sign it.

Janitorial skills

Like all other employees, janitorial staff selection requires the presence of relevant skills. These skills vary in all organizations but the basic skills are:

  • Basic cleaning skills- These include cleaning, mopping, and dusting.
  • Communication skills- These skills are essential for every job today. A well-communicating janitor knows his rights, demands them from the employer, and accepts his challenges at the job. He understands the expectations of his company from him.
  • Responsibility- A responsible janitor fulfills the job requirements and ensures cleanliness at the workplace.
  • Punctuality- Being in time is an essential skill as a janitor has to get the office cleaned and all prepared for work before the office timings.

The janitorial job requirements for the employment

Many companies appoint their own janitors thus, are responsible for paying the janitors themselves. An increasing trend of employing janitors from third party cleaning companies has been observed during the past few years. This besides being good in several cases, is posing serious issues for the janitorial community. Janitors are left nowhere when it comes to compensation and cleaning supplies’ provision, leading to job stress and dissatisfaction among them.

Note: Before you sign a contract with the cleaning companies, make sure the agreement includes your compensation and cleaning supplies security.

Considering janitor job requirements and rights is essential

Justice for janitors includes a number of janitorial rights which the companies must fulfill. Let’s have a look at these briefly:

Safety rights

Safety is a very basic right of a janitor. He is highly vulnerable to injuries, burns, and getting hurt. Providing him the safety equipment is the prime responsibility of the company without which a janitor must refuse to do any work. He has to make sure the company provides him proper and safe work environment and tools. Wearing uniforms, gloves, and masks is essential to safeguard them against diseases and infections and this is the responsibility of the employer to provide all this.

Vaccination of janitors is the company’s another responsibility. A janitor’s job tasks mostly include moving heavy furniture and handling the cleaning chemicals so he is indeed the most vulnerable person in the office. Thus, he must get more safety rights than others in the organization.

Compensation rights

Like other staff members, janitors also deserve a complete compensation plan including both financial and non-financial incentives. Hourly wages or a fixed salary decision must be in the benefit of this group when deciding upon the salary.

Among the benefits offered to the janitors, health, medical and life insurance are on the top due to the health risks encountered in this job. Never miss this one compensation element from the janitor job requirements.

Long term incentives should be included in the total pay mix as this ensures the janitors of their job security and the intention of the organization to retain them in the long term. Such policies can attract more people into this job role hence, increasing the labor supply in the market.

Acknowledging and motivating janitors is one compensation element which they are usually deprived of. One way of motivating janitors is giving them commissions on good performance, gifts from the staff, and verbal encouragement.

At least one yearly bonus must be given to the janitors as a token of their persistent efforts for the company.

Companies should take charge of providing free meals to the janitors as part of the benefits offered to them. Understand that this stakeholder of your company is truly helping you drive in the right direction very smoothly.

Job security

Janitors work in a job role in which there is no job security and they could be fired anytime without any prior notice. Job security of a janitor means a healthy work environment for your other employees leading to good organizational performance. Job security means more focus on the cleaning job. A secure employee works in the best interest of the company without any fear of job loss.

Janitors’ unions

Failing to provide janitor job requirements and rights results in the formation of unions where the janitors have to raise voice for themselves. In doing so, they might go against company rules and policies, creating chaos within the company. Unions come into play when companies fail to fulfill employee rights. So, decide you want happy employees or the chaotic ones?

Cleaning the cleaner campaign

“Cleaning the cleaner” is a slogan that Big Content Bay is raising for the janitorial justice campaigns. It asks you to demand new uniforms, safety jackets wherever necessary, safety shoes, and shower rooms for the office janitors in big companies and in every residential area for residential janitors. Janitors clean the world for other people so they surely deserve a clean world to live in too.

justice for janitors

Local janitor job requirements and rights

In addition to janitors working in the offices, janitors serving in residential areas, public places, and streets also deserve the same rights. Every state must fulfill these rights via local authorities.

Serve the right

Imagine your society without janitors; litter everywhere with diseases and illnesses. Help this community clean their lives the way they are cleaning ours. Employing a janitor and taking care of his rights is protecting your own health. Become a part of this “cleaning the cleaner” campaign and help bring justice for janitors; our admirable community.

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