There can be no doubt that the Covid period has been a tough one but now is the time to look at the learnings from it.

We’ve perfected our renditions of singing ‘Happy Birthday’ by singing it twice every time we wash our hands. And we’ve learnt to use our elbow instead of our hand when we greet people but perhaps one of the best learning that has come out of this, from a housekeeping point of view, is the huge increase in public awareness of the importance of good hygiene. This awareness is an obvious win: the cleaner people are coming into your facilities, the better chance you’ve got at preventing the spread of any virus or bacteria.

The importance of clear, consistent communications has proven time and again to be essential. So often, the essence of the original message is lost as it disseminates through the different channels such as verbal communications, briefings, leaflets, newsletters, signs and videos. Whenever possible, use all the channels to let everyone know that you’ve taken every step to ensure a safe and healthy environment and tell them what these steps are.

On our recent ‘3 Day Challenge’, CAP members reported that one of the top five learnings from their recent experiences was the need for the continuation of consistent and clear communications.

At CAP, we’ve always emphasised the importance of your housekeeping teams, but now they’re going to be more essential than ever. They play the pivotal role in building confidence around the safety of your school as well as safe-guarding it from infection. Now is not the time to cut corners, now is the time to address any underlying issues, recurring problems and face up to the new realities of essentially high standards of housekeeping.