As an MCS franchisee, you are responsible for hiring cleaning staff to work under your supervision and for training them. The number of staff members that you employ is up to you and dependent upon the amount of regular clients that you have, but you must employ only the best and most reliable cleaners to help you maintain your high standards.

So, if you’re looking to expand your team this spring, don’t just use the usual ‘tell me a little bit about yourself’ questions when conducting interviews. Instead, use this list of useful questions to ask your potential employees to make sure that you are hiring the right candidates.

“Why Do You Enjoy Cleaning Work?”

Cleaning, like any job, should be undertaken as a vocation. You should want your employees to enjoy their jobs and to look forward to coming to work in the morning, as we all know that people who enjoy their jobs work harder and are more committed employees.

Bonus tip: If they say ‘interacting with customers and meeting their needs’, this is a great answer and one that will serve your business well in the long run.

“Have You Cleaned Specialist Equipment Before?”

As an MCS franchisee, the services that you offer your clients will include office, factory, school and retail cleaning services, and your team will need to be able to carry out these services on a regular basis.

It’s handy if the cleaners you hire have prior experience in cleaning the specialist equipment and machinery that they will encounter in these premises, so make sure you ask them for details of their experience and whether they feel comfortable carrying out this kind of cleaning when hiring cleaning staff.

Bonus tip: When asking about their experience, ask them to describe how they would clean a particular area or specific piece of equipment to assess their actual skills.

“What Are Your Salary Expectations?”

Asking interviewees to be honest and upfront about their desired salary will help you to agree upon a contract that secures the right employees for the right price. After all, more experienced, in-demand cleaners will always be worth their salary and properly compensating them for their work will foster a positive, long-term relationship between you as an employer and them as the employee.

Bonus tip: To save all parties time, be sure to list the average salary in the job description and make it clear whether this figure is subject to change in the near future.

“Are You Responsive to Client Feedback?”

No one really likes to listen to criticisms, especially if we don’t feel that they are constructive or warranted. However, as is the case with all public-facing roles, your cleaners will occasionally need to interact with clients and listen to their feedback, so it is essential that they are able to take feedback onboard and offer suggestions for improvement.

Bonus tip: Ask your candidates to describe how they have responded to negative feedback in a previous role that displays their willingness to adapt to client requirements.

“Do You Have Any Cleaning Certifications?”

Cleaning certifications, though not essential, do signify the credibility and reliability of certain candidates. So, keep an eye out for candidates with the following certifications when hiring cleaning staff and make sure to discuss them in the interview:

British Cleaning Certificate Award (BCCA)
Level 5 Certificate in Cleaning
BICSc Cleaning Operators Proficiency Certificate
COSHH Training for Cleaners
Cleaning Operators Proficiency Certificate

Bonus tip: Request that candidates send you an electronic copy of these accreditations after the interview or contact the issuing organisation directly to confirm their certification.

Hiring Cleaning Staff for Your MCS Franchise

Want more information on recruiting and training cleaners to join your business?

Check out what support you’ll receive from MCS as a franchisee, or contact us directly to ask your questions.