Coronavirus: cleaning is systemically important for health protection

The coronavirus crisis is changing the perception of several systemically important professions. Cleaning staff are among them. As a recent Forsa survey from Germany shows, 26% of the population consider building cleaning to be more relevant today than before the pandemic, and 96% feel that the work of cleaners is very important or important. The study was conducted on behalf of the Bundesinnungsverband des Gebäudereiniger-Handwerks, which represents an industry with 700,000 employees. There are around 85,000 cleaners working in Switzerland, around half of whom are now affected by short-time working, according to estimates by PK Reinigung.

Health protection must be written in capital letters

Erich Stutzer, President of the Joint Commission of the Cleaning Industry (PK Reinigung) in German-speaking Switzerland and member of the board of directors of a 950-strong cleaning company, confirms the pressure on the industry: "The ongoing situation surrounding the coronavirus means immense challenges - both personal and economic. Oure highest asset - the employees - must be protected." Even without the coronavirus, managing processes in cleaning companies with several hundred or thousand employees is very demanding. But now "everything has changed," says Erich Stutzer. "Our CEO and his team are mastering the impossible."

Also emotionally demanding

The effects of the lockdown on companies and cleaners are also being experienced by Claudia Hablützel, attorney-at-law and managing director of PK Reinigung. She and her team of lawyers have answered over 1,500 inquiries from companies and employees since March 16, 2020. This represents a doubling compared to before the crisis. "We have mainly made phone calls and answered emails in recent weeks," explains the lawyer. Since customers such as retailers, restaurants, hairdressers, schools and event organizers have been directly affected by the Federal Council's decision, as well as numerous companies have switched to home offices, cleaning companies have had to react flexibly to the changing order situation. Many have registered for short-time work. This increases the pressure on the cleaners, who are worried about their jobs and wages on the one hand, and about their health protection on the other. PK Reinigung also advises them in these emotionally demanding times. Claudia Hablützel: "People are unsettled and seek help from us. Some cleaners want to know how short-time work will affect them personally. Some belong to the risk group and want information about their health protection. Others live in the same household with people in the risk group and wonder if they should continue working."

Ensuring hygiene and health protection Implementation of the exit strategy

In contrast to usual, very many self-employed cleaners also turned to the experts at PK Reinigung in recent weeks. Since the Federal Council has now also presented a financial solution for the self-employed, a decrease in corresponding inquiries is expected. The managing director of PK Reinigung also expects that the Federal Council's three-stage exit strategy presented on April 16, 2020, will reduce short-time work for cleaners in the coming weeks. She says: "The relaxation of the measures requires a high degree of hygiene. This is where the work of cleaners is needed." With further developments around the resumption of work in various industries, new and other important questions are now arising that affect cleaning companies and their employees. Claudia Hablützel and her team are preparing for the next onslaught of phone calls and emails.

Source and further information: PK Cleaning, www.reineprofis.ch