Taking an extended holiday soon? It’s a good idea to start planning now. A recent Harvard Business Review article suggested the ideal time to plan is four to six week ahead. Ideally, employees should find a colleague to act as a backup at least one month before. Once the backup employee is found that person should be provided with a detailed handover document, listing any current projects, pending tasks, and instructions. Setting up a meeting before your departure to discuss the document with your colleague is also key. Additionally, be sure to include your backup in any important meetings and emails leading up to your break so your colleague is clued in on all tasks. Lastly, it’s best to write a clear out-of-office message providing contact details for your backup. Looking for a quick guide for a stress-free break: Find a backup. Determine what needs to be done while you are away. Create a handover document for your backup. Meet with your backup to discuss the handover document. Include your backup in important emails and meetings. Write a clear out-of-office message. Happy holidays!
Positing your business for growth requires an active stance. Successful building service contractors (BSCs) are looking to the future when making decisions, hiring employees, choosing technology, and setting their culture. Are you prepared to guide your BSC to new heights? Register for Building Tomorrow’s BSC: Critical Elements Necessary for Growth, a free webinar presented by Cleaning & Maintenance Management (CMM) at 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Dec. 3. In just one hour, webinar panelists will unlock the secrets to help you outshine your competitors, transform your business approach, and leave an indelible mark on the industry. You will learn: What elements are critical to a successful BSC. How to focus on organizational excellence, profitability, growth, and sustainability when hiring. How to influence younger generations and open their perspective to joining the cleaning and maintenance industry. When and where to use technologies such as robotic and artificial intelligence to stay competitive. How to increase the value multiplier and leave a legacy. And much more! The expert panel for this webinar includes: Elizabeth Christenson (moderator), CMM editor George Boutsalis, Impact Cleaning Services vice president Benjamin Fernandez, Verde program manager David Grossman, Renue Systems president Iris Verdi, Elite Building Services director of operations A live Q&A session will round out the webinar. Come prepared with questions specific to your BSC challenges and concerns. Our expert panelists will be ready! Registrants can participate in the live event and will obtain a link to the webinar recording afterward. Click here to register today! This webinar is brought to you by Aspire.
The November/December issue of Cleaning & Maintenance Management is now available in a digital format. This edition examines high-tech training methods for facility management staff, such as virtual reality. It offers advice from building service contractors on removing snow and ice from their client’s sidewalks and parking lots. The newest CMM edition reveals several methods for measuring your team’s cleaning performance and explains the risks of biofilms commonly found on surfaces, helping you set efficient cleaning protocols. It delves into sustainability best practices for managing construction and demolition waste, creating buy-in for zero waste policies, and choosing environmentally sustainable consumable products. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in this issue: Real-Life Training With Virtual Reality: The future of training just got real Freeze Out Your Competition, Not Your Clients: Building service contractors share their best practices for efficient snow and ice removal Sustainable Approaches for Managing Construction and Demolition Waste: Repurposing and recycling materials saves facility budgets and the environment Steps to Success on the Journey to Zero Waste: Communication and planning inspire facility buy-in Measuring Cleaning Performance Like an Athlete: A winning play increases worker efficiency and customer satisfaction Beware of Biofilms: Colonies of microorganisms harm humans and surfaces Embrace the Rise of Autonomous Cleaning: Research before you buy to boost your facility’s cleaning efficiency Simplify Cleaning in Food Service Facilities: Enhance cleanliness with effective training and labor-saving products 4 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Disposables: Tips for selecting environmentally sustainable consumable products Check out the table of contents to see all this edition of CMM has to offer including profiles of exhibitors at ISSA Show North America 2024.
The Eagle Hill Consulting Employee Retention Index held steady for the third quarter of 2024, decreasing by less than half a point to 104.7 from 105.1 from the previous quarter. While employee attrition rates have been falling this year, the index signaled that more workers could leave their jobs through early 2025 after several quarters of declining attrition. Notably, in the third quarter of 2024, the index found employee confidence in their organization’s culture and compensation remain strong and hit peaks the last quarter. Employee optimism related to compensation continued to climb, up 1.7 points, while employees’ confidence in their organization and leadership held steady at 104.4. Worker attitudes regarding their workplace culture declined by 2.3 points while optimism around workers’ near-term outlook for the job market saw the largest decline, unraveling gains from the last quarter. Looking at various demographics, the index found workers who are most likely to stay in their jobs are millennial (113.8), male (110), and baby boomer (106.2) employees. On the flip side, Gen Z (88.3) and female (97.6) employees are more likely to leave. The index’s findings largely align with new jobs data. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data for August found that employers backed off in hiring, and more workers are staying in their jobs. JOLTS reported that the number of employees voluntarily quitting their jobs fell to 3.08 million, the lowest level since September 2020. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that employers added 254,000 jobs in September, far more than projected, while the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked lower, down to 4.1% from 4.2% the month prior. The agency also reported that worker wages increased 0.4% for the month, rising to four percent year over year.
New Jersey’s statewide minimum wage will increase by US$0.36 to $15.49 per hour for most employees, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) sets the minimum wage for the coming year based on any increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI) data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Aligning the state minimum wage with any increases in the cost of living is a critical step toward economic fairness and security for all New Jersey workers,” said Robert Asaro-Angelo, labor commissioner. “This adjustment fosters a more equitable economy and ensures our workforce can continue to thrive.” Under the law, the minimum wage rate for employees of seasonal and small employers will continue to increase gradually until 2028 to lessen the impact on those businesses. The minimum hourly wage for these employees will increase to $14.53 on Jan. 1, up from $13.73. New Jersey’s minimum wage increase is not unlike increases set for other states and cities. In 2025, minimum wage in Rhode Island, Illinois, and Delaware wage is set to increase to $15 per hour. New York State’s minimum wage will increase to $15.50 on Jan. 1, 2025. On July 1, Chicago already set its minimum wage at $16.20 an hour. Other states with minimum wages set at $15 or more include: California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, and Washington, D.C. Currently, Washington, D.C., has the highest state/territory minimum at $17.50. In November, voters will decide whether to increase California’s minimum wage gradually to $18 an hour, which would be the highest statewide minimum wage by 2026. In California, fast-food workers already must be paid at least $20 per hour. Nearly 40 California cities already have local minimum wages higher than the state’s.
With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in employee recruitment, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Sept. 24 released AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework, a new tool designed to support the inclusive use of AI in employers’ hiring technology and increase benefits to disabled job seekers. Published by the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology, the framework will help employers reduce the risks of creating unintentional forms of discrimination and barriers to accessibility as they implement AI hiring technology. Funded by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the initiative will also help workers and job seekers navigate the potential benefits and challenges they may face when encountering AI-enabled technologies. The framework has 10 focus areas, including practices, goals, and sample activities that employers can adopt in their AI governance and disability-inclusive hiring initiatives. Each area has information on maximizing benefits and managing risks for workers and job seekers when an organization assesses, acquires, or deploys an AI hiring technology. “The ODEP works with many employers eager to hire people with disabilities and benefit from their talents,” said Taryn Williams, assistant secretary for disability employment policy. “These employers recognize that AI tools can improve recruitment and hiring but may also impact workplace culture and inclusion of disabled employees. The AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework published today charts a clear course for employers to navigate this transformation successfully.” The initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to prevent AI-powered employment tools from hindering U.S. workers’ employment prospects. In October 2022, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy released its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights to promote more equitable and inclusive digital hiring practices with workers with disabilities and other underserved communities.
A new study reveals that Georgians are most eager to find jobs in the United States, with the highest volume of monthly job-hunting keyword searches per 100,000 people. The localization management platform Centus used Google Keyword Planner to analyze the search volume data for each U.S. state in the past year for keywords related to finding a job. These keywords included “Glassdoor,” “ZipRecruiter,” “Indeed Jobs,” and “Job near me.” To avoid population bias, a monthly search volume per 100,000 people was then calculated. Top 10 most eager states to find a new job Georgia—4,272 monthly Google searches for job-hunting keywords per 100,000 people. On average, the state has a total of 471,142 searches for job-hunting keywords every month. Delaware—3,561 monthly searches for keywords related to finding a job per 100,000 residents, and an average monthly total of 36,743 searches. Florida—3,546 monthly searches for job-hunting keywords for every 100,000 people, and a total of 801,696 searches on average per month. Mississippi—3,516 searches every month for every 100,000 people, and a total of 103,353 job-seeking searches per month. Maryland—3,459 monthly searches per 100,000 people, and a total of 213,755 each month on average. North Carolina—3,428 monthly searches for every 100,000 people, and an average monthly total of 371,397 over the last year. Texas—3,422 monthly searches on average per 100,000 people, and a total of 1,043,728 every month—the second highest on the list. Illinois—3,389 monthly searches for every 100,000 residents, and a total of 425,321 per month over the last year. Arizona—3,360 monthly job-hunting searches for every 100,000 people, and a total of 249,675 searches per month. South Carolina—3,318 monthly searches on average per 100,000 people, and a total of 178,283 searches every month over the last year.
On Tuesday, a federal judge in Texas barred a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule banning noncompete agreements from being enacted. Reuters reported the judge said the FTC, which is an antitrust law watchdog, does not have the authority to ban practices it deems unfair methods on competition. This same judge had temporarily blocked the rule in July. In response, the FTC said it is considering an appeal. The ban was set to go into effect Sept. 4. While the FTC's rule would have been the first nationwide ban, California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and North Dakota have already banned noncompete agreements. At least a dozen other states have also passed laws limiting their use. The FTC said an estimated 30 million workers—nearly one in five Americans—are subject to a noncompete clause. Last week, a U.S. district judge in Ocala, Florida, also blocked the FTC from applying the rule to real estate developer Properties of the Villages, pending the outcome of the company's lawsuit claiming the commission lacked the power to institute a ban, Reuters reported. At least three lawsuits have been filed challenging the ban.
Startups have lost their luster, according to a new report. Nearly a quarter (24%) of workers and 27% of women said startup culture is toxic in the report. In turn, 69% of respondents believe it’s harder for startups to succeed in 2024. The report found that the landscape has shifted as more workers value work-life balance over the traditional startup allure of potential wealth and trendy office perks. The study found: 21% would never work for a startup, citing a lack of job security, layoff risk, and toxic work environments. 30% say office perks are less appealing than they used to be. One in four believe startups are boys’ clubs. With more than one in 10 respondents declaring startup culture dead, the survey highlighted the significant deterrents to startup appeal: 75% cited long hours. 43% said the high-risk/reward model. 36% named the necessity of living in a tech hub city. Interestingly, the survey also found three in four people prefer remote work to office perks. Most (89%) would join a startup if they could work remotely.
Half of U.S. workers indicated they prefer working for an organization that provides flexibility when it comes to remote and hybrid work, according to a new poll from Eagle Hill Consulting. Additionally, half of workers said they would consider looking for a new job should their employer reduce remote and hybrid work flexibility. Specifically, 61% of Gen Z workers said they would—the highest among the generations. Further, only 30% of workers said their employer has solicited their input on what remote and hybrid work flexibility they would prefer, while 67% said remote work improves corporate culture. Workers also said their top concerns about more in-person work include work-life balance (48%), commute time (41%), increased costs (36%), stress (33%), and happiness (26%). This research comes as many employers continue to increase in-person work, while other organizations are leveraging flexible-work arrangements to recruit and retain workers in a continued tight labor market. The survey also found that employees see the value of in-person work. A large share of workers (56%) said those who work more in the office than remotely are more likely to be successful in their jobs. The vast majority (85%) of workers said team building is managed better in person, as is integrating new team members (84%), training and managing teams (78%), onboarding (74%), kicking off a new project (76%), getting a project back on track (74%), performance discussions (68%), meetings (65%), giving and receiving feedback (63%), brainstorming (62%), and IT support (54%). The research also found: Employees say the benefits of returning to the workplace would include increased socialization (46%), the ability to leave work at work (35%), improved collaboration (33%), and more productivity (32%). Workers are split on employers tracking their attendance to ensure compliance with company remote work policies. More than half (51%) want their attendance tracked, while 49% don’t. More than one-third (34%) of workers are willing to sacrifice a dedicated workspace in exchange for more remote work. Only 17% would sacrifice pay for increased remote work. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of employees said someone they work with directly makes their remote work flexibility decisions.
Last week, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) addressed growing concern about unfair and deceptive practices by franchisors. To ensure that the franchise business model remains a ladder of opportunity to owning a business for honest small business owners, the FTC issued a policy statement that warns franchisors’ use of contract provisions violate the law. This includes non-disparagement clauses that prohibit franchisees’ communications with the government. The statement emphasizes that franchisee reports and voluntary interviews are a critical part of FTC investigations and franchisees’ reluctance or inability to file reports and discuss their experiences may hamper the agency’s work to protect franchisees. Threats of retaliation against a franchisee for reporting potential law violations to the government are also unlawful. Additionally, the FTC released new guidance, which explained that franchisors cannot lawfully impose and collect fees from franchisees that were not previously disclosed. In response to the FTC’s request for information, franchisees reported ever-increasing payment processing and technology fees that make it difficult to make a living, while others identified undisclosed fees for training, marketing, property improvement, or any other product or service required by the franchisor. The new guidance makes clear that it is illegal for franchisors to impose undisclosed junk fees—fees that raise costs and which may make the difference between a profitable franchise and an unsustainable one. “Franchising is a chance for Americans to build a business, but the FTC has heard concerns about how unfair franchisor practices, like a failure to fully disclose fees upfront, go unreported thanks to a fear of retaliation," said Lina M. Khan, FTC Chair. "Today the commission is making clear that contractual terms prohibiting franchisees from reporting potential law violations to the government are unfair, unenforceable, and illegal." The FTC also released the top concerns raised by franchisees in response to a 2023 Request for Information. The FTC received more than 2,000 comments in response to the RFI, including from franchisees, franchisors, and other stakeholders. In turn, the FTC is reopening the comment period for the 2023 RFI related to franchise agreements and franchisor business practices until Oct. 10 at regulations.gov. Franchise resources also can be found at the newly launched FTC franchise website.
On July 9, the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee officially approved the Education and Workforce Freedom Act (HR 8915) by a vote of 23-13. This bill included legislative text pulled from the ISSA-supported Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (HR 1477/S 722), which is a public-policy priority for ISSA. The bill would expand qualified expenses under 529 savings plans to include post-secondary training and credentialing, such as licenses and professional certifications for cleaning workers. As an early member of the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition, ISSA has long advocated for the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act. In April, 100+ cleaning-industry leaders who attended the ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit met with congressional offices about the need for training essential workers and advocated for specific legislation. This collective advocacy is an important reason why the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act has gained so much bipartisan support in Congress (146 House cosponsors; 24 Senate cosponsors). “This marks a major milestone for our essential workforce training efforts,” said ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft. “We thank the House Ways and Means committee members who voted to approve HR 8915, as well as our association partners and ISSA advocates who helped make this legislative success to date possible. Although the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act still has more to achieve in Congress, it’s progressing in a steadfast and meaningful way.” The bill has now been reported to the House floor for consideration at a time to be determined. Take action: Using ISSA’s Advocacy Action Center, take a moment to email, post on X, and/or call your congressional delegation to request their support for the bipartisan, bicameral Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act to help essential cleaning professionals get trained and certified. Take action To learn more about ISSA advocacy and our legislative efforts to train essential workers, please contact ISSA Senior Government Affairs Manager Stacy Seiden.
