Hiring a custodian/janitor

[Mithrandir]

What are your thoughts on a wage for a part time custodian. Basic janitorial duties. He/she will vacuum, clean restrooms, mop floors, take out the trash, clean tables, etc. About 10 hours per week.

Is this a minimum wage job? I am undecided about how much to pay, as I realize there is not a lot of skill necessary to do the job, but i want someone who will be productive and reliable so i don't have to hire someone else six months down the road. Will a higher wage rate increase the odds of getting someone who will do a very good job?

Thanks.

[Stephen]

How do the 10 hours a week break down? Are you wanting them to come in 2 hours a day Mon-Fri type thing or is more of a "one big cleaning day" type deal?

If it's the latter you could probably hire something like a Merry Maids type service and figure out the rate.

Either way I'd probably look for companies that provide this type of service unless you have someone particular in mind.

As for whether it's a minimum wage job I think in this society it probably is the case, but if you go above that box you are certainly more likely to get someone who takes pride in what they do and won't cut corners/leave you for the next best thing. You could consider starting it at minimum wage (if you find that is in fact the rate), but build in a guaranteed but performance based pay increase after 3 or 6 months so they know they'll be getting more based on performance.

[Piney Boy]

I searched Glassdoor and only found a janitor salary range for Pittsburgh. They get on an average of $12.25 per hour. I would guess you could get less being in a much smaller town. So say $9 or $9.50.

[Mithrandir]

How do the 10 hours a week break down? Are you wanting them to come in 2 hours a day Mon-Fri type thing or is more of a "one big cleaning day" type deal?

If it's the latter you could probably hire something like a Merry Maids type service and figure out the rate.

Either way I'd probably look for companies that provide this type of service unless you have someone particular in mind.

As for whether it's a minimum wage job I think in this society it probably is the case, but if you go above that box you are certainly more likely to get someone who takes pride in what they do and won't cut corners/leave you for the next best thing. You could consider starting it at minimum wage (if you find that is in fact the rate), but build in a guaranteed but performance based pay increase after 3 or 6 months so they know they'll be getting more based on performance.

Thanks Stephen.

I am going to check into a cleaning service, but based on past services here i think it will be more than I can afford. It is a pretty big building (around 20,000 square feet) so cleaning services have been around $800-$1000 month.I would prefer the cleaning service route, but unable to afford it. If i hire someone it will be about $ 300-350 month.

[DMT]

Thanks Stephen.

I am going to check into a cleaning service, but based on past services here i think it will be more than I can afford. It is a pretty big building (around 20,000 square feet) so cleaning services have been around $800-$1000 month.I would prefer the cleaning service route, but unable to afford it. If i hire someone it will be about $ 300-350 month.

$8.75 x 40 = $350

[Mithrandir]

Cleaning companies are a total ripoff price-wise, especially Merry Maids.

In order to know what an appropriate wage is, we'd need to know more about the market that you're in. It's only 10 hours per week --- pay the poor soul more than $7.25 per hour to clean homeless people's piss off of toilets for god's sake.

I am in the Pittsburgh area..about 20 miles away from da Burgh

That's what I was thinking. And surprisingly the restrooms aren't bad at all. We don't have a slew of homeless people messing up the restrooms.

Would you pay a custodian more than the other staff? The part time employees get minimum wage and they do a job, that while not requiring a high degree of skill, still requires more than a custodian. Knowledge of computer systems, general knowledge of library, etc.

[johnnya24]

Minimum $10 per hour. Hiring an outside company for such a small job is pointless. You will end up paying the same, and get a worker slogging away for bare minimum wage.

Cleaners know how much their labour is valued in the free market (minimum wage). If you pay all the money you would normally pay to a outside agency direct to the employee, you will be able to find a grateful hardworking conscientious employee ... even though they have to scrub toilet bowls.

The difference between $70 per week and $100 per week to a single mother doing this as a second job is huge to her, but nothing to you. That pays off for everyone in the long run. You get a better job done, and a better employee around the work place.

The big argument in the UK right now is raising the minimum wage (£6.31 / $10.37) to an acceptable living standard wage (£7.65 / $12.68). There is a lot of momentum behind this. I've also been reading a lot of articles about Obama trying to push the federal minimum wage to $10.10 ... read an article yesterday about the effects of raising the minimum wage in the US ... made for interesting reading, but can't find it now. Basically, it would impact so few people within the overall US economy that the inflationary effects would be almost non-existent.

[johnnya24]

Would you pay a custodian more than the other staff? The part time employees get minimum wage and they do a job, that while not requiring a high degree of skill, still requires more than a custodian. Knowledge of computer systems, general knowledge of library, etc.

When I was a student I did a lot of minimum wage jobs that required computer knowledge ... and well beyond just basic knowledge. But I would never have worked minimum wage to clean shit from toilet bowls ... I would have needed a lot more to incentivize me to do that kind of job.

[Mithrandir]

When I was a student I did a lot of minimum wage jobs that required computer knowledge ... and well beyond just basic knowledge. But I would never have worked minimum wage to clean shit from toilet bowls ... I would have needed a lot more to incentivize me to do that kind of job.

That's what has been thinking...need more than min. wage to clean crap...but..

I have been doing the cleaning along with 2 other Board members for the last 3 months or so and as for the cleaning the shit part...it's not like you clean with your bare hands wear gloves..spray the toilet and bowl. scrub with brush..done...and like i said, amazingly the toilets don't get really dirty..until that one person with explosive diarrhea hits the restroom!!!

So i come up with reasons for both minimum wage and for above minimum wage....

[johnnya24]

That's what has been thinking...need more than min. wage to clean crap...but..

I have been doing the cleaning along with 2 other Board members for the last 3 months or so and as for the cleaning the shit part...it's not like you clean with your bare hands wear gloves..spray the toilet and bowl. scrub with brush..done...and like i said, amazingly the toilets don't get really dirty..until that one person with explosive diarrhea hits the restroom!!!

So i come up with reasons for both minimum wage and for above minimum wage....

Your employees and patrons must have good balanced diets

[mjl]

If you think your other minimum-wage employees will get resentful about the custodian being paid more than minimum wage, you can offer them the job before you hire someone from outside. I have worked as a maid at a hotel and as a... I dunno, general task-doer at a motel that involved cleaning the parking lot, mowing the lawn, etc. and I would be a lot more willing to work with computers than do that again.

I am fortunately in a position where I don't have to worry about the odd dollar so I can justify tipping 20-25% or whatever, but it's pretty easy for me to remind myself that it's just another dollar to me and they probably care. If you don't want to deal with the hiring process regularly, pay them enough more than minimum wage that the job doesn't feel totally interchangeable with other custodial jobs in the area; you want someone who won't quit just because they ran out of vacation days and they need to go take care of their mom for a week, and a minimum wage employee will be a lot less worried about replacing their job than someone who knows they're not likely to do better.

[Pogues]

I am in the Pittsburgh area..about 20 miles away from da Burgh

That's what I was thinking. And surprisingly the restrooms aren't bad at all. We don't have a slew of homeless people messing up the restrooms.

Would you pay a custodian more than the other staff? The part time employees get minimum wage and they do a job, that while not requiring a high degree of skill, still requires more than a custodian. Knowledge of computer systems, general knowledge of library, etc.

See if any of your current employees want to pick up some after business hours. If they don't, then your answer is yes, the janitor deserves higher wages.

[Mithrandir]

See if any of your current employees want to pick up some after business hours. If they don't, then your answer is yes, the janitor deserves higher wages.

Good idea. I have thought of that too.

[Sam]

A little late to the discussion but we just went through the same thing at my ballpark out here on the West Coast. We brought in a few different outside agencies and the one we finally decided on was $15/hour. They do 1 day/week cleaning for 8 hours and then also work home games and rental events. That extra buck or two we pay them versus an individual or lesser company has made a huge difference already. They're invested in the ballpark and we've seen an upgrade already in our janitorial services. Last month, our bill was $480 - a little higher than you're looking to spend but not by much.

Also, in regards to regular staff vs. janitorial staff doing the work - I agree with what the rest of the group has said. If you offer it to them and no one wants it then that likely tells you your answer. Our regular staff (ushers, ticket takers, etc.) make $8/hour and none of them have been clamoring to switch over to the janitorial side.

[Mithrandir]

A little late to the discussion but we just went through the same thing at my ballpark out here on the West Coast. We brought in a few different outside agencies and the one we finally decided on was $15/hour. They do 1 day/week cleaning for 8 hours and then also work home games and rental events. That extra buck or two we pay them versus an individual or lesser company has made a huge difference already. They're invested in the ballpark and we've seen an upgrade already in our janitorial services. Last month, our bill was $480 - a little higher than you're looking to spend but not by much.

Also, in regards to regular staff vs. janitorial staff doing the work - I agree with what the rest of the group has said. If you offer it to them and no one wants it then that likely tells you your answer. Our regular staff (ushers, ticket takers, etc.) make $8/hour and none of them have been clamoring to switch over to the janitorial side.

Thanks Sam. Much appreciated.

So you are saying none of the regular staff would switch for almost double their salary? But i would guess your restroom/cleanup situation is much worse than mine.