Shared work canteen

[terrysgirl33]

Hi, we have a canteen in work, with fridge/microwave/dishwasher/hot water. Milk, tea and coffee are provided but you bring your own food in. Can anyone in a similar set up tell me how their place works?

We are having problems with cleaning, there is a cleaner but she loads the diswasher and wipes down counters, it is not her job to clean the fridges or wash up, and she doesn't have time to do it.

 

[truthseeker]

How big is the fridge?

Why is the cleaning of the fridge not covered by the cleaner? If she doesnt have time, should there be 2 cleaners? I cant imagine youd be cleaning a fridge too often so can the cleaner not be instructed to clean it once every couple of weeks?

Why does the cleaner have to load the dishwasher, can people not pop their cups/plates in themselves - or is there some 'elf and safety' reason?

How many people use the canteen?

I have worked in this situation, but I suspect the arrangement in the place I was in worked because it was small, people would give the (small) fridge and microwave a wipe themselves now and again and there wasnt a dishwasher, people washed up their plate and cup after use, or used paper plates that staff occasionally brought in themselves. I cant remember who provided the milk, but I think it came from petty cash and the receptionist used to bring it in, but if we ran out anyone would get some.
Very occasionally someone would have a big rant about plates/cups not being washed or a dirty fridge, and a couple of helpful people (like me) would give things a scrub on a lunch break.
I didnt really use things tbh, I brought sandwiches and ate them out of the tin foil and occasionally used the hot water for a pot noodle, but at the time I wasnt much of a tea drinker so I would just have water from the dispenser. But if the tiny kitchen cubicle place was looking a bit rough Id no issue spending 2 or 3 minutes giving things a wipe, clear away etc..

 

[terrysgirl33]

About 20 people use the canteen. The cleaner is from a contract cleaners, a year or two ago they were requested to lower their costs. They were at no time expected to wash up, but they are now doing the same cleaning they always did in 1/2 an hour less per day, so I can't see any way they could clean the fridges too!

I don't know why people don't put things in the dishwasher.

There are some people who always tidy up after themselves, and some who never do...

 

[truthseeker]

About 20 people use the canteen. The cleaner is from a contract cleaners, a year or two ago they were requested to lower their costs. They were at no time expected to wash up, but they are now doing the same cleaning they always did in 1/2 an hour less per day, so I can't see any way they could clean the fridges too!

I don't know why people don't put things in the dishwasher.

There are some people who always tidy up after themselves, and some who never do...

Oh, thats about the same numbers I had.

Someone (in charge) needs to make a canteen policy and follow it, and be seen to follow it, and reprimand those who dont follow it.

Wash up after yourself, put your stuff in the dishwasher, rotate a rota of fridge cleaning.

Im sure that the people who never clean up after themselves are those who think they are too important to be bothered with such a menial job as putting their dish in the dishwasher. We had some like that too but the top man himself was fierce about insisting people did it.
If people cleaned up after themselves maybe the cleaner would have time to do the fridge periodically?

Honestly - are people children that they dont clean up after themselves?

 

[aonfocaleile]

In our place, the fridge is emptied on a Friday evening (by the cleaner). Every few weeks someone from the office then takes the shelves out and puts them into the dishwasher on a short cycle. They come out spotless. There isn't a rota and some are better than others at tidying up. I'd often give the place a quick wipe or load/empty the dishwasher. The cleaner also wipes the counter, loads the dishwasher and mops the floor, but some of the more considerate staff do it to ease her load. Some less considerate people throw their used teabags in the sink. YOU ARE NOT AT HOME PEOPLE - use the compost bin thats 3 inches away!!