COVID-19: How We've Risen to the Challenge
In mid March, the World Health Organisation announced the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
We wrote a blog at the beginning of March detailing how we were dealing with the virus then, but since then the virus has spread rapidly across the globe. As a result, most countries put in place unprecedented and highly restrictive measures to help contain the virus’s further spread.
However, during this difficult period, there are front line workers – referred to as ‘key’ or ‘essential’ workers – who are expected to continue providing a vital service. A number of those workers work for Cledor and we are tremendously proud of the commitment our cleaners, concierges, building managers and security personnel are showing in supporting our property management clients.
We’ve followed the government safety guidelines and have taken the necessary action to protect our staff whilst they continue with their duties. We have also taken the necessary action to ensure residents and others using the common areas of buildings are not put at risk by the presence of our front-line staff.
Clear and Regular Communication Saves Lives
As an avid user of social media, I see on a daily basis misinformation about the coronavirus which has the potential to do a great deal of harm. Communicating clearly, helpfully and factually is extremely important at the present time.
Communicating with our staff: We stay in close contact with them, making sure they always have sufficient stocks of PPE (disposable masks, aprons and gloves) and cleaning materials, and that they continue to feel safe whilst doing their job. We have an IT literate workforce so regular reminders to their smartphones about social distancing and diligent hygiene are read, absorbed and remembered. We’ve just announced to our staff that they can carry over annual leave for two years if they wish, helping to take the pressure off them individually and us when we need all hands on deck.
Communicating with you: Each client manages buildings with unique requirements, so our communicating with our clients has been tailored accordingly. We remain in regular contact with our clients, ensuring that they know we can be relied upon. We understand constraints of service charge budgets and service charge cashflow, so we work closely with our managing agent clients to find a way to procure vital services from us now, even if funds are tight.
Communicating with residents: At a distance of at least 2 metres! As always, our staff are super polite and welcoming to residents and hopefully our continued services will act to reassure them that there’s someone on hand from Cledor to help.
Communicating with the authorities: The police can now stop people and check that they are key/essential/critical workers. That’s why we have given our staff letters to carry with them at all times to demonstrate their status in this fight against the virus.
How Cledor has changed to keep serving you
At a time when most communal residences are fully occupied with families self-isolating, providing on-site support is more important than ever. First of all, in line with government requirements, our non-essential workers were asked to remain at home, as painful as that was for most of them.
Then we worked with our clients to develop a COVID-19 strategy, building by building, ultimately to protect residents and visitors. Central to this strategy was identifying essential workers and why they are essential:
cleaning staff
caretakers
porters and concierges
They all play an important role in keeping their building cleaner than ever before, welcoming emergency contractors, and assisting vulnerable residents with basic tasks that we have all taken for granted up to now.
We have redoubled our efforts to provide cleaning staff in particular as managing agents of residential buildings have requested a higher frequency of common parts cleaning. We have played particular attention to handrails, lift buttons, door push plates – any parts of the common areas that you wouldn’t think twice about touching under normal circumstances.
We have taken advantage of our excellent supplier chain to ensure priority deliveries of cleaning products that are proven to kill viruses such as corona. Our concierges have been trained to carry out top-up cleaning, making the most of their time on site between scheduled cleaning visits.
Then there is our team of security personnel, which fall under the ‘critical worker’ category. Their role is and will be vital in supporting law and order, especially important when the more dishonest corners of society seek to take advantage of residents and business owners concerned about the health of their family and their ability to makes ends meet.
Retail and office owners and operators are concerned about their empty buildings so patrols are still important. Where possible CCTV is monitored remotely, helping in the efforts to socially distance. Intruder alarms need to be in top working order, and we need to ensure response centres are staffed sufficiently to react fast if there is a break-in in progress.
None of us know how long this situation will continue, so we have erred on the side of caution and stockpiled staff (for want of a better word!) so that we have teams and individuals on stand-by should clients’ on-site staff are self-isolating or becoming unwell from the virus. Some of our non-essential staff have the skills to fulfil an essential role, hence with their permission and with all risks to their health mitigated, they can be called up.
It’s a challenging time… we need to pull together
As lockdowns were announced across Europe, we have members of our team unable to return to the UK from countries such as Italy and Spain, to continue their roles. Flights repeatedly cancelled, refunds not forthcoming…It’s been a challenging time. What has impressed us greatly is the support our team has given to our company and how that has translated into support for our clients. It makes me proud of what we achieve together.
I’m proud of the way the industry is starting to pull together to overcome challenges none of us could have predicted. Identifying ‘essential’, ‘statutory’, ‘emergency’, and ‘recommended’ maintenance and H&S checks is not easy and it’s clear that managing agents are approaching these challenges in their own way. The ability to pick up keys, travel across London or be permitted access to a building, all present challenges to suppliers to our industry, doing their utmost to keep their clients’ buildings checked and maintained during these unprecedented circumstances.
The industry has an opportunity to pull together more – suppliers supporting property managers and property managers supporting suppliers. Whilst social distancing is so vitally important now, neglecting security, cleaning, H&S and maintenance requirements will lead to putting residents and members of the public at a greater risk of harm. The longer-term survival of many suppliers is dependant on the support from their managing agent clients.
What will the next two or three months bring?
We simply don’t know. Personally, I keep a close eye on developments so Cledor is at the forefront of the fight to protect people from the virus and to ensure – as far as possible – that it’s business as usual.
Stay safe.
Nick Regnier is the founder and managing director of Cledor.