The Real Impact of Automated Floor Cleaning

Earlier this month the facility management industry recognized World FM Day to “celebrate the important contributions and achievements of the facility management community, and the positive impact the profession has on our lives.” 

 

It’s a worthy awareness day. Facility management, as a field, is hugely important to the businesses, offices buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, and other common spaces that we utilize every day. But few people realize the enormous amount of time, effort and money that goes into battling the daily mess of a high-traffic facility, and ensuring that building systems remain functional and safe. Without this important work, entropy rules, putting people’s health and safety (not to mention comfort) at risk.

 

As automation has quickly swept through industry after industry, facilities management has also begun realizing the benefits of robotic assistance—particularly in the area of floor cleaning. Let’s take a look at six of the biggest benefits facilities can expect when integrating this helpful technology into their operations.

 

Yep, this one’s obvious. Maintaining a consistent level of cleanliness, especially in high-traffic areas, is important for any facility that values hygiene, safety, and aesthetics. But in reality, it’s easier said than done. When floor cleaning is only performed using manual tools and machines, it can suffer from inconsistent efforts and results as custodians try to juggle these time-intensive floor cleaning tasks with other important responsibilities throughout the day. 

 

In contrast, autonomous floor cleaning robots deliver consistent results with every cleaning cycle and can be deployed as frequently as needed. Floor cleaning robots also follow predetermined and programmed cleaning protocols, ensuring uniformity and adherence to facility SOPs. This consistency enhances the overall appearance and safety of the facility, instills confidence in visitors and workers, and gives busy staff members one less thing to worry about.

 

Beyond aesthetics, floor cleanliness is a critical safety issue. Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common workplace accidents, and they can be directly linked to the condition of the floors. The National Safety Council reports that slips and falls are the leading cause of workplace injuries, costing businesses billions of dollars annually in workers’ compensation claims and lost productivity.

 

According to Occupational Health & Safety magazine, “A significant number of slip and fall injuries that are caused by problems with the walking surface are due to floors that are wet or have a dry contaminant, such as sand, dirt, or another granular material on them.” Overlooked floor cleaning and maintenance increases the risk of these accidents. 

 

For businesses, the costs go beyond just financial losses. Workplace injuries can lead to legal liabilities, higher insurance premiums, and staff shortages. Similarly, on-premise injuries to the public or customers can result in all of the above, plus a damaged reputation. Maintaining clean and dry floors, especially in high-traffic areas, is a preventive measure that can save facilities from these potential risks, and it’s made all the easier when the floor cleaning process is automated.

 

Autonomous floor cleaning robots are a significant investment for any business, and facility managers are rightly interested in a strong ROI. But in our experience supporting hundreds of clients through the transition to automated floor cleaning, ROI is really ROL (return on labor). Here’s why. 

 

Floor cleaning is one of facility management’s most time-consuming (but essential) tasks. Depending on the size of the facility and frequency of cleaning, an entire day’s worth of labor could easily be spent just cleaning the floors. But most facilities can’t afford to dedicate all of one employee’s time to maintaining the floors, nor would most people want to spend all day performing such a repetitive and strenuous task. So when floor cleaning is automated, what happens? Does one floor cleaning robot = one FTE, who then gets laid off?

 

Not at all. Instead, the facilities we work with are using the man-hours saved through automation to reinvest their employees’ time towards more valuable work. This smart and useful reallocation of human labor is why we’re calling out the impressive ROL of floor cleaning robots. ROL is all about using your workforce in the most effective way possible. Instead of spending hours on low-value, repetitive tasks, employees can shift the bulk of their focus to work that requires human judgment, customer service, and technical expertise. It’s a win-win: businesses get better efficiency, and employees get to do more meaningful work.

 

When a facility incorporates robotic assistance for the custodial team (or other staff members responsible for cleaning), it not only gives employees a break from monotony and physical strain, but also shows them that the company values their time and wellbeing. With autonomous robots handling the routine floor cleaning, staff can focus on a wider range of tasks and get more variety and satisfaction out of each workday.

 

Adding new technology to the typically analog world of cleaning also creates new avenues for career growth and upskilling. Roles that might have previously been perceived as low-skilled or stagnant can be opened up to new levels of learning and responsibility when floor cleaning robots are adopted as assets to be mastered and actively managed. For instance, tech-oriented custodial staff can be designated as “Bot Managers,” learning how to map, maintain, troubleshoot and retrieve cleaning data from the robots. As they become more familiar with the facility’s robots, they can help train other employees, elevating their role and providing deeper job satisfaction. For employers, this investment in technology signals a commitment to providing employees with a better work experience, improving morale and retention rates.

 

In addition to benefiting cleaning staff directly, autonomous cleaning robots can greatly enhance operational efficiency. The fact is, floor cleaning and maintenance are some of the most time-intensive tasks that custodial workers handle during the course of their jam-packed daily schedules. And in many facilities, when staffing levels fall short or there are too many competing demands on custodians, floor cleaning is often the first thing to fall through the cracks due to its intensive and time-consuming nature. 

 

Floor cleaning robots eliminate this conundrum. They are designed to work independently and continuously, following pre-programmed routes that can be tweaked as needed. Their ability to operate autonomously also means that facility floors can be cleaned during non-peak hours, such as overnight or early morning, without requiring extra staff to operate equipment. This scheduling flexibility lets facilities keep floors consistently clean without disrupting regular business activities or overburdening cleaning staff. It also means janitorial staff can be scheduled more effectively, allowing them to focus on other important tasks and boosting overall efficiency.

 

First impressions matter, especially for customer-facing businesses and institutions that thrive on public trust, such as healthcare and educational facilities. The moment someone steps into a facility, they begin forming opinions about the organization and the quality of service they can expect to receive. Research has shown that cleanliness is a key factor in these first impressions. 68% of respondents to a Cintas survey on retail cleanliness said dirty floors would sour their perception of a business. This statistic alone underscores the importance of maintaining a clean environment, but it goes further. Perceptions of cleanliness can also affect word of mouth and online ratings, with 85% of Americans being unwilling to patronize businesses with negative online reviews about the cleanliness of its facilities.

 

Clean floors are an immediately visible signal to the public that your business is highly professional and pays attention to detail. Customers are more likely to trust and feel comfortable in a facility that is well-maintained. On the flip side, dirty floors can give the impression of neglect and poor management, which can erode trust and drive customers away. 

 

Automated floor cleaning is quickly becoming the new standard in facility management—for the reasons listed above, and others unique to each facility and its specific needs. As their value continues to be cemented within the field, autonomous floor cleaning robots represent not just a smart investment, but a strategic imperative for facilities seeking to elevate their standards of cleanliness, optimize operational efficiency, and do more with the staff they have. 

 

Let us show you the value that automated cleaning can bring to your facility. Get in touch with our robotics experts today!