Case Study – Data-driven approach to maximise efficiency and hygiene
Case Study – Data-driven approach to maximise efficiency and hygiene
About the partnership
We have been contracted to provide cleaning services for this leading global design and engineering consultancy (via our partnership with CBRE) since 2019, and were recently re-appointed for another five years. Key reasons for the renewal were our exceptional service delivery, our innovative occupancy-led solution and our recent transition to becoming an Employee-Owned Trust.
The new contract sees us deliver cleaning operations across 24 consultancy’s offices in the UK, including major hubs in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Epsom. This case study details how we utilised building occupancy data to strengthen our support and tailor our cleaning services to address the varying occupancy levels at four key offices.
Addressing the occupancy challenge
Since the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, there has been a significant impact on the office landscape. With the rise of remote working, and with many people only coming into the office for part of the week, there has been a significant shift in office occupancy. This has been no different for this client.
The business has had to navigate the complexities of remote work, hybrid models, and return-to-office strategies, while also being acutely aware of the importance of the hygiene and cleanliness of its spaces. The consultancy recognised that occupancy in its offices varied through the week, and that there was a huge amount of new technology and potential solutions that could help it to operate its buildings in a more efficient way.
We worked with the client and CBRE to understand the priorities and implemented a programme to pilot a different way of working across four key consultancy’s properties. Starting with London, Birmingham city centre, Epsom and Bristol, our team designed an approach to cleaning services that was intelligent, practical and met the needs of the client.
Collecting and analysing up-to date occupancy data played a pivotal role in how we optimised our cleaning services at these four sites. Working with CBRE, we utilised the swipe card technology that accurately captures individual entries to buildings to collect six months’ worth of data from every site. Our analysis of this data highlighted a consistent trend across the four sites, suggesting fewer individuals using the space on Tuesdays and Fridays, rather than the typical Monday and Friday. Average occupancy over the full week was 38%, which was dragged down by Tuesday and Friday when the average was below 30%.
Having these insights allowed us to develop a cleaning strategy that delivered maximum efficiency. We proactively scheduled cleaning operations to align with peak occupancy periods to ensure that the workspaces were hygienically clean for all users when they needed it. Conversely, our cleaning team was reallocated to alternative tasks at off-peak times. Regular monthly reviews of the swipe card occupancy data allowed us to adjust cleaning schedules and make changes tailored to each site’s specific needs.
The impact
The success of our data-driven approach has been evident in its rapid design and implementation, all of which was completed within just 60 days, which is testament to our team’s ability to adapt to changing requirements and deliver results.
Our cleaning operations at the four key sites were aligned with peak times, and off-peak hours were used for other tasks, reducing the need for a constant housekeeping presence. This allowed us to trial and implement innovative work models, such as transitioning staff to a four-day workweek while ensuring cleaning standards were maintained through a strategic rotation of housekeeping teams.
By prioritising flexibility, we delivered an 8% saving in the client’s budget without compromising service quality or making redundancies. By retaining resources and implementing a flexible staffing model, we maintained our flexibility to scale up as needed.
Furthermore, the client noted a positive impact on staff morale and retention. With cleanliness and hygiene playing an important role in how employees view their workplace, our work directly supported the client’s workplace strategy to create destination workplaces.
This innovative approach delivered at the London, Birmingham, Epsom and Bristol sites is now set to expand across the client’s UK portfolio. By embracing data-driven decision-making, our team demonstrated that it can not only streamline operations but also foster a more agile and adaptable workforce, ready to navigate evolving challenges with efficiency and effectiveness.
“We work very closely with the consultancy to ensure that we are helping them to meet their objectives and overcome any challenges. Churchill has a key role in this and played an active part in analysing our occupancy data to develop a solution. It was implemented with ease and the client is thrilled with the results. Churchill’s methodical approach and comprehensive solution made it easy for us and the client to understand and give the green light.”
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