Do you....?????

Lippstadt, Germany
July 21, 2012 5:54pm CST
I work at the office till 4 or even 5 pm. Around 4 most of the colleagues have left the place and the friendly people who empty our waste baskets and clean the place come to work on the cleanliness of the building. So most of the time when they check the place and work I am still around. Usually I thank them for emptying my waste paper and working so the place looks presentable. Recently the management changed the company working for us so there are new people around cleaning. I miss the nice person who did this job before and on her last day I asked her for her address. Still got to write her a note of thanks and a small gift as a thank you for her work..... Do you greet these who clean up in your office and thank them for their work?
6 people like this
14 responses
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
22 Jul 12
We have a small cleaning service that comes to the factory I work for a couple of times a day and the lady doing the work is very nice. I do actually talk to her from time to time and comment on how good she does. It was unfortunate that her husband passed last year...he used to come with her. I think they may have actually owned the service together. We took up money for her when we heard the news. The people we work with there are often like family.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
24 Jul 12
I am just crazy over that little piece of sunshine. Mom and baby left yesterday after dad came back from his two week drill. I was not and still not much of a happy camper. I miss them so much and it has only been a day..lol. I bet you made her day for sure. I know how nice it is to just be appreciated sometimes. Good for you!
• Lippstadt, Germany
24 Jul 12
hi dear Jen, we get some sunshine too right now, the first really sunny warm days in weeeeekssssss. Oh how I was waiting for them but I am a little guilty as I feel with the Muslims who are fasting over the daytime and cant even drink water so its better when its not that hot....... Yes all the cleaning ladies like me cause I greet them and also say thanks......
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dearest Jen glad to see you here. How are you doing this weekend and are you still a happy Meemee? I still got to write that letter to Gordana to thank her and include that small gift. she sure thinks I have forgotten but I first had to get something nice for her.
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
21 Jul 12
I don't have a work yet but I know I am usually polite to our maintenance people in school. I say thank you when they clean the place when I'm around, I excuse myself when I have to pass through an area they are working on, and I respect their work, so normally I would never litter anything or do anything that could add extra work for them.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
21 Jul 12
they sure appreciate nice people like you who are thoughtful and respect them for their hard work....... thanks for stepping by.
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
22 Jul 12
I just want to show them that I respect their work and appreciate it and I believe in the golden rule, so respect begets respect. I wouldn't want to be disrespected at anytime of my life so I believe I should just treat anyone, especially hardworking people the same.
• Lippstadt, Germany
24 Jul 12
my thoughts as well, dear choybel. Have a blessed week
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
22 Jul 12
It's been years since I worked in an office. When I did, I always chatted with the people who came through and cleaned and I'm sure I thanked them. I don't believe that I thanked them for their work each time or hardly at all. They didn't work for me. They were just nice people and there were certain familiar faces that I saw a lot. We were more apt to talk about family and other things in common than our work. If they left, I would not seek out an address just to thank them for their work. I liked them for the people they were and their work was completely seperate. There were a few people that I kept in touch with once I got done working for the company and it was because our friendship extended beyond the office anyway.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dear sid556 great to see you here. Thanks for your response. I wish I wasnt so shy and had asked more of them for their address to be able to keep in touch some........lesson learned, I hope, for next time it happens.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
22 Jul 12
I always thank them. I don't have a job but when I did and came across the cleaning people I would tell them what a good job they did and how much we all appreciated them. I think we should do this for all the people who make our lives easier, cleaner and more pleasant. I thank litter gatherers in the park, people sweeping the shopping malls, firemen and cops I see in the grocery, etc. I think these people are largely unappreciated and they deserve praise whenever we can give it. What would we do without them?!
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dear dragon, thanks for stepping by and answering. I am so glad I am not the only one treating them with respect. You are right what would we do without these people cleaning up after uw at the office, in the malls etc.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jul 12
I place the cleaning contract so not only do I see the cleaners but am responsible for ensuring that they meet the standards that we expect. I always speak to them if I see them and for some reason they always clean my office exceptionally well! LOL.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
sounds great. I also tell them when one of the group is absent so they wont have to bother cleaning that desk daily as no one has used it....... so they are thankful for this additional info I guess......
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Jul 12
U are such a nice thoughtful person. As u know i don't work anymore but always had to do my own cleaning. I would have been very nice to them if anyone had come in to clean for me.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dearest Jo some of them are working several cleaning jobs to make a living. The poor people are tired when they get to our place already from their other jobs. Then they find themselves taken for granted, not even greeted let alone thanked for what they do.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Jul 12
I know u are kind to them. U are a 'GOOD GIRL'.
@GardenGerty (157629)
• United States
22 Jul 12
I do not work in that environment, but I do thank people who take care of my trash when I am working in the stores and I show them that I appreciate their consideration.
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dear GG thanks for also being one of those who appreciate others work....... have a blessed Sunday, dear
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Jul 12
Hello my friend, nice to see you. I don't work any longer but I would always greet my co-workers and try to make their day a little brighter with a few words. I still do it where I volunteer and when I go shopping I always have a friendly hello for the staff at the supermarket, bank, anywhere I go. I just try to live by the golden rule and treat others as I would like to be treated. It doesn't always work but it does most of the time.
• Lippstadt, Germany
28 Jul 12
hi dear MsTickle its so wonderful to see you here as well. I have the same experience as you do treating others nicely. Its difficult with some of my colleagues they are not all nice people but most of the cleaners, or cashiers at the supermarket are happy about a smile or kind word.
@AmbiePam (85659)
• United States
25 Jul 12
You're so sweet. It's nice for someone with a thankless job to be thanked.
• Lippstadt, Germany
26 Jul 12
hi dear Ambie by now I learned such nice things about our cleaning lady. She is a cheerful person with an academic career and cleans two hours every evening as a second job. The two girls are in an International School so thats what the additional money is for. I really admire her.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
22 Jul 12
You are very kind cause most people don't even think twice about thanking the cleaning lady. I'm very fortunate as I do housekeeping at a Hospice and always have to clean after the nurses...they are always very appreciative of me emptying their trash
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi dear missybear I see it in the way the colleagues treat them......ignoring them and also not being considerate at all. When I discard paper stuff I make sure the wastebasket is only filled to half maximum so they wont have to lift too heavy. After all there is always the following week day to play catch up with the discarding of paper. No need to fill the wastebasket to the brim so its really heavy. Good the nurses appreciate your hard work.......
@Graceekwenx (3160)
• Philippines
22 Jul 12
Hi Ritter. Yes, i do greet the janis, the messengers, the security guards and the cleaning ladies. Without them, our whole business organization wont be complete. They are little people who does a big amount of job that comes ignored by some. Every christmas, we give our service staff baskets.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
Hi Grace thats lovely the service staff gets something for Christmas as a thank you. Most of them are overlooked at my office not even worth a hi let alone a thanks by most of my colleagues. Shame on them.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
25 Jul 12
I say hi, hello to cleaners of my company only because they do clean outside of my room. In my room, i do clean myself.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
27 Jul 12
hihihi, it is nice when someone does clean for you in the office, but in here, we don't have cleaner for office room, just for lobbies, toilet, etc..so that i have to clean my desk myself.
• Lippstadt, Germany
28 Jul 12
hi ryanong I clean the desk myself too but not the floor...... lol, the cleaners are to clean the desks too and at my place its easy for them as I maintain good order there.
• Lippstadt, Germany
26 Jul 12
hi ryanong thats interesting you clean your own room at the office. I keep sort of order in my cubby hole too but dont vacuum and empty the waste basket. thats what they do for me.
@Pegasus72 (1898)
8 Aug 12
Yes I thank my husband for emptying the garbadge for me by my desk. I think it is quite kind of you to offer a note and a gift to someone you appreciated. This is getting more and more uncommon these days.
• Lippstadt, Germany
8 Aug 12
yes thats why I do it. its so sad that they dont even get a polite "hi" from most of my colleagues let alone a "thank you, and have a nice day".
@Pegasus72 (1898)
8 Aug 12
I know the feeling I have been on the not getting a thank you for my hard work before.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
22 Jul 12
I don't just greet them, I also know them by name. Just because they're not sitting with me behind desks doesn't mean they're not to be regarded as part of the team. No organization can function well without them; they're also needed as much as we are.
1 person likes this
• Lippstadt, Germany
22 Jul 12
hi Raine they change the cleaning companies frequently. I am rather shy to ask the name so I didnt know my last "helpful cleaning angels" name till I mustered up courage asking for her name and address so I can send her the little thank you.....