Janitorial and custodial services are often used interchangeably, but are they the same? The answer is no, there are definitely differences between these roles. Here is a brief overview of each and why it’s important to understand the distinction
Custodians
The word custody oddly enough can mean imprisonment but can also mean to be in protective care. And it’s the second meaning that applies when we talk about custodians in the facility services maintenance or building maintenance industry.
A custodian is generally in charge of taking care of the building in which they work. Depending on the size of the building and the nature of its use, the scope of the custodian can be quite diverse. Tasks range from doing handyman repairs, tracking scheduled maintenance on equipment, to giving the building a fresh lick of paint.
Hiring for these positions can be tough because you are looking for a jack of all trades – someone who is competent to doing a lot of different things. Personality wise you also want someone that is not only able to juggle multiple tasks, and work independently, but also to be able to liaise with folks across all levels of the organization.
Skillful custodians are a rare find because their trades are in high demand and unless the size of your building warrants it you might be better off outsourcing this service.
Janitors
A janitor in contrast to a custodian is usually solely focusses on cleaning the building.
Janitorial cleaners can be part of a team while custodians are usually not. Cleaning and upkeep are the focus, and their tasks usually include removing trash. A lot of times the janitorial crew comes in after hours as to not disrupt the office workers when they mop or empty trash cans.
Depending on the scope of the cleaning, they can be a large team or simply working by themselves, but overall they are only for a couple of hours and at times can cover multiple buildings or clients during a shift.
The skillset of janitors make it an easier role to fill. However, because there usually is not direct oversight – after all, you have probably left for the day when the janitors start their shift – it requires a different management skillset than that required for managing a custodian.
Janitors also tend to have a cleaning as a second job and the turnover of staff can be high because of the odd working hours.
Related read: the difference between commercial cleaning and janitorial
What about Porters?
When we talk about porters versus janitors and custodians it gets a little murky. A porter is someone who spends part – or all of – the day assisting with the operations of a building. That usually includes maintaining the cleanliness of restrooms, staff kitchen and the break-room, to making coffee, checking-in visitors to running small errands.
In short, a day porter can perform cleaning tasks but assist with all other ‘housekeeping’ activities, and housekeeping activities can be quite broad. A day porter can do wonders if you have a building with lots of foot traffic during the day, where you need someone to keep the place presentable in between the nightly cleaning. Intraday disinfection of high touch point areas to minimize the risk of Covid infection is a perfect task that can be made part of a day-porter’s repertoire.
Deciding on the right mix
When you are looking to satisfy your building maintenance needs, your first step is understanding the differences between a janitor, custodian and a porter. The second step is to figure out which role fits best with each of your business needs. The third step is to figure out whether you aim to have one person satisfy the needs you have identified or whether it is best to get multiple specialists to cover your needs. Lastly, and this is probably the most important step, are you intending to manage this yourself or are you better off hiring a competent service provider to handle it for you – read more about outsourcing considerations here.
Don’t stress, when you are recruiting for the position or trying to outsource it to a company that specializes in custodial, janitorial or porter services, System4 of Delaware can help. We are a commercial cleaning and facilities services management company and can cover all the roles described in this blog. Schedule some time with one of our advisors and we will gladly inform you throughout your decision-making process at no cost to you.
