To complain about the office cleaning lady?

You’re not BU but neither is she really. It’s the setup that’s stupid.

I think you need to set new parameters with the buildings manager. Does she clean every day? If so maybe designate tues and thurs 9-10 as when she can clean meeting rooms and book them out as occupied during that time. Desks, kitchens and toilets etc can be done any time and doors must be left closed. If she can’t get to an area on a day then she is permitted to leave it uncleaned that day without fear of reprimand for doing so.

That sort of thing.

Why should she not do this because of you? Oh yes. It's because you feel your role is more important @Raver84
How do you determine that from what the op has written? It is basic manners, whoever you are, not to interrupt meetings in an office. My boss won't even walk into a meeting she isn't part of, unless asked by the other attendees.

I am sure there are other places for her to be cleaning while rooms are in use.

Our cleaners were the best source of gossip in the building. So I would be very against having them in confidential meetings.
Incidentally an old manager of mine used to post a member of staff posing as a cleaner during day long group interviews.
She got more information about the candidates than he ever could.

I worked in a hospital once, and a cleaner charged into a cubicle where a patient was haemorrhaging, and started mopping the floor! She got moved off the wards sharpish.

(Hit Post accidentally sorry)

...In the end I initiated getting another company, when meant spending more money.

It wasn't at all the cleaners fault. She too would ignore requests not to come in etc. but what I didn't realise was she got into trouble if she didn't do what she needed to. I don't know what she meant by take pay, but I know it put her job at risk as she was deemed to not be doing it properly.

We too had meetings which were confidential albeit not patient care.

Speak to the company doing it. But you need to phrase it diplomatically so she doesn't get into even more trouble, I'd say that's the issue here.

Could you maybe say that to her op?
Although she does sound the type who would carry on regardless ☺

When I worked in the NHS we had the same problem. The problem wasn't with the cleaner but was the company who would take pay if rooms weren't done by a specific time every day. There was no option not to do it if they wanted to continue to be paid.

My manager delegated the job of 'having a word' to me (which he did as he just couldn't get people) and after she had a good cry she said it wasn't up to her and she got into a lot of trouble if she didn't do it. I then had to speak to her manager who, ignored the conversation with me and had a go at her. It was a bloody mess and in the end I ini

If I was the cleaner I would ask if it was ok to clean the room. If permission wasn't given by the time my shift finished I would leave a note or text my manager explaining why the room hadn't been cleaned.

Next time, stop what you're doing for 2 mins and wave her out the room for a brief chat. Say you feel you've asked her twice now and she ignores. If she continues to ignore, next chat will be with the facilities manager. Thank you.

Thinking about it, this is the perfect cover. She's a spy.

I don't know what part of confidential information you people aren't getting.

Maybe cleaners should be allowed to clean in a hospital ward when a private examination is going on, or in the prime ministers office when she's making a top secret decision or maybe we should allow cleaners to pop into the OR whilst surgeons are saving lives?

OP is paying to use the offices, she should be able to use them as she sees fit! Privacy included!

She needs to complete her work within her shift hours, she can't be expected to wait round for you. She should knock but you would be unreasonable to stop her.

Can not believe people are saying the OP is BU!

Of course she shouldn't be just waltzing in without knocking, hoovering whilst people are working, never closing doors etc etc.

Definitely bring it up with your manager.

Or, perhaps she’s employed by the other companies and she’s actually a spy.....

Like you she has a job to do. Such as clean meeting room x. Dust conference room y. Why should she not do this because of you? Oh yes. It's because you feel your role is more important. She prob has a family to get home to and dosnt want to wait until you have finished your meeting to dust.

The OP handles performance reviews and confidential financial information. Her role IS more important than the cleaning. Your desperation to come off as champion of the little people has led to common sense deserting you.

Outsourced cleaners have no choice about what they have to get done and when. I work in a school, and our cleaners are given a pitifully short time to get everything done, so they need to rattle through really quickly. She is just doing as she is told. Speak to her boss (maintenance manager?) about the cleaner's working hours by all means, but phrase it in a way that you understand that its not her fault. The cleaner is probably terrified of losing her job if your room doesn't get cleaned or if she doesn't finish on time, and both of those things might not be possible if she has to wait until you are finished.

our office cleaner is part of the team. she must hoover before 9 is the only rule. our cleaner is so considerate. shes finds its very strange we thank her daily and include her for her birthday and office events.

we make the tea or coffee and she joins us for a cuppa before we start the day ( we have a meeting just before start).

why don't you have a quiet word with her and find out why shes doing this?

I don't know...if I were planning industrial espionage, what better way than to go in armed with a hoover, a duster, and pretend not to understand 'not now, please'?

Someone said you can go anywhere if you are carrying a piece of paper and walking meaningfully, perhaps the same applies to carrying a mop?

We have our offices cleaned in the morning during office hours. Our choice, so no issue with keys/alarms etc.

Not the preferred choice of the cleaning company but that is what we wanted.

Our cleaner cleans around us, but will stop hoovering when the phone goes.

OP you need to ascertain what the requirements are of the contract.

If you are in shared services temporary offices then you are going to have less choice, so to speak, in what happens around you.

I am sure your cleaner doesnt give two shiny shites about whatever your meeting is going on about though.

Our cleaners are in during office hours too and its always struck me as really odd. The desks never get cleaned because people are sat there whilst they are working...

It can be very time consuming for a cleaner to have to keep bypassing areas which are in use. All that walking backwards and forwards with a vacuum cleaner and other stuff is hard work (I speak from experience).
She is probably worried that she won't get everything done in the allotted time.
The set up sounds far from ideal and a change to her hours sounds like a good idea.

She probably has a long list of jobs to do within her mornings work and wouldn't be able to fit it all in if everyone's telling her to come back later. It sounds like her hours need to be changed.

Can you not lock the door from the inside?

It's common sense not to hoover when someones on the phone. You could complain, however if she's stopped doing a room she may not be able to go back to it so it won't get cleaned. As long as you're ok with that.