A frequency matrix lists every area on site against how often each task needs doing — daily, several times a week, weekly, monthly or quarterly — so staffing hours can be calculated accurately and nothing defaults to "whenever there's time."
Download the template
Download the PDFA fillable area-by-task-by-frequency grid, ready to populate from your own specification.
Why frequency should vary by area, not be one blanket standard
A washroom in a busy public building may need attention two or three times a day; a quarterly-used storeroom might only need a monthly dust. Applying one frequency to a whole building either under-services high-traffic areas or wastes hours over-servicing low-traffic ones.
Example frequency matrix
| Area | Daily | 2-3x/week | Weekly | Monthly | Quarterly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reception/entrance | Floors, glass, bins | - | - | - | - |
| Washrooms (high traffic) | 2x daily clean | - | - | Descale | - |
| Washrooms (low traffic) | Once daily | - | - | Descale | - |
| Open-plan offices | Bins, floors, touch points | - | Dusting | - | - |
| Meeting rooms | - | Vacuum, wipe surfaces | - | - | - |
| Kitchens/break-out | Surfaces, bins, floor | - | Appliance deep-clean | - | - |
| Corridors/stairwells | - | Vacuum/mop | - | - | - |
| High-level/light fittings | - | - | - | Dust | Deep clean |
| Carpets (general) | Vacuum (daily/2-3x) | - | - | - | Deep extraction clean |
Turning frequency into hours
For each area, estimate the time a task takes and multiply by its frequency to calculate weekly labour hours — this is what a fixed monthly price should actually be built from, rather than a flat rate per square metre with no basis.
Reviewing the matrix
Revisit the matrix if traffic patterns change (a department grows, a room changes use) or if audit scores show an area is consistently under-serviced — the fix is often a frequency change, not just "clean harder."