Employee turnover inforgraphic

Cleaning contractors have been grappling with high employee turnover rates for more than two decades. To help address this situation, Robert Robinson, Sr, founder and CEO of Kaivac, and a presenter at the upcoming CIRI summit, says there are ways contractors can reduce this turnover. 

Among Robinson’s suggestions are the following:

Focus on Strengths

Many custodial workers consider moving on when they realize they are not performing as well as other workers on the team. The best way to keep them on the job and improve their work performance at the same time is to consistently let them know what they’re doing correctly and to celebrate their achievements.

Train Well

Well-trained workers have greater confidence in themselves and their jobs. Robinson says video technologies that help workers to learn on their own are a great asset that helps workers to receive the education they need to succeed.

Identify the Problem

Sometimes, cleaning workers having problems at work and blame it on their jobs. Very often, the issues are not job-related at all. Help employees to identify their problems. If the problem is work related, try to help solve the issue. 

Cultivate Fun

A cleaning contractor in Northern California regularly treats their staff and their families to local amusement parks, picnics, and sponsors soccer matches between their company staff and other janitorial companies with soccer teams, which allows them to both have fun and be competitive.

Have a Ladder Handy

Employees become disengaged with a company when they think there is no chance for advancement. Make sure they know a ladder to company success is available to all who want to take advantage of it.

Be Transparent

Workers may consider leaving their jobs when they think the company is having problems, they will be getting a new supervisor, or other changes are in the works, so let employee know about changes that will occur.

Robinson isn’t the only person who has tips on how to better retain employees in a tight labor market. Facility Cleaning Decisions, Contracting Profits, and Sanitary Maintenance magazines and CleanLink have written a number of stories on the topic. In order to better retain, employers should strive to: