Canada’s industrial sector is facing a generational labour shortage with no solid solutions. Either workers are seeking other careers, or workers don’t have the right skillset (or maybe are still in training and not yet ready for the workforce), and any government efforts to increase growth in the industrial sector could still take years to yield results.

In fact, some estimates show that shortages could reduce competitiveness in the industrial and trade sector accounting for 25% of Canada’s GDP. The pandemic didn’t help either, creating a need for workers in an environment with labour shortages. All of these factors combined have created a perfect storm of talent acquisition and management needs for our industry.

Company’s like Bee-Clean Building Maintenance are facing issues just like these and taking steps to get ahead of the issue, not only to manage or acquire talent, but also to do things in a responsible way.

“In 2023, the [ESG] committee did something pretty neat. It introduced Bee-Clean’s very first nationwide employee engagement survey, focusing specifically on employee satisfaction,” says Paul Goldin, Senior VP Customer Experience and Strategic Integration, Bee-Clean Building Maintenance. “This survey is a big deal because it plays a crucial role in talent development. It’s not just about listening to what our team members think about working for our company; it also helps us set standards for future recruitment and retention efforts. We want to make sure we’re offering the benefits our staff want and staying competitive in local markets nationwide.”

That ESG committee is part of an effort started in recent years to establish a national committee, which works on larger goals such as reducing company-wide footprint, while maintaining long-standing accreditations and alignment with key associations.

“It’s notable that Bee-Clean was the first contract cleaning company in Canada to have become CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard) certified with honours by the ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association),” adds Goldin.

“In 2020, Bee-Clean was awarded the distinguished designation of Canada’s Best Managed. In 2023, we received the Gold Standard designation — a title that exemplifies Bee-Clean’s dedication to our team. I think this echoes our dedication to our team members. We know how important employee engagement is and how it factors into more than just job satisfaction.”

Many companies in Canada are taking certain specific approaches to deal with a tight labour market. A Mercer report, Global Talent Trends 2023 Highlights, talked to nearly 2,500 HR Leaders in Canada and around the world. In the report, companies in Canada are:

• 37% are training managers on building inclusive and equitable teams
• 34% are ensuring responsibility for DEI at the individual/ team level
• 27% are setting new work guidelines to improve collaboration
• 26% are increasing transparency on which jobs suit different work or flex arrangements

In addition, with a commitment to sustainability green products and services, industrial cleaning companies can also adopt more sustainable processes that reduce chemical and water use. This not only reduces the company’s negative impact on the environment, but it also helps companies save money by reducing their waste and cutting back on the resources needed to provide quality services.

“Energy from Waste is a significant reason U-Pak is an industry leader in converting solid, non-recyclable waste into renewable energy,” notes Mark Thompson, Director of Sales and Marketing at U-Pak. “U-Pak’s exclusive state-of-the-art power plant facility, Emerald Energy from Waste, is centrally located in the Greater Toronto Area, providing customers with environmentally f riendly ‘Energy Recovery’ options.”

He adds that: “Emerald takes in waste from Ontario seven days a week and turns it into renewable energy in the form of steam and electricity. The steam collected is sent directly down a pipeline to a local industry to help support cardboard production. At the same time, the electricity generated is sold to the provincial electrical network, which is enough to power 6,000 homes continuously. Thanks to this non-stop operation, 180,000 tonnes of waste is diverted from landfill every year.”

Kim Caron, President with Executive Mat Group of Companies also thinks safety is paramount. “A safety- first culture is indeed a hallmark of successful real-estate companies, as it fosters a workplace environment where employees feel protected and supported,” he says. “By implementing rigorous safety protocols, providing adequate training, and promoting a proactive approach to risk assessment, these companies significantly reduce the incidence of accidents and injuries on construction sites. As a result, employees are happier, more motivated, and contribute to a more productive work environment.”

He adds that formal training on environmental issues is crucial in Team Development within the real estate industry. Understanding the three Scopes of carbon emissions is a foundational step. Caron notes that, “A safety-first culture combined with a commitment to environmental stewardship enables these companies to create a positive impact on both their workforce and the planet, setting a standard of excellence in the industry.”

New technologies and automation capabilities are also changing the way that industrial cleaning businesses approach efficiency and productivity. Investing in the right technologies can be a real game changer for cleaning companies that are looking for ways to improve the type of services and quality of work they provide to commercial buildings and industrial facilities.

Automation is part of that technological shift that industrial cleaning companies can use to reduce costs while maintaining the quality of service within a tight labour market. Companies that utilize technology to automate parts of the cleaning process not only improve efficiency and help cut down on labour costs, but they can also improve consistency, which leads to a better experience for industrial facilities. Harnessing the power of automated cleaning technologies like cleaning machines open up a wealth of new opportunities for increased productivity. It’s not that workers are being replaced, but rather more work is being done more efficiently.

It’s vital that industrial cleaning companies not only invest in better hiring practices but also provide more adequate training. A cleaning company’s staff is an extension of the company itself and their performance can make or break the company’s reputation, either leading to increased growth or causing the company to become stagnant or lose business.

Proper training starts with a proactive approach that focuses on the skill sets that deliver the highest return on investment for the cleaning company. This is where your value-added services come into play. By providing specialized training to your staff, you can help expand their skill set to include more profitable services.

This training should also focus on the technologies that you’ve invested in.
Technology and automation can help save cleaning companies money and boost productivity, but only if staff knows how to properly use these technologies. Technology training should include set-up, operation, and basic troubleshooting to ensure that operations go smoothly in the field.

Shortages and high employee turnover are substantial and long-term problems in the industrial cleaning sector. These problems are amplified by increasing service demands and high rates of workers exiting the sector (especially after how the pandemic put a strain on the labour force in the industry).

However, “We are in a profound moment of opportunity,” says the Mercer report on Global Talent Trends. Relatable organizations will win the talent game in challenging times so long as they create a workplace that is resilient, sustainable and attuned to the new shape of work. This is as true for the overall market as it is for the industrial cleaning industry.

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