As ongoing staffing challenges persist throughout the industry, many commercial cleaning companies are looking to attract top talent and increase employee retention.

Recently, Jeff Cross’ Straight Talk! tackled all topics labour-related, including employee turnover, engaging talent, and staff retention. His guest, Jeff Carmon, director of business development at Frantz Building Services and a consultant with Elite Business Coaching, shared his thoughts on labour in today’s commercial cleaning industry.

Managing employee turnover and staff retention is critical in our current economy, when hiring and training is such a costly endeavour. While many employers may be seeking to eliminate staff turnover, learning to manage it is a far more reasonable goal. “It’s an issue that most of us in the building services industry have to deal with,” confirms Carmon, offering some strategies from his experiences that work to help manage today’s labour challenges:

• Educate customers on the importance of team members being well-paid.
• Create “floater positions,” with employees who can fill in where you need them, especially when you are left short-handed without a two-week notice period.
• Hire “right fit” team members by qualifying candidates that will make good cleaners.
• Invest in making a connection with new team members to discourage turnover in the first ninety days of employment. Thorough onboarding and training become vital for employees to feel valued right from the hiring stage.
• Invest in training “field leaders” who engage with employees, understand their needs, and create the company culture resulting in high retention rates.

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Carmon also introduces some interesting generational trends relating to retention, noting that Boomers typically remain with their employers for five years and beyond, while Gen X and Millennials stay about a year in their positions, on average. This highlights the need to connect with these employees, motivating and supporting them for maximum retention rates.

Seeking input from your teams is also critical, as we look to improve operations and increase efficiency. Getting feedback from staff helps better your business but it also shows employees that you are invested in their future and want to hear their voices. This can help staff feel more a part of the team and a contributor to the success of the business.

Finally, Carmon talks about recognition and rewards, and the part they play in employee retention, suggesting that longevity within the company needs to be at the heart of these programs, as we strive to encourage long-term employment.

As the industry continues to evolve and labour remains a challenge, taking steps to manage employee turnover and retention is a strategy for staffing success.