How to Retain: Cleaning Employees

Why Is Turnover So High in the Cleaning Industry?

Cleaning businesses lose workers faster than almost any other type of business. Many cleaning companies lose all their workers and hire new ones every single year.

Every time someone quits, it costs you. You lose the time you spent training them. Clients who liked them might leave too. Finding and training a new person costs $3,000 to $5,000 when you add it all up.

But people do not have to quit so often. The cleaning companies that keep their workers do certain things differently. Here are eight things that really work.

Pay Competitive Wages From Day One

This is the most obvious reason people leave — the pay is too low. You cannot keep workers if the fast food place down the street pays more.

Find out what other cleaning companies in your area pay. Then pay a little more. Paying $2 to $3 more per hour costs you very little per job but makes a huge difference.

Smart Pay Ideas

• Pay more than others — even $1 to $2 more per hour makes you stand out
• Give raises on a schedule — a raise after 90 days, 6 months, and each year
• Pay for drive time — workers who drive between jobs should get paid for that time
• Give bonuses — a bonus each month for perfect attendance or great reviews
• Be open about pay — workers who understand how their pay works are happier

Offer Consistent and Predictable Schedules

Not knowing when you will work is the second biggest reason cleaners quit. People need to know their hours each week.

When you cancel shifts at the last minute or change the schedule each week, your workers will look for a more stable job.

How to Keep Schedules Steady

• Give the same days each week — same days, same clients, same route
• Promise a minimum number of hours — even 25 to 30 hours is better than not knowing
• Post the schedule one to two weeks early — so workers can plan their lives
• Fill empty spots — when a client cancels, give the worker a deep clean or other job instead

Invest in Proper Training

Workers who feel lost on the job are unhappy. Sending someone to a house on their first day with no help is a recipe for quitting.

Good training builds confidence. Workers who know what to do feel proud of their work. That pride keeps them around.

Training That Works

1. Pair new workers with skilled ones — for at least the first week
2. Use room-by-room checklists — so there is no guessing about what to clean
3. Teach them how to talk to clients — what to say, what not to touch, how to lock up
4. Show how to use products the right way — wrong products on wrong surfaces cause damage
5. Check in every day the first two weeks — ask how things are going and fix problems early

Create Clear Paths for Advancement

If there is no way to move up, your best workers will find a job where they can. People want to see a future, even in cleaning.

Make a simple path for moving up. A new hire starts as a helper. After a few months they clean on their own. Later they can lead a team. Each step comes with more pay.

Example Career Path

• New Cleaner — first 90 days, learning with a partner
• Cleaner — after 90 days, working on their own
• Senior Cleaner — after 6 months, doing deep cleans and helping train new hires
• Team Lead — after 1 year, leading a crew of 2 to 3 cleaners
• Area Manager — running several teams and checking quality

Give Regular Recognition and Feedback

Cleaning can feel like no one notices. You do a great job and hear nothing. You make one mistake and get a complaint. This wears people down.

Fight this by saying "good job" often. A simple text saying the client loved their work means a lot.

Easy Ways to Say Good Job

• Share good feedback right away — send the client's nice message to the cleaner
• Celebrate dates — 90 days, 6 months, 1 year on the job
• Worker of the month — a small bonus or gift card for the best worker
• Say it in front of the team — talk about great work at team meetings
• Give tips in private — if something needs to be fixed, tell them one on one

Provide Quality Equipment and Supplies

Making workers use broken vacuums, old mops, and harsh chemicals shows you do not care about them. Good tools make the job easier and faster.

Replace things before they break. Buy supplies in bulk so workers never run out during a job. And listen when they tell you a product is not working well.

Must-Have Equipment

• Replace vacuums every 12 to 18 months — sooner if they lose suction
• Give fresh cloths — enough for each worker to have a clean set every day
• Keep supplies stocked — never let workers run out at a client's home
• Offer green products — many cleaners prefer working with safe, non-toxic cleaners

Build a Team Culture People Want to Be Part Of

Cleaning can be a lonely job. Your workers spend most of the day alone in other people's homes. Without feeling like part of a team, they will leave as soon as something better comes along.

Find ways for your team to connect. Monthly meetings, group chats, and fun get-togethers build bonds that keep people loyal.

Building a Team on a Budget

• Monthly team meetings — 30 minutes over coffee to share news and ask for ideas
• Group chat — a place to ask questions and share tips
• Team outings every few months — lunch, bowling, or a simple get-together
• Remember birthdays and holidays — a card and small gift go a long way
• Ask for their ideas — people stay where they feel heard

Handle Conflicts and Problems Quickly

Problems that do not get fixed are the last straw for many workers. When someone tells you about a problem and nothing changes, they start looking for a new job.

Act fast. If a client is rude to your cleaner, step in. If two workers do not get along, talk to them that day. If someone feels the work is not fair, listen and make changes.

How to Fix Problems Fast

• Listen first — let the worker explain without cutting them off
• Take it seriously — even if it seems small to you, it matters to them
• Follow up within 24 hours — tell them what you are doing about it
• Stand up for your workers — let go of a rude client before you lose a good worker
• Write things down — keep notes so there is a record