The professional cleaning workforce is the backbone of safe, hygienic, and welcoming spaces. Yet despite their critical role, 38% of cleaners have left their jobs due to lack of recognition and burnout—reasons unrelated to pay, according to the 2025 Tork Insight Survey conducted among cleaning staff in the United States, Mexico, and several European countries.
This staff dissatisfaction presents a clear opportunity for the cleaning industry. How can it reverse this trend and better support cleaning staff in their roles? The answer matters not only for retention, but for hygiene quality and facility reputation.
Industry leaders should consider the following three key principles when empowering their staff for better overall performance.
Principle 1: Connect employees’ work to impact
People want to know that their work contributes to the success of the business. When cleaning staff understand that their daily efforts directly impact someone’s ability to use a restroom comfortably and safely, for example, it transforms the job from a checklist of tasks into meaningful work. Embracing inclusive hygiene is one powerful way to make that connection.
Inclusive hygiene is about meeting the hygiene needs of as many people as possible within the restroom and enabling an environment that considers the full range of individual abilities and circumstances. This concept gives cleaning staff a clear picture of who they’re cleaning for and why their efforts matter, because without quality hygiene operations, people could change their behavior, impacting the business performance of the facility.
For example, when hygiene isn’t up to par, people might limit how much they eat or drink at an entertainment venue to reduce the use of the public restroom, or someone might issue a complaint in an office building. When cleaning staff ensure surfaces are appropriately cleaned and sanitized, and dispensers are properly stocked, they’re not just following protocol; they’re aiming to satisfy the hygiene needs of the users of the facility, allowing the space to work better for everyone
Principle 2: Build a culture of understanding
Clear communication directly shapes how confidently and consistently teams can perform their work. One proven way to strengthen hygiene training results is by offering materials in the languages your workforce prefers. With Hispanic professionals representing a significant share of today’s cleaning workforce—66.9% according to the 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics—many facilities find that providing Spanish-language options (alongside other commonly requested languages) helps ensure understanding of hygiene protocols, safety, and efficiency.
In addition, because people learn in different ways, using a variety of tools helps guarantee understanding and improve results. Visual aids such as signage, step-by-step charts, and video demonstrations reinforce procedures for employees. Technology, like data-driven cleaning, can also support consistency, offering real-time updates on service needs throughout the facility, digital cleaning plans, and access to multilingual instructions.
Ensuring that staff have the resources, tools, and environment they need to improve their understanding of hygiene protocols is one meaningful step toward building stronger, more confident cleaning teams, and ultimately strengthening our industry.
Principle 3: Recognize staff for hygiene excellence
Facility managers can help motivate cleaning staff by regularly communicating feedback and performance achievements from building occupants, guests, or office management. They can also recognize workers who’ve gone above and beyond with awards, shout-outs in team meetings, or employee-of-the-month programs.
For cleaning teams who have truly taken facility hygiene to another level, consider submitting them for an industry award, such as the Spotless Spaces Competition. With submissions opening each November and the winners announced during International Cleaning Week the following March, this award program celebrates the dedication and hard work of cleaning professionals who maintain pristine, hygienic, and accessible environments. When you consider that 38% of cleaners leave due to a lack of recognition, these acknowledgments aren’t just nice gestures—they’re essential retention tools that remind people their work is valued.
Feel the strength of an empowered cleaning workforce
When you help cleaning staff see who they’re cleaning for, make information accessible in a format that improves understanding, and recognize employees for hygiene excellence, you’re not just checking boxes; you’re fundamentally changing how people experience their work. Together, these strategies don’t just benefit employees, they elevate the entire facility and strengthen the company’s reputation. By investing in the people on the front lines, facility managers can create an environment where cleaning staff feel valued, equipped, and most of all, proud to be part of the team.
