It is widely accepted that engaged employees are more likely to have exceptional performance. But in 2024, Gallup’s Employee Engagement surveys outlined that engagement sunk to a 10-year low of 30 percent, and the rate of actively disengaged employees rose to 17 percent, also the highest in 10 years.

These engagement levels are very dependent on leadership, which can influence daily work performance. In fact, during my four decades of leading custodial operations, it became clear that cleaning workers fall into three general categories when it comes to how they approach and perform their work:

1. Superstars

Superstar cleaning staff come to work each day, with a goal to do the best job possible. These workers are rarely discouraged and pour their heart and soul into their jobs every shift. Once they are trained and understand expectations, they will make improvements to how work is accomplished when provided with autonomy. They will improve and sustain a high level of cleanliness and customer satisfaction.

Don’t spend your time supervising or inspecting the work of superstar employees. Instead, provide them with learning and development opportunities, assign them to committees, teach them to be trainers, and mentor them for career advancement. Ensure that you make time to listen to them on a regular basis because this is where you will be receiving some improvement ideas.

Current superstars are role models for the budding superstars who have not yet become consistent high performers. You want the turnover rate to be low for this group and to offer them better opportunities and promotions.

2. The Majority

Most of your cleaning workers fall into this middle group. They are highly influenced by how they are being led and the culture of the department. They can rise to the superstar level, or drop down into the bottom group of workers who underperform. 

Ongoing training and a consistent emphasis on the importance of their work encourages this group of workers. They need to know their leaders are invested in them as individuals and that someone is interested in their work performance. 

These workers will thrive from ongoing feedback on their work efforts and will learn to become consistent, high performers if provided with authentic, positive recognition for continued improvements. This group can feel discouraged if they do not feel connected to leadership or the department. They can easily form their own support group with the workers who are actively disengaged. In fact, the actively disengaged will attempt to recruit from this group.

3. The Disgruntled Minority

This is the group of individuals who make you wonder how they were hired in the first place. They typically present themselves very well during the interview process, and they may do just enough to survive the probationary period. Occasionally, someone from this group becomes a consistent performer because of a strong leader who understands what motivates them on a personal level. 

A positive work culture that emphasizes quality work and peer pressure from the other two groups can promote acceptable performance from the disgruntled. They require a lot of support and understanding, and more than a few chances to improve. However, you may get to the point that you will need to document work development and corrective action plans with clear and precise areas of performance that require improvement. You will need to be patient and give them every opportunity to improve and achieve acceptable performance so that you can be confident that you did all you could prior to terminating their employment. This group takes up most of your time and gives you the most headaches.

If you are a leader, you must be consistently mindful of your ability to influence the performance of your cleaning workers regardless of where they rank in the performance spectrum. Care for them as people and build relationships. Support them with training and development. Explain and enforce the achievement of goals and objectives and hold everyone accountable. The goal is to move the entire team toward being the superstars of your facility.

Gene Woodard, R.E.H., spent more than 45 years in the cleaning industry, retiring as the director of building services at the University of Washington, before which he spent almost a decade at Emanual Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Gene was also a founding member of the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Steering Committee and served for many years as an advisory board member of Facility Cleaning Decisions magazine.

 




POSTED ON: 1/2/2026