How Data Determines Cleaning's Value

Facility cleaning managers often know they need additional staff, but intuition alone rarely persuades finance departments. Segura suggests documenting current productivity before asking for additional resources.

While managing The Walt Disney Company's in-house cleaning operation, he developed detailed productivity measurements by tracking employee work activities, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, and documenting additional requests for cleaning outside the original scope of work. The result was higher productivity and lower operating costs—as well as stronger credibility during budget discussions.

Rather than quietly absorbing extra work, Segura informed departments how many labor hours were required and the associated cost—even when his team completed the work at no charge.

"I wanted them to know it wasn't free," he says.

By documenting those "free" services throughout the year, his department could demonstrate the true workload to leadership, justifying any requests for additional employees during budget planning.

So how many employees does a facility actually need? According to Madigan, the answer begins with defining service expectations—not headcount. Organizations must first determine how frequently spaces should be cleaned, then build staffing models capable of delivering those expectations.

He advises unitizing cleaning tasks to estimate how much space an employee can reasonably clean under typical conditions. Organizations can then use those productivity standards to calculate the staffing needed to meet desired cleaning frequencies. Those calculations should also consider traffic patterns, building functions, and occupancy schedules.

Green agrees that workload analyses must reflect differences among building types. High-traffic restrooms, classrooms, offices, and healthcare spaces all require different cleaning frequencies and productivity expectations. Assigning identical production rates to every space inevitably leads to unrealistic staffing models.

Support for Innovation

Cleaning technology often requires a significant upfront investment, making it a hard sell for facility cleaning managers. Experts recommend building their case with objective data showing how technology improves productivity, quality, safety, and long-term operating costs.

Madigan suggests starting with pilot programs to evaluate whether technology is the right fit for a facility. Managers should compare cleaning times, square footage covered, labor requirements, and quality outcomes before and after implementation to quantify the benefits.

Today's autonomous floor scrubbers, for example, can dock themselves, refill cleaning solution, and resume work with minimal human intervention. But their greatest value often lies in allowing employees to shift from repetitive floor care to detailed cleaning of high-touch surfaces, corners, and other areas requiring human oversight.

"The value isn't solely in labor savings," Madigan says. "Technology and employees working together create a more efficient and higher-quality cleaning operation."

Green sees value to newer technologies, but stresses that innovation doesn't always require six-figure investments. Facility cleaning managers can gain support with microfiber systems, HEPA-filtered vacuums, and better entry matting that improves infection prevention, IAQ, and long-term operating costs.

Of course, securing funding for any type of innovation often requires support beyond finance. Segura encourages facility cleaning managers to partner with sustainability teams, risk management professionals, and other departments whose priorities align with their own.

"The strategic way to do it is to show how cleaning addresses sustainability, productivity, employee health, and the appearance of the facility," he shares. "Then you're not just going up against purchasing."

Segura successfully used that strategy to replace dozens of aging upright vacuums with backpack models during his time at Disney. Rather than beginning with purchasing, he first engaged risk management by demonstrating potential ergonomic and respiratory health benefits. Once those stakeholders supported the initiative, executive approval soon followed.

This type of advocacy should occur year-round—not just during budget meetings. Madigan recommends maintaining regular communication with other department heads, facility leaders, and executives to understand changing priorities and demonstrate how cleaning aligns with organizational goals.

Maintaining the cleaning department's visibility also means documenting accomplishments and sharing productivity improvements—not to mention celebrating measurable outcomes. Cleaning budgets should never be presented only as departmental expenses. Instead, they should be positioned as investments that protect health and safety, strengthening the organization's reputation.

"Housekeeping is your first impression and your last impression—whether you're at a hospital, sporting event, or big box store," notes Madigan. "If it's dirty, you probably won't want to go there again no matter what type of facility it is. Cleanliness shapes our perception of the entire organization."

Kassandra Kania is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is a frequent contributor to Facility Cleaning Decisions.

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How Cleaning Departments Deliver Value