Minimum wage increases may have an adverse impact on employment rates, according to research by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI). The study analyzed how changes in minimum wage affected labor, finding a decline in employment of 2.6 percent, 3.4 percent for entry-level employees from 2011 to 2019. With nearly half of all U.S. states scheduling adjustments for minimum wage in 2026, Inova Payroll reports, commercial cleaning executives will need to place preventative measures to retain and acquire staff.

Wage increases are a necessary facet of the economy as costs in other sectors continue to rise. By the end of 2026, some jurisdictions nationwide will have attained a $15 minimum wage, according to the National Employment Law Project states. However, salary changes will need to be sustained by budgets; an area already impacted by other expenditures—supply costs, compliance concerns, and ongoing labor shortages, as CRC Building Services contends. With the recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announcing an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent, pressures on preexisting cleaning teams continue to mount.

Although this latest study found a negative correlation between salary hikes and the employment rate, improved wages can benefit the hiring process, CleanLink shares. Prospective workers are searching for jobs that provide competitive compensation and opportunities for growth, Newsweek says. Frontline cleaning staff are opting for jobs that offer security, safeguard their health, and supportive environments, Pristine Janitorial / Dat Maids adds. Investments in innovations, as TC Services names—automation and AI technologies and data analytics software—as well as a review of service systems, could support management in optimizing their operational budgets while also recruiting and retaining staff.