The cleaning industry's staffing crisis

THE UK cleaning industry is facing an unprecedented workforce crisis that could ultimately undermine its very foundations. The European Labour Authority's comprehensive 2024 report, which analysed workforce patterns across 29 countries, found labour shortages in 84% of the 436 occupations it studied - with cleaning roles featuring prominently among the affected positions. 

The approximately 1.47 million people employed in the sector in the UK alone - representing roughly 5% of the country’s entire workforce - play a crucial role in meeting public health standards across sectors. Yet severe staff shortages have become endemic in recent years, creating operational challenges that reverberate throughout the economy.

Heavily hit sectors include retail, logistics, and facilities management. Perhaps most alarming are the annual churn rates, which can reach a staggering 200-400% across various cleaning roles. This revolving door of personnel sets off an onboarding cycle that drains time, resources and productivity.

The ripple effects of staffing shortages

Cleaning staff shortages are more than a mere inconvenience - they can make a company's ability to fulfil contractual obligations more difficult. The shortfall creates a snowball of issues that have the potential to undermine the viability of many cleaning businesses.

Existing staff face increasing burnout as they shoulder expanded workloads to compensate for vacant positions. This intensified pressure not only affects employee wellbeing but inevitably impacts service quality and customer satisfaction. Clients who once took reliable cleaning services for granted can now confront inconsistent performance and unmet expectations.

The financial implications are equally severe. Losing staff on a continual basis drives up operational costs at a time when margins are already compressed. This creates a vicious cycle: burnout leads to higher turnover, which adds pressure to remaining staff, resulting in further demoralisation and additional departures.

Perhaps most troubling for businesses is that many cleaning companies could decline new contracts simply because they lack the workforce to deliver services. This artificial ceiling on growth stifles innovation and limits the industry's ability to evolve.

Technological innovation as a strategic solution

Forward-thinking companies are increasingly harnessing technology to counter these staffing challenges. The strategic implementation of autonomous cleaning technology offers a viable path to support and supplement human workers, creating a genuinely sustainable operational model for the long term.

Automation helps reduce dependency on manual labour for repetitive tasks, allowing human workers to focus on value-added activities. Smart technology and IoT solutions enable real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making, meaning that resource allocation can be optimised, and improve efficiency across cleaning operations.

The benefits of modern cleaning technology go beyond labour considerations. Energy-efficient equipment, water-saving innovations, and reduced chemical usage all reduce an organisation’s environmental footprint while simultaneously addressing workforce challenges.

Tennant Company’s autonomous floor cleaners, for instance, work alongside human staff in shopping centres, airports, and industrial facilities throughout the UK, acting as collaborative workers or ‘co-bots’ and providing real-time actionable data insights whilst keeping resource usage to a minimum. 

Building a more resilient workforce assisted by technology

While technology offers part of the solution, building a more resilient workforce is the permanent fix to the staff shortage problem. The industry must fundamentally reimagine its approach to recruitment and retention, moving beyond outdated employment models that have only meant high churn rates. 

Creating clear career advancement paths can help combat the persistent "dead end job" perception that looms across the industry. By establishing visible progression opportunities, aided by visible new technologies, companies can attract more ambitious individuals seeking long-term careers rather than temporary jobs.

Investment in machine training and programmes to upskill existing staff serves the dual purpose of improving operational performance while boosting employee engagement and retention. 

The path forward

The cleaning industry stands at a crossroads. By embracing technological innovation and recognising its prospects for workforce sustainability and development, companies can navigate the current staffing crisis and come out stronger. The most successful organisations will be those that view technology and human capital as complementary assets that can add value to each other.

Those who lead this transformation will not only survive the current challenges but position themselves at the forefront of a leaner, smarter cleaning industry.

Sylvain Rottier is VP and general manager of Tennant EMEA

For more information, visit www.tennantco.com

TEL: 0800 111 4402​