How do you reduce employee turnover in a cleaning company?

I’ve been very blessed with a great team. I’ve been in business for 10 years and currently have 9 ladies. We’ve definitely had people come and go over the years, but of the 9 I have now, 7 have been with me between 3-8 years.

I pay hourly, plus mileage, holiday pay, sick pay, and vacation. We celebrate birthdays with cake, anniversaries with flowers, and Employee of the Month with a certificate and gift card. They also know they can come to me if they’re struggling or in a bind. I will loan them money and let them make payments through payroll. There aren’t many other companies that do this, but like you, we are like a big family.

This may sound blunt, but in this industry I feel like you usually get one of two types of people: those who are struggling and truly need the income, and those who mostly want something to do and to stay active. There often isn’t much in between. It’s hard work, and it takes the right person to handle the physical side of it, the flexibility, and the fact that pay can fluctuate.