/ expert Q+A /
SET UP FOR SUCCESS Creating a positive company culture for cleaners by Jessica Brill
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oday’s commercial cleaning industry, like so many others, is experiencing a shift in labour, with evolving needs, changing practices, and a focus on company culture. Studies show that as of December 2023, there were 34,000 janitorial businesses across Canada, and that’s a lot of employment positions to fill, but recent research confirms that 61 per cent of contractors identify staffing as a significant risk to achieving growth goals in 2024. As business owners work to find prospects, manage turnover, increase retention, and entice a new crop of candidates, setting themselves apart from the competition may make or break their staffing success. Though many cleaning companies typically experience high levels of turnover, some businesses have managed to create a community where employees feel included, valued, and supported. “We are hyper-focused on positive company culture and that’s where other employers need to focus, too,” says Shafiq Mohamed, owner of Stratus Building Solutions of Hamilton. “It’s about building relationships at all levels, starting from the top down.” After working in the restaurant business for 30 years, Shafiq made the decision to get into the commercial cleaning industry about 10 years ago. He began his journey at Stratus six years ago, taking on a territory that includes Burlington, Hamilton, Niagara, Brantford, Kitchener, Cambridge, and Guelph. As one of the 13 Master Franchisees for Stratus Building Solutions in Canada (77 in North America) and with 117 franchises under his responsibility, Shafiq has a unique perspective on labour and commercial cleaning as part of a company experiencing growth. We connected with Shafiq to talk about the current state of the cleaning industry, the importance of company culture, and what the future holds for staffing commercial cleaners. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
20 / FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE / FALL/WINTER 2024