Recruiting cleaners who stay: what works in a tight labour market
7 min read · February 26, 2026
Turnover is the number one cost in this industry. The hiring practices that cut it, from a company that had to learn the hard way.
Anyone can hire cleaners. Keeping them past month three is the actual business. Here's what moved the needle for us in Prince George, and what's now written into the recruitment scripts every partner receives.
Be specific in the ad
Post the pay range, the hours, the travel expectations and the physical demands. Vague ads generate volume and waste everyone's time; specific ads generate fit. The single best-performing line in our ads is the honest one about how physical the work is.
Interview for reliability, not experience
Cleaning technique is teachable in two weeks. Showing up on a -30°C morning is not. Ask about the last time a plan fell apart and what they did, and check two work references properly.
Make week one impossible to fail
Paid training, shadowing an experienced helper, a printed checklist, and a named person to text with questions. Most turnover happens in the first three weeks, and almost all of it is preventable confusion rather than dislike of the job.
- Certification path with a clear pay step at each level
- Guaranteed minimum hours, not 'as available'
- Equipment and supplies provided — never a personal expense
- Route planning that respects travel time between jobs
Hire for reliability, over-invest in week one, and pay for certification progress.