If you ask facility managers what keeps them up at night, staffing challenges rank near the top. But here’s what many don’t realize: treating retention as a strategic priority, not just a staffing problem, is an operational game-changer that directly impacts whether your restrooms stay clean, your guests stay happy, and your bottom line stays healthy.

In 2026, the facilities that win on cleanliness won’t do so because they found the perfect cleaning staff. They’ll win because they invested in keeping the staff they have. That shift is within reach for any facility manager willing to rethink how they support their cleaning teams.

The hidden cost of turnover

Across Canada and globally, cleaning professionals face pressures that are often underestimated. A recent global survey of 1,000 cleaning staff revealed a sobering reality: 80 per cent report mental health issues as a result of their jobs. Dig deeper, and the picture becomes clearer. 70 per cent cite inadequate employer support, and 38 per cent have left cleaning positions entirely due to burnout and lack of recognition – reasons that have nothing to do with hourly wages.

For facilities, this turnover is expensive. Beyond the direct costs of recruitment, hiring, and onboarding, there’s a ripple effect on cleanliness itself. When your cleaning team is understaffed or constantly training newcomers, standards slip. Experienced staff who know your building’s quirks, traffic patterns, and priorities are irreplaceable. Lose them, and you don’t just lose people – you lose institutional knowledge, consistency, and the relationships that make restrooms feel truly cared for.

It’s clear that high-quality restrooms depend on stable, supported cleaning teams. So, the question for 2026 becomes: how do you build a workplace where cleaning staff feel valued, supported, and confident enough to stay?

The four steps to retention

The facilities winning on cleanliness in 2026 will consider these four retention principles:

• Equip your team with tools that ease the physical burden. Many cleaning jobs are repetitive and physically demanding. Yet smart choices in dispensers, waste solutions, and restroom layouts can dramatically reduce strain. Look for high-capacity dispensers that minimize refilling trips, ergonomic designs that don’t require awkward reaches or forceful motions, and touch-free systems that reduce the need for manual contact with contaminated surfaces. When your team isn’t battling the design of the restroom itself, they have more energy and fewer injuries, and they’re more likely to stay.
• Beyond hardware, data-driven solutions are game-changers. Connected systems that guide cleaning priorities – showing which areas need attention based on real traffic patterns rather than guesswork – make the work more strategic and less reactive. Staff feel heard when their expertise is combined with data that confirms their observations. They see their impact more clearly. And they’re not wasting time and energy on areas that don’t actually need attention.
• Invest in training that builds competence and confidence. Cleaning is a skilled trade, yet it’s often treated as entry-level work with minimal support. Staff who receive structured training feel more capable and valued. Training also opens pathways for advancement and specialization, signaling that your facility sees cleaning as a career, not just a position to fill. Invest in training staff on topics like hygiene best practices, how to use new equipment, and how to respond to diverse user needs.
• Build a culture that acknowledges and celebrates their work. Your cleaning staff are some of the guardians of the facility. Yet their work often goes unnoticed – or worse, is only mentioned when something goes wrong. In 2026, the competitive advantage belongs to facilities that make cleaning visible and celebrated. This might mean public signage that thanks your cleaning team by name, team meetings that highlight cleanliness wins, or recognition programs tied to performance metrics that matter. When staff feel seen and appreciated, they’re more compelled to stick around.

A pathway to your competitive advantage

The most compelling part of this shift is that it’s within your control. You can’t control external economic pressures, but you can control whether your cleaning staff feel supported, equipped, and valued in their roles.

Facilities that make these investments in 2026 will notice the benefits: cleaner restrooms, fewer complaints, lower staff turnover, and reduced hiring and training costs. More importantly, they’ll create an environment where people want to show up and do their best, and that shows in every detail.

As we head into the year ahead, the question isn’t whether your facility will invest in retention. It’s whether you’ll do it intentionally and strategically, or whether you’ll keep cycling through staff and wondering why cleanliness standards remain inconsistent. The facilities that choose the former will emerge as the clear winners on cleanliness – not because they found perfect people, but because they created the conditions for good people to succeed and stay.

Katrin “Kat” Ferge is the North American Regional Marketing Manager for Professional Hygiene – Commercial segment at Essity. In her role, she is focused on Essity’s professional hygiene brand Tork and helping businesses leverage better hygiene for better business performance. She has more than 15 years of experience in brand communications and marketing. Kat received her bachelor’s degree from Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society in Germany and later received her MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.