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What the last few years taught me about running cleaning operations
Peter Joyce, Operations Director at NJC, explores how the challenges facing cleaning operations have shifted, and why supporting people through better systems and structures is key to delivering reliable service.
When I first moved into operations within the commercial cleaning sector, success was defined quite simply: deliver the service, meet the specification, keep the client satisfied. If issues arose, you fixed them quickly and moved on.
That approach worked, until it didn’t.
Over the last few years, the realities of running cleaning operations in the UK have changed dramatically. Labour shortages became the norm rather than the exception. Supply chains grew unpredictable. Client expectations around hygiene, transparency, and sustainability rose, and rightly so.
What struck me most was this: the challenges weren’t isolated incidents. They were systemic. And they exposed how fragile traditional operating models really were.
When “keeping things running” was no longer enough
I remember a period when teams were stretched thin, managers were firefighting daily, and even small disruptions felt amplified. The service might still have been delivered on paper, but the strain underneath was obvious.
That was the moment I realised that operational success wasn’t about working harder, it was about working differently.
Resilience became the real objective. Not resilience in the abstract, but practical resilience: the ability to maintain standards when people were off sick, deliveries were delayed, or requirements changed overnight.
The workforce behind the service
In commercial cleaning, everything starts and ends with people.
Over time, it became clear that recruitment alone wasn’t the answer. The real shift came when we focused on capability, support, and consistency. Training teams to be more versatile. Giving supervisors clearer structures. Creating roles that people could grow into rather than step away from.
When people understand the “why” behind the work, not just the task list, service quality becomes more stable. Turnover reduces. And problems get solved earlier, closer to the ground.
That’s not a people initiative. It’s an operational one.
Learning to use data without losing the human element
Technology has its place in cleaning operations, but I’ve seen how easily it can become noise.
The real value came when systems were used to create clarity rather than complexity. Understanding patterns instead of reacting to complaints. Tracking outcomes, not just activities. Giving managers information that actually helped them make better decisions.
When data supports people instead of replacing them, operations become calmer, not more pressured.
Why clients now ask different questions
Client conversations have changed too.
It’s no longer just about whether a task was completed. Clients want confidence that standards are being maintained, that risks are being managed, and that they won’t be pulled into day-to-day issues.
They want visibility without micromanagement. Assurance without constant escalation.
That’s where mature cleaning operations make the difference. Not by promising perfection, but by being prepared.
Sustainability as part of daily operations
Sustainability used to feel like a separate conversation. Now it’s embedded in operational decisions.
From how chemicals are used, to how waste is managed, to how teams are trained, these choices affect both environmental impact and operational efficiency.
The most effective changes I’ve seen weren’t dramatic. They were practical, consistent, and measurable. Small improvements, applied properly, tend to last.
What I’ve learned
If there’s one lesson that stands out, it’s this: cleaning operations don’t fail because people don’t care, they fail when systems don’t support the people doing the work.
The role of operations leadership is to build structures that hold up under pressure. To reduce friction. To make the right thing the easy thing.
In the UK commercial cleaning industry, the organisations that will succeed long-term are those that stop reacting and start designing for resilience.
Because when operations are resilient, everything else, quality, compliance, sustainability, and client trust follows.
“Operational resilience isn’t about doing more. It’s about building systems that support people when conditions are toughest.”
Peter Joyce,
Operations Director
