Co-CEO of NJC, Mark Heppelthwaite reflects on why long service matters in the cleaning and facilities management industry. In this piece, he shares how investing in people, creating opportunities for progression and recognising loyalty helps build stronger teams, better service and lasting relationships.
In an industry often characterised by high staff turnover, there is something incredibly powerful about longevity.
Recently, we celebrated two significant milestones within our business. Paul Stone, Business Support Manager, marked 10 years with NJC, while Danny Holton, Operations Manager, celebrated an impressive 16 years of service. These anniversaries represent commitment, loyalty, shared experiences, and a belief in what we are building together.
As I reflected on these milestones, I found myself thinking about why long service matters so much in a business like ours.
Cleaning is often viewed as a simple service. Those of us who work in the industry know differently. It is a people business at its heart. Buildings don't clean themselves. Relationships don't build themselves. Trust doesn't happen overnight. The quality and consistency our clients value come from people who care about their work and take pride in delivering it day after day, year after year.
When someone stays with a company for a decade or more, they become part of its story. They carry its values. They understand its culture. They know what good looks like, and they help teach the next generation coming through.
What makes me particularly proud is that NJC has always been a business where people can build a career, not just find a job.
Many of our management team, supervisors, and leaders started in frontline operational roles. They learned the business from the ground up. They understand the realities of service delivery because they've done it themselves.
In fact, that journey is part of my own story.
Long before Reuben and I became Co-CEOs, our journey with the business began in a very different way. As young boys, we would finish school and head straight to work with our mum, Connie Heppelthwaite, helping the cleaning teams by emptying bins and carrying out whatever jobs needed doing. Those early experiences gave us a first-hand appreciation of the dedication and pride that goes into delivering a great cleaning service. At the time, neither of us could have imagined that one day we would be entrusted with leading the company. I officially joined the business full-time in 1991, but in many ways, my apprenticeship had started years earlier alongside the incredible people who built the foundations of NJC.
Our mum founded the business on hard work, integrity, and looking after people and, we have worked hard to ensure that those values remain at the heart of everything we do today.
What I love about our industry is that it rewards effort and attitude. It doesn't matter where you start. If you are willing to learn, take responsibility, and care about the service you provide, opportunities will follow.
I've seen cleaning operatives become supervisors, and supervisors become contract managers. Contract managers become senior leaders. Some of our most successful people began their careers carrying mops, vacuum cleaners, and cleaning cloths.
It sends a powerful message that talent exists throughout an organisation and that success should be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they begin.
Long-serving colleagues also provide something that cannot be bought or taught overnight: institutional knowledge. They know our clients. They understand our standards. They remember the lessons learned from challenges we've faced and the successes we've achieved. They become mentors, role models, and ambassadors for our business.
In today's world, where many organisations focus heavily on recruitment, perhaps we should spend more time celebrating retention. We're incredibly proud that around 96% of our colleagues choose to stay with NJC year after year.
Every anniversary tells a story.
A story of trust between employer and employee.
A story of friendships formed.
A story of personal growth and achievement.
And a story of shared success.
Of course, long service doesn't happen by chance. People stay where they feel respected, supported and able to grow.
At NJC, we've always believed that looking after our colleagues is just as important as looking after our clients. Whether that's investing in training and development through the NJC Academy, providing wellbeing support, recognising achievements, creating clear opportunities for progression or simply making sure people feel listened to, we want every colleague to know they're valued.
No two careers look the same, and neither do the people behind them. That's why we work hard to create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to develop, contribute and succeed in a way that works for them.
When people feel supported, they stay. When they stay, they build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients alike. That's something everyone benefits from.
So, as we congratulate Paul on reaching 10 years and Danny on celebrating an incredible 16 years with NJC, I want to thank not only them but every colleague who has chosen to build part of their career with us.
Paul has been a constant source of support behind the scenes, helping keep our business running smoothly while always putting people first.
Danny's journey is a fantastic example of what progression can look like at NJC. Having built his career within the business over the past 16 years, he embodies the commitment, knowledge and leadership that help shape our culture today.
Their stories may be different, but they share the same qualities that define so many of our long-serving colleagues: dedication, professionalism and pride in what they do. Your loyalty, dedication, and professionalism are the foundations upon which this business continues to grow.
For me personally, having started my own journey in the operational side of the business nearly 30 years ago, it is incredibly rewarding to see others following similar paths and creating their own success stories.
Long service is about people.
And in our industry, people will always be our greatest strength, That's why we're proud to be Powered By Our People.
Mark Heppelthwaite,
Co-CEO