Cleaning Industry Recruitment Problems in the UK
Cleaning Industry Recruitment Problems in the UK
The UK cleaning sector is facing significant recruitment challenges, with labour shortages impacting service delivery across facilities management and commercial cleaning.
In this interview, Pioneer FM CEO Mary-Jane Pettit shares her insight into the recruitment problems facing the cleaning industry, and how businesses are adapting.
Labour Shortages in the Cleaning Industry
During the interview, Mary-Jane highlighted the scale of the issue:
“A lot of our operatives, around 70%, are from overseas. Many have returned home, and we’ve lost at least 25% of our workforce.”
This shift has created a major gap in the labour market, affecting cleaning companies across the UK.
Why Is the Cleaning Industry Struggling to Recruit?
Several factors are contributing to recruitment challenges:
- Reduced overseas workforce post-Brexit
- Increased demand for cleaning services post-pandemic
- Competition from other industries
- Perception of cleaning roles
As a result, many businesses are struggling to maintain staffing levels while meeting growing client expectations.
How Pioneer FM Is Responding
At Pioneer FM, we are addressing these challenges by:
- Paying the Real Living Wage
- Investing in training and development
- Creating long-term career opportunities
- Supporting a people-first culture
We believe improving standards and valuing people is key to solving recruitment issues in the cleaning industry.
We support defence, government, and high-security sites as part of our sustainable facilities management services across the UK.
Careers in Facilities Management
Despite the challenges, the cleaning and facilities management sector offers strong career opportunities across the UK.
If you are interested in joining a growing organisation, Pioneer FM is actively recruiting across multiple roles.
Contact us at info@pioneer-fm.com
Watch the full interview to hear Mary-Jane Pettit discuss the future of the cleaning industry and how businesses can overcome recruitment challenges.