Words: Liam Heitmann-Ryce-Le Mercier
The cleaning industry is filled with unsung heroes who keep the lights on long after many clock outAcross Australia and New Zealand, thousands of workers within the cleaning industry operate in near-invisible roles. After-hours cleaners play a vital role in society but scarcely receive gratitude or recognition.
Fatigue, isolation and loneliness are common maladies suffered by those working long shifts across unsocial hours. Sadly, not all employers pay attention to the wellbeing of their staff, and this lack of focus on those who keep our offices clean and co-working spaces hygienic leads to adverse mental health issues.
Workplace culture rooted in respect
The Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF), a worker-driven due diligence scheme based in Sydney and Melbourne, operates nationally to end the exploitation of cleaners and other after-hours service workers.
Two former cleaners, now working for CAF, are closely acquainted with the causes of adverse mental health. Pritika Karmacharya, a worker engagement manager within the organisation, cites a lack of education as a contributing factor to burnout and low moods.
While she speculates the cleaning industry has always experienced high employee turnover, the specific cause is likely due to uncertainties surrounding workplace entitlements.
“As most people working in the cleaning industry are migrant workers and international students, they have minimal knowledge about their workers’ rights,” Karmacharya says. “This makes them easily vulnerable to factors that can cause stress, such as workload, disrespect, discrimination and lack of harmony in the workplace.”
Jennifer Alonso, a worker engagement officer, draws on her own experience as a cleaner to cite casual work contracts as a major cause of mental strain. Being called in only when there are shifts available, she says, “creates a lot of pressure to do your best all the time, because you want to be offered more shifts and hopefully become a permanent worker”.
Yet even the security of a full-time contract leads to other concerns, such as being asked to perform jobs for which a staff member hasn’t received proper training. The root of the problem links back to communication.
“Many cleaners feel they can’t give honest feedback or speak up without fear of retaliation,” Alonso says. “As international students or workers with families, we carry many responsibilities, which adds more pressure. Often we put our jobs first, even above our health, just to keep our income and stability.”
Positive change can be made
Finding a solution that works for everyone is a multifaceted process and one that requires input from all tiers of the workforce and higher management. Above all else, respect needs to be a core tenet of every workplace practice.
As Karmacharya asserts, “It shouldn’t just be about making the cleaning team feel heard: it should be about truly listening to them and being accountable for providing a better working environment.”
Alonso says offering permanent employment contracts within a reasonable time frame is another key consideration. “Staying casual for too long increases stress and insecurity,” she says. “A happy and supported worker will do a better job.”
She also stipulates that training needs to be allocated equally to staff members as well as team supervisors. “It’s not just about assigning someone to a leadership role. It’s about preparing them to create respectful and healthy workplaces. Listening to workers without judgment can make a big difference to mental health and overall job satisfaction.”
What employers can do differently
Another advocate for workplace mental health is Dr Amanda Biggs, senior lecturer in the Department of Management at Griffith University in Queensland.
Biggs highlights that a major proponent of workplace wellbeing is tied to the sense of purpose afforded by a fulfilling vocation. “Work can be really engaging when it gives us a sense of meaning,” she says. “When we have a sense of control and autonomy over what we’re doing, when we have a sense of belonging, we feel like we’re experiencing a sense of competence.”
A key change employers can make is simply showing their gratitude to their staff, especially those working unfriendly hours. Ensuring staff members feel seen and heard is a major contributor to better mental wellbeing at work.“Involve them in decision-making, too,” Biggs adds.
She says it is important to make sure staff are aware of things happening within the organisation. “Prioritising people’s mental health involves giving them a voice in matters relating to their own health, so considering the psychosocial safety climate is something that I would also recommend,” Biggs says.
Extending cleaners the respect they deserve
Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) chief executive officer Kim Puxty recognises the vital role played by cleaning staff, yet underlines the unique threats to their mental health they face in the workplace.
“These include physically demanding work, limited recognition and job insecurity or social isolation,” she says. “Many are also navigating complex immigration processes while adapting to new communities, often facing financial stress and language barriers.”
There are numerous maladies that can result when these factors remain unaddressed, such as burnout and diminished morale. Hanging over all of these issues is the one overarching experience of those in the cleaning industry: a lack of respect.
Despite their importance in maintaining hygiene and safety in work settings, Puxty asserts “cleaners are often spoken down to, excluded from workplace interactions, or treated as lesser service providers. This undermines morale and contributes to emotional strain.”
The solution to providing cleaning staff with support must come from increased employer engagement. Puxty identifies that many organisations are already taking positive steps, with BSCAA in particular exercising “open communication, regular staff engagement, and identifying workplace risks. Employers can foster inclusive environments by recognising contributions, ensuring cleaners are treated with dignity, and setting clear expectations with clients around respectful behaviour.”
In order to facilitate this change, however, ample support needs to be given to the shift supervisors who are tasked with safeguarding staff wellbeing. Puxty emphasises that streamlined workplace processes can effectively establish clear boundaries around after-hours contact.
“Simple communication protocols can go a long way in protecting work-life balance and maintaining high service standards, while also aligning with Australia’s Right to Disconnect laws. Only together can we build a stronger, more respectful, and supportive industry, one where every cleaner feels safe, valued and empowered.”
A call for better working conditions in New Zealand
Mental health within the cleaning industry remains just as vital an issue in New Zealand, where the industry employs a sizeable proportion of the population.
According to statistical research body IBISWorld, there are 26,000 people employed in the commercial cleaning services industry as of 2023. The sector also contributes $1.25 billion to the NZ economy, equivalent to two percent of the country’s GDP, according to 2022 findings published by Ringa Hora.
One organisation committed to worker wellbeing is Auckland-based labour union E tū. Named after a Māori waiata espousing the value of standing tall in the face of any storm, the group represents 48,000 workers in New Zealand across six industries, including the cleaning services sector.
Since January 2024, Georgie Dansey has resided as director. Dansey openly advocates for cleaners to speak out about the mental health challenges they face every day.
“Too often, these essential workers are overlooked, yet they have the important role of keeping our schools, hospitals and workplaces safe and hygienic,” she says “Cleaners frequently face disrespect or neglect from employers and the public, which undermines self-worth and morale.”
Dansey highlights several factors that contribute to low morale and impaired wellbeing within the cleaning industry. She says unrealistic workloads, unreliable employment contracts and unsustainable wages are all causes of significant anguish and worry.
Many cleaners work multiple jobs due to poor wages, Dansey says, which causes financial stress, as well as reduced time with their families. “The work is usually in shifts, with late nights and early mornings, which means cleaners are often working alone at night or in empty buildings.”
Dansey emphasises the responsibility of employers to recognise these factors and treat them with the respect they deserve. “Good mental health is not a luxury,” she says. “It’s a workplace issue.”
Dansey’s suggestions for what employers can do differently echo those of Alonso’s, such as offering secure employment contracts and achievable workloads. “Most importantly, employers must listen,” she says. “Cleaners know what they need, they just need to be heard and valued.”
If you are experiencing burnout or suffering from poor mental health at work, there are support services at hand. These include Lifeline Australia, Beyond Blue and MATES. Remember, you are not alone and help is available if you need it.
This article first appeared in the July/Aug print edition of INCLEAN Magazine.
