The Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI), a division of ISSA, announced the results of its annual Residential Cleaning Benchmark Study. The study identified challenges and trends facing residential cleaning service companies.

Finding and retaining a trained workforce continues to be the top challenge for more than 40% of residential cleaning companies that participated. This was a problem prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but reached crisis level for many residential cleaning companies in 2021. Companies with formal training programs in-place are reporting 20% or less employee turnover.

“As we recover from the pandemic and likely face an economic downturn, this year could be pivotal for the residential cleaning industry,” said ARCSI program manager Erin Lasch. “Maintaining profits and growing business remain top challenges, but ARCSI members are reporting significantly higher gross profit margins."

The study was initiated by ARCSI and conducted by Maximum Performance Group LLC.