The report has the number of employees working in the cleaning and waste sector at 1.47 million, approximately 5% of the UK workforce, the industry remains one of the top 10 biggest in the UK.
According to the latest information available, the industry contributed £58.9bn to the UK turnover and the sector increased by 22% from 2015 to 2021, a similar figure to growth in the economy as a whole. As you know, sector staff had been on the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the report noted, with the current pressures, increased workloads, and ongoing cost of living uncertainty has left many people “exhausted.” Wellbeing support was critical. The research also found that the cleaning and hygiene industry was very competitive and identified some challenges for the sector, including a record number of job vacancies, and with 27% of the workforce aged over 55 years, a need to do more to attract younger staff.