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The importance of the team huddle
19th of December 2025 Article by Wioleta Tomaszewska
Wioleta Tomaszewska is a BU support planner in cleaning at Coor FM (one of the leading service providers in the Nordics) and lecturer in cleaning management. She previously worked as an area manager in the cleaning department of Bergen Municipality, Norway.
In this piece she explains why team huddles (short, structured meetings) are such a vital way of cleaning teams driving improvement themselves.
Workers in the cleaning industry often report that they are satisfied with their jobs. At the same time, living condition surveys show that cleaners rank among the occupational groups with the lowest overall job satisfaction. This is an example of what is often called the "85 per cent syndrome": even though many express that they are content, apparent satisfaction can hide small frustrations, wear and stress - things that rarely get voiced without an arena for reflection and participation.
The concept of model strength refers to employees' ability to understand, interpret and use information in discussions and decision-making. The more experience and professional knowledge one has, the easier it is to participate actively and influence outcomes. Therefore it is important to give cleaners opportunities for competence development and arenas for joint reflection-otherwise they remain model weak and have little real influence. One of the tools can be team huddles (short, structured meetings often used in lean practices) - gatherings that create space for reflection, improvement suggestions, and concrete actions.
What happens when cleaners drive improvement work themselves?
Team huddles are a simple yet powerful tool for improvement. In practice, it means that the team meets regularly-ideally weekly-in front of a physical or digital board, and brings up small and large issues from daily work. This can range from logistics and task distribution to equipment, HSE and cooperation.
In my work, I have tested huddles in larger buildings with teams working during the day. Here, the meetings contributed to practical improvements such as reorganising cleaning rooms, relocating cleaning machines, changing tidying routines for users and improving collaboration within the team.
Over time, huddles became a natural part of the workday, and the mindset of "I'll bring this up at the huddle!" established itself among the cleaners. But just as important is what happens on a deeper level: safety within the group, increased awareness of HSE, and ownership of both problems and solutions.
This work method is inspired by Lean principles, where continuous improvement, involvement of those who know the work best, and reduction of waste are central.
HSE and improvement - cost or investment?
HSE and improvement work are often spoken of as two separate areas, but in practice, they share much in common. Both are about making workdays better-safer, more efficient and more predictable. And both can be addressed in team huddles.
The challenge is that time spent on HSE and improvement is often seen as a cost. But with a cost-benefit mindset, the picture looks different: good HSE can save the organisation large sums over time - for example, through ergonomic reviews, training in proper techniques or investment in good equipment. Such measures prevent strain injuries and sick leave.
At the same time, improvement work can lead to better resource utilisation: removing unnecessary movements, avoiding double work or organising smarter frees up time and energy - for both individuals and the team. When HSE and improvement are seen in connection and integrated into daily work, it strengthens health, well-being, and efficiency.
Without this, huddles don't work
Team huddles work best when employees can meet physically and at the same time, which requires a certain structure in the workday. Therefore, it is advantageous that cleaners work in teams and during the day.
Daytime not only provides better opportunities for teamwork but also closer contact with users and other occupational groups. This creates arenas for cooperation, facilitation, and shared responsibility-factors that affect well-being, quality, and ergonomics in daily work.
Less satisfied than other industries - but with great improvement potential
According to figures from NOA (Norwegian Occupational Health Surveillance - part of the National Institute of Occupational Health, STAMI), more than 40 per cent of cleaners report musculoskeletal disorders partly or entirely caused by their job. This applies to the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs. This says something about the strain the occupation entails, and why it is so important to work systematically with ergonomics and the work environment.
I have experienced that many cleaners initially say that "everything works fine." But when they get the chance to reflect together, improvement potential emerges. They point out small obstacles in everyday life that create great frustration-and often, the solutions are already in the room if we just listen.
Good leadership, professional support and arenas for participation can change this picture. When employees take part in development work and feel ownership of solutions, both satisfaction and sense of mastery increase. And then quality and efficiency move in the right direction as well.
Five steps to succeed with huddles
Huddles are not just a tool, they are a culture of involvement and improvement. Here are five practical steps you can use as a simple toolbox to get started - and succeed - with huddles in cleaning.
1. Short and regular - Hold meetings weekly. All team members at work should participate.
2. Visual board - Divide the board into:
• What is the problem?
• What is the cause?
• What are the consequences for cleaners and users?
• Which measures (actions/initiatives) give the most effect for the least effort?
3. Focus on value - The huddle should be a practical arena for improvements and HSE. Not a wall of complaints.
4. Responsibility and follow-up - For each measure (action/initiative):
• Agree on what should be done
• Who is responsible
• Deadline for follow-up
• Don't remove measures before they are implemented
5. Simple assessment of proposals - Improvement suggestions can be evaluated directly as actions. The team should then consider:
• Is it realistic?
• How much effort vs. benefit does it give?
• Who follows it up, and when?
This article is based on developments in the Norwegian cleaning sector. It was originally published in Norwegian in the industry magazine Renholdsnytt (issue /2025), and has been translated and adapted for international dissemination.
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