From 200% Turnover to a Culture of Commitment
What if the issue isn’t who you’re hiring, but what they’re walking into?
That was the pivotal question Greg Brouwer asked himself when he took the reins of West Michigan Janitorial, overseeing a team of more than 200 employees and facing turnover rates nearing 200%. Instead of defaulting to reactive hiring or higher pay, Greg chose a different path… one centred on building belonging, not just bandwidth.
“What if we focused less on finding more people,” Greg asked, “and more on becoming a place worth staying in?”
Greg’s approach reframed leadership from task oversight to culture stewardship. He didn’t just aim to run a more efficient cleaning company; he set out to create a values-driven workplace where dignity is the default, and retention is the byproduct of trust, structure, and care. Under his leadership, turnover has steadily declined below 85%, driven not by easier work but by a stronger culture.
In this powerful episode of The People Strategy Podcast, Traci Austin sits down with Greg Brouwer, owner of West Michigan Janitorial, to unpack what it means to run a high-turnover business without a high-turnover mindset. They discuss the systems Greg’s team implemented to create stability, predictability, and trust, including an employee assistance fund, value-aligned hiring practices, and a structured onboarding experience that centers care and clarity. They also explore Greg’s long-term vision: a workplace where employees can connect their daily work to long-term dreams.
Whether you’re grappling with retention or looking to future-proof your team, this conversation offers more than quick fixes. It’s a blueprint for building a company people don’t just work for; it’s about building a workplace people believe in.
What You’ll Learn:
[00:02:00] Why “cleaning” is the task, but “people” are the business
[00:05:00] How to turn core values into systems that scale trust, dignity, and retention
[00:10:00] Fit-to-role hiring: reducing churn by aligning people and purpose
[00:15:00] The impact of C12 and business-as-ministry leadership on company culture
[00:22:00] How programs like Employee Assistance Funds and Dream Managers drive retention
Quotes That Hit Hard:
“We’re not in the cleaning business. We’re in the people business, and we happen to clean buildings.” – Greg Brouwer
“Everyone is important. Whether you’re cleaning bathrooms or the CFO of a large corporation, both deserve the same dignity and respect.” – Greg Brouwer
“If you can connect people to how their work can help them achieve their dreams, magic happens.” – Greg Brouwer
Actions You Can Take Today:
- Redesign Your Onboarding: Standardize how new hires are welcomed, supported, and introduced to your core values, especially in remote or shift-based teams.
- Build Care Into Your Culture: Create an employee assistance fund or similar program that provides real support when life hits hard.
- Lead with Values, Not Volume: Stop trying to fill roles fast. Instead, slow down to hire people aligned with your mission and team culture.
- Turn Retention Into A Strategy: Understand why people leave and use those insights to lose fewer, not hire more.
- Empower Managers To Connect: Equip them with time, tools, and support to invest in their current teams, not just backfill openings.
About Greg Brouwer:
Greg Brouwer is the owner of West Michigan Janitorial, leading a team of over 500 employees in an industry where people, not products, define success. With a background in business and a heart for service, Greg’s leadership philosophy is rooted in stewardship, values-driven hiring, and building systems that support both clients and employees. As a C12 member, Greg champions business-as-ministry, focusing on creating workplaces where people are seen, supported and connected to a deeper purpose.
Brought to You By:
The People Strategy Podcast is sponsored by the Leadership Development Program offered through Elevated Talent Consulting.
Do you have leaders new to a people management role? Specifically looking to learn their new role in people leadership?
In this program, we partner with learners to experience and create their own leadership around time management, delegation, coaching, accountability, and change management.
