Keep it Clean Episode 096 The Halo Effect

Описание: The halo effect includes the subtle happenings that occur around your employees. These don’t happen for everyone. And in many cases, they are positive. But today, we’re looking at the negative halo effects and how to identify and isolate them.

In any service business, expansion and contraction are understandable. In the commercial cleaning industry, your business can grow and shrink with client wins and losses. All dynamic cleaning companies eventually face a difficult reality: they must evaluate team members through an objective lens.

This isn’t about reducing people to a line on a spreadsheet. This assessment is about making disciplined decisions that keep the company healthy. Doing this will ensure the right people are in the right roles. If you’re interested in an easy to use free tool, see this personality profiler. I know that the tension between empathy and accountability is real. Acknowledging that is the first step to handling it responsibly.

Tracking the Halo Effect
One practical approach is using a simple scoring matrix to evaluate performance. Criteria often include:
• Dependability (arrival time, attendance, consistency)
• Quality outcomes (complaints and / or compliments received)
• Breadth of Skills (specialized tasks beyond basic cleaning)
• Ability to work independently (task completion without personal supervision)
• Growth potential (Desire plus ability to accept responsibility for outcomes)

Assigning weights to each factor helps balance reliability with results and future capacity. In larger reorganizations, leaders may set a “cut line” based on available positions, then reassign, cross-train, or, when necessary, let people go.

Dealing with the Results of Cold Assessment
These moments are hard on everyone. Those who “survive the cut” can experience guilt and doubt. If you’re an owner and manager, I suggest you be prepared for this. In your eyes, just making it through this stage may appear to be a compliment. I understand that opinion. After all, you are demonstrating to those remaining employees that your factual process recognizes they are a valuable asset to the company.
But your employees are more than a collection of facts.
Having experienced this from the employee and owner positions, I can tell you that there is emotional fall-out. When front-line cleaners see their coworkers fired, they often become nervous. If you’re able, I suggest enacting an employee assistance program. This will help your team transition and remain reliable. Understandably, programs like this may NOT be in the budget of a smaller cleaning company.

Results of The Halo Effect for Smaller Companies
For smaller teams (around five to ten employees) this assessment method still applies, but the signals can be more personal and nuanced. When customer complaints arise, it’s essential to diagnose root causes before concluding it’s a people problem. When issues arise, adding these questions to your process will help navigate the situation and help you grow:
• Are the tools and supplies adequate?
• Was training sufficient?
• Is the supervision clear and consistent?
Sometimes the issue is systemic rather than individual. Dependability matters but showing up on time does not automatically equal strong performance. A fair assessment separates effort from outcomes and considers whether management practices or resource gaps are contributing to recurring issues.

A Cold Assessment of the Halo Effect Can Help
Bias complicates this work, particularly the “halo effect.” That’s when a single positive attribute—like never calling in sick or always agreeing to stay late—casts a glow over an employee’s overall performance. The risk is obvious: a dependable person can still be misaligned with the role or lack the skills needed for consistent quality. This is especially sensitive when the individual is a long-term employee, a family member, or a partner in the business. Another common trap is promoting someone beyond their capability. Keep in mind that strong individual contributors don’t always succeed in leadership roles, and reversing those decisions requires clarity and care.
A balanced path forward blends data and empathy. Define clear performance criteria and weights. Gather evidence over time, not just during a crisis. Investigate root causes before making personnel changes. Use redeployment and cross-training when possible; communicate changes with transparency and respect. When hard decisions must be made, act decisively to avoid prolonged uncertainty. Last but not least, consider external coaching or advisory support. As the owner, leadership rests on you. I can tell you that we all have blind-spots and having someone outside your organization helps to reduce bias and add structure. Taking the step of bringing on a professional cleaning coach honors your team while protecting the health of your business and the quality promised to customers.