Ten years is an increasingly unusual milestone in modern working life. In an era defined by job-hopping, shifting priorities and changing expectations, longevity has become something of a rarity. Yet while governments have changed, technologies have transformed and a global pandemic has reshaped the workplace, some things have remained remarkably constant.
One of them is our very own Robb Paton – an ever popular member of our contract management team.
When Robb joined we clean in 2016, Barack Obama was in the final year of his presidency, Leicester City were on course for an improbable Premier League title and Britain’s vote to leave the European Union was still months away.
Closer to home, we clean was entering a new chapter of its own. The business was navigating a period of transition following the loss of Dee Richards, a figure whose influence remains woven into the fabric of the organisation.
“It was a challenging time for all,” Robb recalls. “But it also showed me what a fantastic culture existed within the business and the support that had been created by the Directors.”
A decade later, that culture remains one of the principal reasons he is still here.
Today, Robb oversees a portfolio stretching across the M42 corridor, including long-standing partnerships with Solihull School and UK-NSI in Redditch. Yet his contribution is measured by more than contracts and service delivery. Ask colleagues what defines him and they are likely to mention something less tangible: his ability to build relationships, develop people and create trust.
These qualities have become increasingly important in a cleaning industry that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Technology has advanced, compliance requirements have multiplied and sustainability has moved from a niche concern to a boardroom priority. Then came COVID-19, thrusting cleaning professionals into the spotlight and redefining public understanding of hygiene almost overnight.
For Robb, however, the fundamentals have remained largely unchanged.
“This role is very fast paced with no two days being the same,” he says. “But the most important qualities are empathy, integrity and communication skills with both staff and clients.”
That emphasis on people perhaps explains the achievement of which he is most proud. Rather than pointing to contracts won or operational successes, Robb speaks first about colleagues whose careers have flourished under his guidance.
“The main driver for me has been seeing staff develop,” he explains. “Particularly those who started as Cleaning Operatives and progressed into management roles.”
Among them is Diane Murray, whom he singles out for special recognition, citing her commitment and development throughout their time working together.
Such stories illustrate a truth often overlooked in discussions about business performance. Organisations rarely succeed because of systems alone.
They succeed because experienced people invest time, patience and energy into helping others improve. In that regard, Robb’s contribution extends far beyond the clients he manages.
His own career has followed a similarly steady trajectory. Before entering contract management, he worked across aerospace, customer service and IT installation engineering. Different sectors, certainly, but all sharing one common thread: dealing with people.
“I don’t think anything can prepare you for the world of cleaning,” he says with a smile. “But I certainly lean on those formative years in other industries.”
There is perhaps a lesson in that observation. Whilst the tools, regulations and expectations surrounding the industry have evolved considerably, the essence of leadership has not. The ability to listen, communicate, support and adapt remains as valuable today as it was ten years ago.
Looking back, Robb describes his career with we clean as both rewarding and enjoyable. Looking ahead, he remains focused on continued development, supported by colleagues at work and his family at home, including his wife Dawn and their two children.
Paul Concannon, Director, reflects fondly on Robb’s time with the organisation and ahead to the years to come:
“On behalf of everyone at we clean I would like to congratulate Robb on his 10-year anniversary with the business and thank him for his dedicated commitment to ‘doing the job right’ during that time!
First and foremost, Robb is a very nice and sincere work colleague, who is very much liked and respected by everyone at the Company Head Office, plus his array of clients from all industry sectors to the large number of frontline cleaning staff who look to Robb for his consistent support and guidance throughout the working week!
Robb has always embodied fully the unique we clean Company Ethos and this has been reflected in the manner in which he has conducted himself within the business over the past 10 years with complete professionalism, an unwavering reliability who has an inbuilt integrity at his core and operates with a genuine desire to provide his clients with service excellence whilst supporting his large cleaning team to be as effective as they possibly can be!
As an organisation we clean has been the richer for having a Robb Paton within its ranks and we look forward to enjoying together even more ‘valued’ success as we move on into the next 10 years!
Thank you, Robb, for all your hard work, commitment and support you have certainly embraced the ‘we clean and proud of it’ mantra”!
In an age where careers are increasingly measured in months rather than years, ten years of service deserves recognition. Not simply because of the length of time involved, but because of what that time represents: consistency, resilience, loyalty and the quiet accumulation of trust.
For Robb Paton and we clean, those qualities have defined the past decade and they are likely to define the next one too!
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