Building a business where everyone benefits 

Stella's Cleaning Service was established in 2018 by Stella after moving to the UK a few years earlier from Romania. She has always offered reliable, high-quality cleaning services with a personal touch and quickly the business grew from just Stella and her bike, to a small car and a couple of employees, to a van and now a full team of dedicated staff offering trusted commercial and specialist services across Oxfordshire.   

Stella understands her staff play a critical part in the success and has firsthand experience of how physically demanding and challenging the work can be. She acknowledges that without them, her business would not exist, so she's always paid above the National Minimum Wage. 

Because of this, becoming an Oxford Living Wage employer was an easy decision. It perfectly reflected the values Stella already practiced. Of this decision, Manager Director, Stella said:  

“For me, it is a way to publicly demonstrate that we value our employees and recognise their hard work. I want both our team and our clients to know that we are committed to fair pay and treating people with respect.”

Her advice to other cleaning businesses is to look beyond the immediate cost. Paying a living wage may reduce profit margins in the short term, however, in her experience, paying people fairly is a complete gamechanger. She believes: 

"When employees feel valued, they are more motivated, more loyal, and take greater pride in their work. This leads to a better service for customers, stronger client relationships, and ultimately, a stronger business. I believe every successful business relies on a simple circle: if you look after your staff, they will look after your customers, and satisfied customers will continue to support your business. Fair pay is essential to keeping that circle strong."  

Stella's business proves that fair pay makes sense. Her final thoughts? 

"For me, success isn't just about profit. It's about building a business where the company, the staff and the customers all benefit together, with professional cleaning and a personal touch ''