Why Team Dinners Matter (And What We Learned From Ours This Weekend)

Our team and their families this weekend!

This past weekend, our AB Clean team gathered around a table instead of a bucket or vacuum. For once, there were no checklists, no schedules, and no rush to finish before a building opened in the morning. Just good food, warm biscuits, plenty of queso, and a chance to slow down together.

It reminded me why these team dinners are so important — not just for morale, but for the heart of our business.

It’s About More Than Cleaning

Commercial cleaning can be a funny business. Our crews are often working late at night or early in the morning, moving from one building to the next. Sometimes they only see each other in passing — a quick “Hey!” or “Did you grab the mop?” before heading out the door.

But when we sit down for dinner, everything slows down. Suddenly, we’re not just coworkers — we’re neighbors, friends, parents, students, mentors. This weekend, I learned who just sent their youngest off to college, who’s the ultimate Chris Brown fan, and who makes the best peach cobbler in town (yes, we’re still talking about it).

Those moments matter. They remind us that every person on our team is more than a uniform — they’re someone’s mom, dad, daughter, son, or best friend.

It Builds Trust and Connection

There’s something powerful about sharing a meal together. It levels the playing field. Around that table, no one’s a supervisor, no one’s “just the new guy.” Everyone gets a seat, a voice, and a chance to feel heard.

This weekend, we laughed until our sides hurt, told stories from our toughest jobs, and shared ideas about how to make our work easier and safer. Some of our best process improvements have come from conversations like these — often while passing the biscuits and dipping into the queso.

It Shows We Value Our Team

Commercial cleaning is a job where most of the praise goes unnoticed — buildings look their best when no one is around to see us working. That’s why taking time to say “thank you” is so important.

At this weekend’s dinner, we celebrated our team simply for who they are: a group of people who stay positive, roll with the changes, and are always looking for ways to be better. Their commitment to growth, their flexibility, and their attitude make AB Clean what it is — a company that can take on any challenge and keep moving forward.

It Keeps People Around

Turnover can be high in this industry, and we get it — cleaning is hard work. But we’ve noticed that when people feel connected to the team, they stick around.

One of our employees said something this weekend that stuck with me:

“I came for the job, but I stayed because of the people.”

That’s exactly why we keep making these dinners a priority. They help us build the kind of workplace where people want to stay — where they feel respected, heard, and part of something bigger than themselves.

It’s Good for Everyone

Here’s the truth: when our team is happy, our clients are happy. A connected, motivated crew works better together, catches problems before they start, and goes the extra mile because they care.

And it all starts with something as simple as sitting down for a meal — or in our case, sharing biscuits and queso.

Join Us Next Time

If you’re part of our AB Clean family, know this: we see you, we value you, and you’ll always have a place at the table with us. Our next dinner is already on the calendar, and we can’t wait to laugh, share stories, and celebrate together again.

Because at the end of the day, AB Clean isn’t just a cleaning company — we’re a team, and teams grow stronger when they come together.

Jillian Crumley

Administrative Assistant