Account Manager, Joshua Dannan, built his janitorial team from the bottom up through accountability, honesty, and kindness.
UG2 was founded on a culture of excellence, and I stress the importance of culture, community and teamwork with all of our account managers. In a short period of time, Joshua Dannan has been able to transform the culture and increase collaboration within his team at a higher education campus.
Joshua recalls when he joined UG2, he had his work cut out for him because it was clear there were several areas of opportunities to improve. He noticed that there was a lack of collaboration even though many team members had even been with the university for 10 to 20 years. Through engagement with employees, Joshua noted that many felt undervalued or that they weren’t listened to by previous employers, which inhibited their ability to perform at their best. There was also a lack of cohesion since they have been through multiple facility services providers and management over the years.
Joshua had a purpose of turning the culture on campus around by finding the root causes and creating a reliable team that was ready to problem-solve and work together. It was crucial that a relationship based on transparency and honesty was established with the university community from the get-go. Joshua began by walking through campus and talking to basically anyone who would listen, from students to staff, faculty, and university leadership. He emphasized UG2’s goals and core values while addressing any potential concerns so they could be handled with a plan of action.
There are five leadership values Joshua focused on to build a passionate, dedicated, and hardworking (PHD) team:
1. CARE
For many students, the university is their home away from home. This means that attention to detail and responsiveness is key. Issues should be prioritized and addressed promptly. Having a team that treats everyone and every situation with a caring attitude goes a long way to establishing a positive and respected reputation.
2. CONSISTENCY
Regularly talking to the university leadership team about concerns and how to address them builds trust in the community. If consistency isn’t a priority, issues can build up without being brought to attention, which can create unnecessary chaos.
3. FOLLOW-UP
Following through and circling back on work order requests creates a trustworthy team. Revisiting issues or concerns ensures that nothing is left unresolved, and relationships can blossom with different community members.
4. COMMUNICATION
A team cannot function properly without communication. Whether it’s interacting internally within the team, or talking with people within the campus community, good communication is one of the most important skills a team can have.
5. HONESTY
Honesty is always the best policy. Being transparent about timelines, prioritization, or areas that need improvement leads to better productivity. It also shows dependability and encourages others to be open to sharing their thoughts or ideas.
Core Values in Action
In addition to the five leadership values Joshua draws inspiration from, he highlights the importance of UG2’s Core Values. Our values are what make us unique among other facility services providers. Joshua expressed that many of his team members were unaware of the core values and were excited to learn about how UG2 puts people first, which includes our customers and our teams.
While keeping these five leadership values and UG2’s Core Values top of mind, Joshua went above and beyond to get involved in the university’s community. After learning more about the campus community, he sprang into action and went to local churches to get donations for students in need, provided school supplies, attended sports games, and learned about campus events.
He sought out employees who wanted to grow in the industry and develop their skills and responsibilities. Joshua believes in the power of mentorship and setting a good example. Shift leader, Anthony Gabby, caught his attention from the start. Joshua has been mentoring Anthony and having him handle complaints in order to develop his problem-solving, accountability, and customer service skills. Joshua describes how everyone on campus loves Anthony; his friendliness and hard work do not go unnoticed.
Making his team feel valued is also important to Joshua. He has implemented an employee of the month program, frequently points out UG2 benefits with his team, and plans team lunches and appreciation events.
It is clear that Joshua Dannan has made an incredibly positive impact on the university community and his team. Anthony calls Joshua “lucky number seven” because he is the 7th manager who genuinely cares about the janitorial team. Of course, Joshua emphasizes that the team still faces challenges and difficulties, but there has been extraordinary improvement since he started. He said the janitorial team is even ahead of schedule for the first time in almost a decade.
We are so grateful to have Joshua Dannan and his team as part of the UG2 family. We are certain they will continue to make a positive impact on the campus community.