If you’ve ever walked into your building early in the morning and noticed how clean the floors are, or how quickly something gets fixed after you submit a maintenance request, that’s the work of your custodial and facilities teams. These folks are the unsung heroes of our residence halls—and they can be some of your greatest allies in making your community a great place to live.
As RAs and student staff, your job is about building community, supporting residents, and making the residence halls feel like home. But none of that happens without the people who keep those halls running smoothly behind the scenes. Developing a solid relationship with your custodial and facilities staff isn’t just a “nice to do,” it’s a smart move that can make your job easier and your community stronger.
Let’s break down some easy, practical ways you can build real partnerships with these team members and why it matters.
1. Start With Respect (It’s More Than Just Being Polite)
Yes, saying “thank you” is important, but partnering with custodial and facilities staff means going a step further. It’s about recognizing their work as essential, not secondary. Think about it: they clean up messes after long weekends, fix broken furniture, respond to floods and leaks, and keep things functioning safely and smoothly. They often do this without a lot of recognition, and sometimes under challenging circumstances.
Show respect by learning their names, saying hello when you see them, and being mindful of how your residents treat shared spaces. If your floor has a kitchen that’s always left a mess, that’s not just inconvenient, it’s disrespectful to the people who have to clean it up. Helping your residents understand this, and encouraging them to be considerate, goes a long way.
2. Be a Communication Bridge
You know what’s happening on your floor in real time and your custodial and maintenance staff may not. If there’s a broken chair in the lounge or a spill that needs attention, help communicate that quickly and clearly. Don’t assume someone else reported it. Take the initiative to put in a maintenance request or pass the message along through the right channels. Also, be proactive. If you know a big event is coming up that might impact the space (like a pizza party or a holiday decorating session), let your facilities team know in advance. It shows respect for their time and helps them plan.
3. Make Them Part of the Team
It’s easy to view custodial and facilities staff as outside the “residence life” bubble, but they’re part of the community too. Invite them to events when it makes sense. Maybe it’s a morning coffee meet-up, a “thank you” breakfast, or a staff appreciation day. Even small gestures, like a handwritten thank-you note or a shoutout on a bulletin board, can mean a lot. When staff feel included and appreciated, they’re more likely to go the extra mile and that benefits everyone.
4. Understand Their Schedules and Workloads
Most custodial and facilities staff work early hours. By the time you’re awake and starting your day, they may already be halfway through theirs. Keep that in mind when trying to connect or communicate. Don’t assume they’re always around at the same times you are. Also, recognize that they often have multiple buildings or large areas to cover. That toilet that’s been broken for two days? It’s not because they don’t care. It may be because they’ve been juggling five emergencies elsewhere. Patience and empathy are key.
5. Be an Advocate (Not Just a Messenger)
If your building has ongoing issues (maybe the same outlet keeps breaking or the elevators are always out) you might be tempted to just keep submitting work orders and waiting. But as a student leader, you can also be an advocate. Bring patterns or persistent problems to your supervisor’s attention. Speak up on behalf of your residents, but also on behalf of the custodial and facilities staff who might be dealing with repeat issues too. It’s about recognizing that you all share the same goal: a clean, safe, comfortable place to live and work.
6. Educate Your Residents
This might be one of the most impactful things you can do. Many students don’t think twice about who cleans the bathrooms or refills the toilet paper. They just expect it to be done. You can help shift that mindset. Whether it’s during a floor meeting or a casual conversation, talk about the real people who take care of the building. Share the importance of cleaning up after yourself, reporting problems early, and respecting common spaces. It’s not about scolding—it’s about helping residents see themselves as part of a larger community.
Final Thoughts
When you take time to build a relationship with the custodial and facilities staff in your building, you’re doing more than just being a “good teammate.” You’re setting the tone for how everyone else in your community treats those essential workers too. It doesn’t have to be complicated or formal. A quick check-in, a thoughtful note, a heads-up about an event… all of these small things add up. So next time you walk past someone mopping the floors or hauling equipment into the elevator, take a second to say hi, offer a genuine thank-you, or ask how their day’s going. It might just lead to a partnership that makes your job easier and your community stronger.
Adapted from ResEdChat Ep 31: Chana Bailey and Norton Mitchell on Partnering with Custodial and Facilities Staff
