This past May, our custodial team hosted a series of employee events in honor of the International Sanitary Supply Association’s International Cleaning Week! The team showcased their spirit throughout the week by dressing up in fun themes and spending time socializing with each other. We sat down with custodial supervisor Jasmine Aranda to learn more about this celebration of team spirit! 

Events throughout the week included Hawaiian shirt day on Monday, UC Davis pride day on Tuesday, favorite sports team day on Wednesday, and casual day + a team barbeque on Thursday. Custodial staff voted on each day’s theme prior to the event, encouraging everyone to participate and showcase their team spirit! Throughout the week, the team showed their pride by dressing up and closed out the week by spending time enjoying a barbeque and playing games. To ensure all staff could participate, the team hosted three separate barbecues - one each for day shift, night shift, and swing shift employees. 

There was also a raffle contest for staff to spend a day working with their manager! Employees who went above and beyond in their work during the week or made an effort to dress up and participate were given raffle tickets. Winners were able to spend a few hours working with their manager, giving managers insight into their daily tasks and allowing them to help out with their work! 

The decision to hold a spirit week event, says Jasmine, stemmed from custodial leadership’s desire to recognize and appreciate the hard work of our custodial staff. Jasmine said the best part of the week was the opportunity to work closely with her colleagues, gaining insight into their daily experiences and building stronger connections.

While the custodial team has organized similar events in the past, this spirit week marked their largest endeavor yet. With the positive reception of the event, Jasmine says they hope to continue the tradition annually! They also have plans to host a summer Olympics-themed celebration in July. 

The success of this event highlights the dedication and teamwork of our talented custodial team! Every staff member contributed to the fun and vibrant atmosphere of the week, demonstrating their commitment to their work and supporting each other. The team looks forward to continuing to celebrate International Cleaning Week every year!