At Oakville Maids, we’ve always believed that the people who do the work are the business. Not the logo. Not the mop. Not the scheduling software. The people. That’s why we’re proud to be a certified Living Wage Employer, something we wrote about last year when we officially earned that certification.

But recently, something pretty cool happened: Oakville News noticed.

In a recent article titled “How can Oakville businesses afford to pay living wages?”, Oakville News highlighted local companies, including Oakville Maids, that are choosing to do things a little differently. And yes, a little more responsibly.

So… how do businesses afford it?

Short answer: by not running their business like it’s 1998.

Longer answer: paying a living wage isn’t about being a charity or lighting money on fire. It’s about building a sustainable company where staff actually stick around, care about their work, and don’t need to work three jobs just to survive.

When you pay people fairly, turnover drops (training new staff constantly is expensive, by the way), quality goes up (happy cleaners do better work… shocking, we know), customers are happier (they see the difference), and management spends less time putting out fires.

In other words, it’s not magic. It’s math.

The Oakville News article does a great job addressing the question many business owners quietly ask: “Sure, that sounds nice… but can we actually afford it?” The answer, increasingly, is YES, if you’re willing to run a modern business and not squeeze every last dollar out of the people doing the hardest work.

We won’t pretend it’s always easy. Paying a living wage means being thoughtful about pricing, efficiency, and growth. It means saying no to shortcuts. It means playing the long game. But here’s the thing: the long game is where the good businesses survive. As Warren Buffett’s famous advice on this is usually summed up with this line:

“Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”

We’re proud Oakville News chose to feature this conversation, and we’re even prouder that Oakville Maids is part of it. Cleaning homes is what we do, but taking care of our people is how we do it.

And frankly, it just feels like the right thing to do. Even if it’s not always the easist path.

Thanks for reading,
Oakville Maids

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Ben Brown from Oakville News recently reached out to us as part of a story about local businesses featured on the latest Living Wage Employers Directory, which can be found here. I was thrilled to share our perspective on why paying a living wage is essential – not only for supporting our hardworking staff but also for the overall success of Oakville Maids. For us, providing fair wages is a reflection of our commitment to creating a positive, sustainable workplace and delivering exceptional quality to our clients.

Greg’s answers to Ben’s questions below:

What made you decide to change your business to paying everyone a living wage?

We’ve always maintained a commitment to paying a living wage because we firmly believe that the strength of a business lies in its people. At Oakville Maids, our philosophy centers on respect and appreciation for our team. Today, many businesses reduce labor costs to compete on price, but we see things differently. By paying what our employees truly deserve, we not only attract top talent but also build loyalty, as our team members know they’re valued.

Our decision to earn a living wage certification wasn’t just for internal practice; it’s also a promise to our customers. This certification signals that we don’t compromise when it comes to respecting the people who work tirelessly to make their homes comfortable and clean. It’s about ensuring that quality and integrity guide everything we do.

How has your business changed for the better or worse?

Paying a living wage has brought only positive changes. A motivated, dedicated team performs at a higher level, creating the exceptional service that’s become our hallmark. When employees aren’t worrying about basic financial stability, they’re able to focus fully on delivering their best. This focus not only boosts their job satisfaction but also leads to enhanced performance, which directly benefits our clients and the business as a whole.

We also go a step further by recognizing our top performers. By compensating our team based on their hard work and dedication, we foster a culture where hard work is acknowledged and rewarded. This approach helps us retain our best people and continually improve our quality of service, which has been one of our keys to success.

Can we come take a photo or get a photo of the interview subject at the storefront of your business soon?

Absolutely! I’d be happy to meet you for a photo at our storefront. Here’s one of me, Greg, the proud CEO of Oakville Maids. Looking forward to sharing more about what we do and our commitment to quality and fairness!

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