The Culture Lesson I Learned From a Hospital Cleaner
Last month I accompanied my Dad to Mumbai for some medical tests. We stayed in the hospital guest rooms.
Every day, a small two-person team came to clean the rooms on our floor. And there was this one cleaning lady, Sana, who always wore a bright smile.
As my usual self, I would chit-chat with her. Asking how her day had been. Whether the shift had been long.
And every time she saw me, her face would light up.
What struck me was how most patients barely acknowledged the cleaning team. They were almost invisible.
Yet their work is not easy. Cleaning patient rooms can be harrowing: blood stains, unpleasant situations, long shifts.
But something interesting happened over the days.
Because we spoke.
Because we smiled.
Because we simply acknowledged each other.
Sana began going out of her way to help us.
The room would be spotless.
She would bring extra water bottles.
She would share little tips on how to navigate the medical visits.
And it reminded me of something I saw that same week on LinkedIn.
An ex-colleague who had moved to Canada wrote about starting again from the bottom of the career ladder. After years of senior roles in Mauritius.
But he said he had no regrets.
Because in his new job, he finally felt seen.
In his words:
“The fanciest title in a culture that doesn’t see you is worth less than the simplest role in a place that does.”
This stayed with me.
I often see organisations invest enormous effort and money in culture initiatives.
Big launches.
Glossy events.
Branded merchandise.
And yet months later… the culture feels unchanged.
What if culture did not start there?
What if culture started with something much simpler:
- acknowledging someone
- saying thank you
- taking a moment to see the human being behind the role
In my humble opinion, this is where the real human magic begins.
And this is where culture truly comes alive.