CHAPTER THIRTY–SEVEN–CROSSING PATHS
“As you can see here,” she said, pointing to a graph, “our current in–house staff actually saves the company money in the long run compared to outsourcing.
She moved on to share testimonials from various departments about the custodians‘ importance.
“Just last month, our team prevented a potential disaster when we quickly contained a water leak in the server room,” Nia explained. “An outsourced team might not have the same level of familiarity with the building or sense of urgency.”
As she continued, Nia noticed the board members leaning in, clearly engaged. Mr. Allistair was nodding thoughtfully, while others were furiously scribbling notes.
Just as Nia felt she was winning them over, a voice cut through her presentation.
“I’m sorry, but I have to interrupt here.”
It was Mr. Darry, one of the senior executives known for his hard–line approach to cost–cutting. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed.
“While I appreciate the effort you’ve put into this presentation, Nia, I have to point out that your data. seems… skewed,” he said, his tone dismissive. “A professional cleaning service would undoubtedly be more efficient and cost–effective in the long run.”
Nia felt a flutter of panic, but she took a deep breath and stood her ground. “Actually, Mr. Darry, I have data that suggests otherwise.”
She quickly pulled up the cost analysis from the USB drive. “This analysis shows that over a five–year period, outsourcing would actually cost the company 15% more than maintaining our current in–house staff.”
Mr. Darry’s eyebrows shot up. “And where exactly did you get this information?” he asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Nia hesitated for a split second before answering confidently, “It’s from our own financial department, sir. The numbers don’t lie.”
Mr. Darry leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “I see. Well, I still believe that a professional service would provide a higher standard of cleanliness. After all, no offense, but you’re… well, janitors, not trained cleaning professionals.”
The condescension in his tone made Nia’s blood boil, but she kept her cool. “With all due respect, Mr. Darry, our team is highly trained and intimately familiar with every inch of this building. We don’t just clean, we maintain and protect company assets.”
She turned to the rest of the board. “Just last quarter, our team’s quick action saved thousands of dollars In potential water damage. We’ve prevented countless workplace accidents with our proactive approach to maintenance. An outsourced team simply wouldn’t have the same level of investment in the company’s wellbeing.”
The room was tense as Nia and Mr. Darry continued to go back and forth. Other board–members chimed in with questions, some supportive, others skeptical. Nia countered each point, drawing on her research and the internal documents from her anonymous source.
Just when it seemed the board was at an impasse, Mr. Allistair held up a hand. “I think we’ve heard enough for now. Let’s take a short recess to deliberate
CHAPTER THIRTY–SEVEN CRUSSING PATHS
Nia’s heart was racing–as she gathered her materials. She’d said her piece, laid out all the facts. Now, it was out of her hands.
As she stepped out of the boardroom, she felt a mix of exhaustion and nervous energy. Had she done. enough? Would it be enough to save her colleagues‘ jobs?
All she could do now was wait..
As Nia stepped back into the boardroom, her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. The executives filed in behind her, their faces unreadable as they took their seats. Mr. Allistair cleared his throat, about to speak, when a familiar voice cut through the tension.
“If I may, I’d like to address the board.”
Nia’s head snapped up. It was Leon, striding confidently to the front of the room. What was he doing here?
“Mr. Reeves,” Mr. Allistair said, surprise evident in his voice. “This is unexpected. Please, proceed.”
-Leon nodded, his eyes briefly meeting Nia’s before he turned to face the board. “Thank you. I’ve been
closely monitoring this situation and have conducted my own investigation into the matter of our janitorial services.”
Nia felt her stomach drop. Had he discovered her secret? Was he about to expose her?
But Leon continued, his voice steady and authoritative. “I believe I have a compromise that will satisfy our budget constraints while retaining our valuable in–house staff.”
He outlined his ‘proposal: a slight reduction in janitorial hours, but no layoffs. This would be coupled with an efficiency training program to maximize productivity.
“By implementing these changes,” Leon explained, “we can achieve the necessary cost savings without sacrificing the quality and dedication of our custodial team.”
Nia watched in shock as Leon eloquently defended the importance of the custodial staff. He even cited specific examples of their work, praising their quick response to emergencies and their role in maintaining a safe, clean work environment.
“Just last month,” Leon said, “our custodial team prevented a potentially disastrous situation when they quickly contained a water leak in the server room. Their familiarity with our building and their sense of ownership in their work are assets we can’t afford to lose.”
Nia’s mind waseeling. How did Leon know about that incident? She hadn’t included it in her presentation. The board members were nodding, clearly impressed by Leon’s reputation and the comprehensiveness of his proposal. Even Mr. Darry, who had been so adamantly against keeping the in–house staff, seemed to be reconsidering.
“Mr. Reeves,” Mr. Darry said, his tone begrudging. I have to admit, your analysis is… thorough. If you believe this compromise will achieve our financial goals without compromising quality, I’m willing to support it.”
Mr. Allistair looked around the table. “Does anyone have any objections to Mr. Reeves‘ proposal?”
The room was silent. Nia held her breath, hardly daring to believe what was happening.
“Very well,” Mr. Allistair said after a moment. “We’ll move forward with Mr. Reeves‘ plan. Nia, thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Your dedication to your team is commendable.”
As the meeting concluded, Leon caught Nia’s eye and gave her a subtle nod. She felt a whirlwind of emotions – relief at the positive outcome, gratitude for Leon’s support, and a gnawing guilt over her deception. She left the boardroom in a daze, unsure how to process what had just happened.
CHAPTER THIRTY–SEVEN CROSSING PATHS
The news spread quickly, and by the time Nia made it to the custodial break room, it was alive with celebration. Her colleagues swarmed around her, hugging her and shouting their thanks.
“You did it, girl!” Rosa cried, pulling Nia into a bone–crushing hug. “I knew you had it in you!”
Old Man Barnaby approached, his eyes watery. “I never thought I’d see the day,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “Thank you, Nia. You saved us all.”
Someone had brought in a cake, hilariously decorated with cleaning supplies made of frosting. Nia couldn’t help but laugh at the tiny fondant mop and bucket.
As she watched her coworkers laugh and chat, a sense of pride washed over her. She did this. She made. a real difference in these people’s lives.
