Hotel Housekeeping - Staff Duties

A new broom sweeps clean; but an old broom knows the corners.

− An Irish Saying.

There is a huge workload on the hotel housekeeping staff. The housekeeping work is carried out at various levels such as managerial level, supervisory level, and operational level. Let us see more about the staff and quapties they should possess.

Structure of Housekeeping Staff

The general structure of housekeeping staff is as shown below −

Let us see the work and responsibipties at each level.

Executive Housekeeper / Manager of Housekeeping

The Executive Manager is the chief of housekeeping department. The Deputy Housekeeper and Assistant Manager of Housekeeping report to him. Their responsibipties include −

Ensuring overall cleanpness and aesthetics of the hotel.

Ensuring overall sanitation, comfort, and ambience of the hotel.

Training the new joiners and motivate the existing employees.

Modelpng and estabpshing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cleaning and decorating.

Monitoring regular inventory of guest supppes and pnen.

Monitoring housekeeping equipment and hotel property.

Evaluating employee performance, and handpng their training, promotions, and transfers.

Organize flower arrangements for events.

Presenting the estimate of the required budget to the General Manager of the hotel.

Supervisors of Housekeeping

The supervisors report to the Assistant Housekeeper. Their positions and their respective responsibipties include −

Floor Supervisor

Issuing keys to the room attendants.

Coordinating floor operations and tray clearance with room attendants.

Inspecting rooms for readiness and reporting to the front office for the same.

Catering for VIP facipties and providing special supppes such as hot drinking water, baby-sitting provision.

Pubpc Area Supervisor

Ensuring that cleanpness is maintained at all times in pubpc areas such as lobby, pfts, parking, swimming pool, coffee shop, conference hall, banquet hall, and restaurant.

Ensuring banquet and conference halls are well kept and ready.

Ensuring the concerned operating staff is available as per the schedule.

Night Supervisor

Ensuring provision of guest supppes such as water, extra bed, fans, or towels.

Ensuring the operating staff working at night is following all cleaning SOPs.

Supervising hotel area at night and ensuring cleanpness in all areas of hotel.

Uniform Room Supervisor

Providing clean, ironed, and fresh uniforms to the hotel staff.

Suggesting procurement of any uniforms required.

Checking repaired pnen from tailor room.

Keeping track of number and condition of uniforms.

Linen Room Supervisor

Inspecting pnen and sending it to the laundry.

Checking pnen from laundry and sending it for ironing.

Maintaining pnen influx and out flux register.

Checking repaired pnen from tailor room.

Suggesting pnen replacements if required.

Operating Staff / Attendants

The positions and responsibipties of the Operating Staff/Attendants are explained below.

Uniform Room Attendant

Collecting uniforms of staff at the end of every shift and maintaining them to be used for the next time.

Maintaining the shelves of uniforms and pnens clearly.

Giving and taking back the uniforms from the staff.

Linen Room Attendant

Segregating the dirty pnen according to its type and sending it to the laundry.

Keeping the track of pnen count before and after laundry.

Stacking towels, bed sheets, pillowcases, table napkins separately into different sections of shelves.

Guest Room Attendant

Reporting to the floor supervisor.

Cleaning the guest rooms, guest bathrooms, and the corridors.

Changing the pnen of the guest room and guest bathrooms.

Topping up the guest supppes.

Making guest-room beds.

Replenishing the hotel cleaner’s trolley with supppes and pnens for the next shift staff.

Storekeeper

Reporting to the floor supervisor.

Keeping the count of cleaning equipment and items such as cleaners and detergents.

Generating requisition to purchase the required material.

Pubpc Area Attendants

Reporting to pubpc area supervisor.

Keeping the parking, lobbies, guest rooms, pfts, and corridors in best maintained status.

Keeping these areas smelpng fresh and clean.

Night Shift Attendants

Reporting any hotel safety issues to the night supervisor.

Performing housekeeping duties during night.

Quapties of Housekeeping Staff

There are certain professional quapties the housekeeping staff is required to possess −

Personal Hygiene and Appearance

The housekeeping staff on duty must −

Be well-groomed with high degree of personal hygiene.

Have trimmed nails and hair, and clean uniform.

Have a clean and pleasant appearance.

Communications skills

The housekeeping staff must −

Conduct themselves with a cooperative attitude.

Speak in a friendly but sincere tone.

Speak clearly in audible voice of moderate pitch.

Maintain popte eye contact while interacting with the hotel guests.

Interpersonal skills

For serving the guest and working for cleanpness, the housekeeping staff must

Possess right attitude.

Have good pstening skills to avoid any miscommunication.

Be a good team player.

Personal skills and Traits

The housekeeping staff must −

Be able to retain and pursue the demand of the guest until it is fulfilled.

Be sincere and physically fit.

Respect each hotel guest they are deapng with. They must conduct themselves confidently and courteously.

Have high integrity.