Career

Keeping the house

With the industry becoming increasingly competitive, the housekeepers’ changing role demands greater levels of proficiency. Bhavana Alvares, executive housekeeper at Bangalore's Taj West End, talks about the various roles a housekeeper has to don in a single day's work. By Gayatri Vijaykumar

Bhavana Alvares

The profile of a housekeeper has undergone a sea of change over the past few years. Explaining this, Bhavana Alvares says, "Today, the housekeeper is not only responsible for looking after the housekeeping aspect of the hotel but also the guests and their requirements. They also need to interact with both the guests and staff. The housekeeper therefore needs to be intelligent, confident and adept at handling guests."

With an experience spanning 20 years in the field of housekeeping, all of which were spent with the Taj Group, Alvares has seen the profile and responsibilities of a housekeeper change over the years. From the moment she enters the hotel to the time she leaves at the end of another day's work, Alvares has her work cut out. Her day starts with checking for guest feedback, after which a recovery has to be made with the guests in case there is a problem. "Apart from that, there are quick meetings to be held with the general manager and the staff to discuss the action plan for the day. No housekeeping is successful until personal auditing of the rooms and guest spaces are done," she says.

As the profile of a housekeeper entails ensuring that the décor of the hotel is always maintained on par with international standards, the day also involves scheduling meetings with interior designers and fashion designers to innovate and evolve design. "I also make it a point to speak to each staff member each day spending half an hour with them. We also have staff meetings where we brief them on policies related to guests and the hotel," adds Alvares. With so many aspects to be taken care of each day, the housekeeping team makes it a point to unwind together, discussing everything else apart from work at the end of each day.

Since most rooms and suites in the hotel offer a view of its 20 acres of well-manicured lawns, their maintenance is of utmost importance. This is why the Taj West End has a dedicated team of gardeners and horticulturists. The hotel is designed in such a manner that the décor blends into the surrounding environment. It is impossible to miss the large Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) located in the hotel lobby. "Ficus Benjamina helps to purify the air. This is the biggest eco practice in the hotel," explains Alvares. The hotel also ensures that environmental concerns are taken care of during the daily functioning of the hotel. "We have done away with cloth dusters and are using an eco-friendly cleaning agent which helps ensure that the dust is removed. We also follow the concept of non-smoking floors and wings which are much appreciated by guests," says Alvares.

What was earlier considered a woman's domain is now seeing many men joining in as well. "The profile is a very challenging one where the role changes every hour. It involves finance, income in laundry, refurbishment, cleaning standards and eco-friendly practices to be adopted," states Alvares. With so much multi-tasking involved, the job of a housekeeper is a highly challenging one. According to Alvares, the housekeeper has to be highly organised and have her short and long term plans worked out. "You would have to audit cleaning areas, talk to guests, design uniforms and go for meetings to plan for a head of state visit - all in a single day," Alvares explains.

Alvares feels that the field of housekeeping today is a lot about style, panache and innovations in design. Constantly brushing up one's knowledge on what is happening in the industry, including innovations and trends is very important, and she adds, "It is essential to visit other international brands so that you know what's happening in the international arena too. And creativity is a must."