Guest Writer

The changing role of housekeepers

G K Srivastava

The days have long gone when housekeepers were characterised by their hard and soft brooms or by the functions of sweeping and mopping. In fact, if anyone was seen sweeping or mopping in a hotel, people would automatically associate him with the housekeeping department. Moreover, the main role of a housekeeper in earlier times was to keep the property neat, clean and hygienic.

However, the role of a housekeeper has changed rapidly with the changing times. Apart from the cleaning, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the property, the housekeeping system in itself has been computerised. A majority of the staff who were earlier illiterate are now dploma holders with technical qualifications, all fluent in English and working on shop floors and doing basic jobs in the hospitality industry. Housekeeping control room jobs, too, which were earlier manual, are now completely computerised.

Nowadays rooms, amenities and supplies are also modified from hotel to hotel, while keeping in mind the guest profile. Modern rooms are spacious with tasteful décor and are well-equipped with many facilities, which previously were found only in the suites.

Apart from the changing room scene, housekeepers today are well-versed, not only with their jobs, but also at multi-tasking. Besides the main housekeeping operations, they take care of horticulture, laundry operations, interiors, quality control, cost control, and even some extent play the role of 'guest relation executives', ensuring the comfort and satisfaction of guests. Today, most complaints are forwarded to the chief housekeeper and sorted out with the housekeeping staff. Only major complaints reach the front office/general managers. Apart from this, housekeepers also do purchasing for exclusive items for special occasions. In many hotels, housekeepers also assist the sales team to generate revenue. Today's housekeepers have experience, skill as well as knowledge to run the Rooms Division. Therefore, the housekeepers' main role in every organisation is to preserve the building décor, its interior, fabrics and furniture. Planning, men management, recruitment and training as per expectation of the management follow immediately after, along with controlling costs and keeping records. In modern times, housekeepers also employ R&D for the betterment of their company. In addition, housekeepers also play the role of HRD managers for their staff, endeavouring to solve their individual grievances/operational problems within the four walls of the department concerned, before the matter gets out of hand. This is because good housekeepers always consider their staff assets to the organisation.

Alas as the scope of a housekeeper increases, there are a lot of challenges to be encountered simultaneously. The first factor in this respect stems from the very same understanding that the staff are the main asset for their department. In order to ensure guest satisfaction with zero complaint, a housekeeper has to train and motivate staff accordingly, during brain storming sessions. Apart from that, maintaining the hotel's standards, preserving the building and its décor as well as fabric and furnishing are some of the other responsibilities. To successfully run the housekeeping department, housekeepers have to keep their budget in mind at all times and deliver the best results without any excuses.

With increasing competition from new hotels, housekeepers on a daily basis have to ensure that there are no complaints; interact with guests as well as internal customers in order to get daily feedback. This is a challenge restricted not only to housekeepers, but other heads of departments, in other facets of the hospitality industry as well. And at the end of the day, there is no job surety either, in this industry. An individual has to keep delivering good results, consistently meet standards and work effectively within the budget. Housekeepers, on the other hand should have good communication skills and be effective team leaders and trainers, having wide knowledge as well as keeping an eye out for detail.

Career prospects in housekeeping:-

Once upon a time there was limited scope for housekeeping staff. Now with changing times, there are numerous opportunities available in India, as well as abroad for those wishing to join the housekeeping department. Some top industries having a housekeeping department are:

• Hotels & resorts
• Clubs
• Hospitals
• Multinational companies and corporate offices
• Malls & Bazaars
• Housekeeping agencies
• Airlines/ airports
• Colleges/hostels
• Embassies
• Private apartments /builders and contractors
• Catering companies
• Private housekeeping enterprises
• Faculty in hotel management institutes

Housekeepers jobs known as multi-skilled jobs:-

I firmly believe that in the hospitality industry, in order to maintain the annual budget and control costs, it is necessary to train housekeepers for multi-skilled jobs which come within the purview of their job profile. In practice, housekeepers in many hotels are doing this, however, these skills are not emphasised on by the management.

Thus, if housekeepers are given the go-ahead by the management, then they can play an important role as a multi-skilled manager, which would be beneficial for both, the management and the housekeepers in the long run.

Some of the following jobs could be additionally assigned to them:

• Security patrolling
• Horticulture supervision
• Guest relation
• Quality control
• Cost control

The future looks bright for the housekeeping profession, having today become a vital profession in all the industries from hotels to hospitals, clubs to entertainments sectors, hostels to colleges, national and multinational companies - even housing societies are now hiring housekeeping contractors. Private housekeeping businesses, established by housekeepers themselves are also lucrative today. Many housekeepers today also engage in part-time consultancy in multinational/national companies, earning good amount of money just visiting the site once a week on their off days. Thus, in the modern era, the sky is the limit for housekeepers.

The author is the president of the Indian Housekeepers Club (IHC) and executive housekeeper of Hotel St Laurn