ROLE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT IN A HOTEL

•RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT:-

•To achieve the maximum efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests & in the smooth functioning of the department.

•To establish a welcoming atmosphere.

•To ensure courteousness, reliable service from all staff to the guest.

•To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas for which the department is responsible.

•To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, conference halls, health clubs etc, as well as to maintain an inventory for the same.

•To provide uniforms for all the staff & maintain inventory for the same.

To Cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guests

•To provide & maintain the floral decorations and to maintain the landscaped areas of the hotel.

•To select the right contractors & ensure the quality of work is maintained.

•To co-ordinate renovation and refurnishing of the property in consultation with the management & with interior designers.

•To co-ordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning agents, equipment, fabrics, carpets, & other items used in the hotel.

•To deal with lost & found articles.

•Carpet shampooing.

•Dealing with any guest queries, complaints & requests as they occur.

•To keep the general manager or administrator informed of all matters requiring attention.

•DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF:-

•1)Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping:-

•The executive housekeeper reports to the General Manager or the Resident Manager or the rooms division manager.

•He/she is responsible for the overall cleanliness and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. His/her duties are:-

•Organize, supervise and coordinate the work of housekeeping staff on day- to day basis.

•Ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort and aesthetics for hotel guests.

Prepare duty rosters and supervise the discipline and conduct of her staff

•Ensure proper communication within the department by conducting regular meeting with the staff.

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•Recruit new employees and train them for the housekeeping jobs.

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•Counsel and motivate employees on various duties.

•Establish and maintain standard operating procedures for cleaning and develop new procedures to increase efficiency of labor and product use.

•Search and test new techniques and products in the market.

•Maintain regular inventory and checking of furniture, linen, uniform, equipments in the hotel.

•Evaluate employee performance for promotions and transfers.

•Approval of supply requisitions for the housekeeping and to maintain minimum stock and cost control procedures for all materials.

•Check the reports, files, registers maintained in the department.

•Provide budget to the management and control of budgets

2) Deputy Housekeeper

•The deputy housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

•Check and ensure that all guestrooms, public areas, back of the house areas are clean and well maintained.

•Inspect the work done by contractors- pest control, laundry, window cleaning, etc.

•Prepare staff schedules and duty rotas.

•Check periodical stocktaking and maintaining of stock records for linen, uniform, equipment.

•Provide necessary information to assist executive housekeeper in staff evaluation, disciplining, termination and promotion.

•Develop and implement training programs within the department in consultation with the executive housekeeper.

•Assist executive housekeeper in forecasting and budgeting for operating and capital expenditure.

•Take charge of housekeeping department in absence of executive housekeeper.

Assistant Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager:-

•The assistant housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. In large hotels, where an deputy housekeeper exists, assistant housekeeper reports to deputy housekeeper.

•In large hotels the responsibilities of floors, public area are divided among assistant housekeepers. In the absence of deputy housekeeper, all the above mentioned duties and responsibilities are taken over by the assistant housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

•Be responsible for efficient and orderly management of cleaning, servicing and repairing of guest rooms.

•Be responsible for hotel linen and check its movement and distribution to room attendants.

•Keep an inventory of all housekeeping supplies and check it regularly.

•Provide front office list of ready rooms for allotment to guests.

•Organize flower arrangements

•Arrange training of staff within the department

•Update records/ files/ registers etc.

•Compile the maids roster.

•Check the VIP and OOO rooms

Floor supervisor/Floor Housekeeper:-

•The floor supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. They are responsible for the final condition of the guestrooms on the floors allocated to them. His/her duties are:-

•Issue floor keys to room attendants

•Supervise cleaning on the allotted floors and areas- including guestrooms, corridors, staircases, floor pantries of the allotted floors

•Inspection of cleaning in rooms and coordination of the work in floors

•Supervise handling of soiled linen to laundry and requisitioning of fresh ones from housekeeping

•Report maintenance work on the floor

•Supervise spring cleaning.

•Coordinate with room service for tray clearance.

•Maintain par stock for the respective floors.

•Facilitate provision of extra services to guests such as baby sitters, hot water bottles, other guest requests.

•Report any safety or security hazard to the security department.

•Check on scanty baggage

•Prepare housekeeping status reports.

•Inform the front office about ready rooms

Ensure services offered to VIPs are of highest standards

•Public Area Supervisor:-

•The public area supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for cleaning and inspection of the front of the house areas such as entrance, lobby, guest corridors and so on. His/her duties are:-

•Ensure that all public areas and other functional areas are kept clean at all times.

•Ensure all maintenance jobs are attended in coordination with the maintenance department.

•Ensure all flower arrangements are placed in appropriate places in public areas.

•Ensure banquet halls and conference halls are kept ready for functions and conferences.

•Night Supervisor:-

•The night supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He supervises all night staff engaged in the cleaning of public areas and guestrooms in hotel. His/her duties are:-

•Ensure all public areas are thoroughly cleaned at night when the traffic is low.

•Plan order of work and direct staff accordingly.

•Ensure submission of room attendants reports and room status reports.

•Provide guest supplies and attend guest requests in the night like providing water bottles, extra beds, towels etc.

•Report safety and security hazards.