Welcome back cleaning friends, I’ve been looking forward to posting this blog. This week I’m focusing on housekeeping, which is essential to creating a great first impression.
I am going to delve further into these two types of housekeepers as well as giving you some handy information on their responsibilities and the tasks they should be carrying out.
If you’re an employer and looking to recruit a housekeeper for your office or hotel, choosing a reputable cleaning agency is vital because not only do they offer a professional service, all rates include insurance to give you peace of mind.
Office housekeeper
Those who take care of office environments sometimes work during office hours while others will complete their tasks after hours – it purely depends on the size and requirements of each individual business.
Good housekeeping plays a massive part in reducing and eliminating workplace hazards. If your office housekeeper isn’t following the correct protocol they could actually be contributing to workplace accidents and injuries.
Standards of good housekeeping need to be set and most importantly, maintained. A laid back approach to cleaning practices, tasks and regimes should be addressed and if visitors and customers notice rubbish, stains and spillages around the office a huge question mark will hang over the company as a whole.
Think outside of the box
Housekeeping is so much more than cleaning; everything that contributes to a neat and tidy office will be the job of the housekeeper and it is the employer’s responsibility to outline what specific tasks need fulfilling around the office. This may involve organising certain areas, whether this is stacking generic paperwork or simply putting pens, paperclips and other paraphernalia back in their pots.
It is also the housekeeper’s responsibility alert maintenance staff and managers if they spot something that is in need of some TLC or potential hazard like exposed wires as well as other duties like controlling the office recycling or contacting external contractors to come in for specialist cleaning tasks such as carpet cleaning.
Housekeeping should be:
Typical duties of a housekeeper include:
- Keeping toilets and washrooms stocked
- Cleaning around tea and coffee stations and kitchenettes
- Putting the bins out for collection and relining waste and recycling bins
- Spot cleaning on windows and walls
- Responding to reception or help desk requests
- Ensuring all broken, blocked or damaged fixtures and fittings are reported to maintenance
- Reporting and sometimes replacing light bulbs
- Keeping an eye on walkways and corridors and making sure they aren’t obstructed
- Organising equipment, supplies and tools, keeping them in a handy place that is easy accessible
Hotel housekeeper
The size of a hotel will depend on the level and role of housekeeping required.
These different roles are:
- Executive housekeeper
These will liaise with multiple departments and are responsible for the overall cleanliness, maintenance and general upkeep of the hotel.
- Assistant housekeeper
There may be numerous assistant housekeepers working at a hotel to fit in with different shift patterns. They will report to the executive housekeeper.
- Housekeeping team member
A team member will carry out the actual cleaning tasks delegated to them from either the executive or assistant housekeeper. Different areas of the hotel such as bedrooms, corridors and public areas will be assigned to them.
Hotels rely on word of mouth, repeat business and extended stays therefore, as I mentioned earlier, first impressions most certainly count.
With sites such as Trip Advisor it’s so easy for guests to review their stay and nine times out of 10 they will review the worst part of their stay, highlighting what was wrong rather than the positives. It’s important that hotel housekeeping is faultless to ensure the cleanliness of the hotel doesn’t let it down.
What makes a good hotel housekeeper?
- Presentable appearance
- Good personal hygiene
- Pleasant mannerisms
- Discretion
- Honesty
- Attention to detail
Risky business
There are many risks involved with housekeeping, some of which may never even have crossed your mind.
Workplaces are responsible for conducting and producing the relevant risk assessments for housekeepers’ daily jobs and I can always help with any cleaning-related queries.
I think I’ve just about covered everything you need to know about housekeeping but if you have any further questions, please give me a shout on my social media pages.
https://www.facebook.com/JangroLtd
