Ms. Ananda Jantorn No.26

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Housekeeping Department

Submitted by
Miss Ananda Jantorn 116430102026-2 No.26

Present
Ms. Supriya Suebsunthorn

This report is a part of
Course:01841202 English for Housekeeping

Section / Group: 01
Semester 3 Academic Year 2022
Hotel Management Program, Faculty of Liberal Art
Rajamangala Universityof Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT)

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Preface
This report was a part of the subject of the 01841202 English for Housekeeping. All
contents provide the reader about Housekeeping Department So that everyone can learn
about the housekeeping department responsibility including information in other sections.
If anything goes wrong, the organizers apologize here.

Ananda Jantorn.

Table of Contents 2
Content
Housekeeping Functions in the Hospitality Industry Page
Basic Functions 3
Job Requirements 3
Job Description for Room Maids 5
Education and Training 5
Work Conditions 5
Duties 6
Other Hotel Housekeeper Qualifications 6
The Role of a Manager in Housekeeping In the Hotel Industry 6
Housekeeping & Its Sub Department Layout in Hotel 6
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ROLE OF Housekeeping & Its Sub Departments
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Industry
Housekeeping - Definition, Role, Responsibilities and Layout 9
Hotel Housekeeping Duties: A Day in the Life 10
Daily Tasks for the Hotel Housekeeping Department 13
Room Attendant/Hotel Housekeeping Duties 15
Public Area Attendant Duties 16
Skills and Requirements for a Hotel Housekeeping Employee 17
Functions and Responsibilities of Housekeeping Department. 18
Importance of housekeeping Department 19
Housekeeping department uniform design 20
Problems and methods of solving problems in housekeeping 21
Q&A 22
References 23
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What is Housekeeping?

Housekeeping means carrying out all the cleaning duties, maintaining orderliness, and
running a house or business property. In the case of hotels, the housekeeping responsibilities
include keeping the hotel as tidy as possible and keeping it in a highly attractive environment.

Housekeeping Functions in the Hospitality Industry

Excellent housekeeping is essential to the hospitality industry, even though the work
is usually considered mundane. In hotels and on cruise ships, for example, strict cleanliness
is the expected standard, and only shortcomings attract attention. In addition to the actual
physical cleaning, the housekeeping department performs other important functions, such as
scheduling and planning. Some housekeeping supervisors eventually advance to hospitality
management, especially with college training.

Basic Functions

The primary function of the housekeeping department is keeping the venue clean
and sanitary as part of customer service. Maids and cleaners vacuum rugs and furniture in
hallways, rooms and public areas. They collect trash and empty wastebaskets, change the
sheets and make the beds. The refill soap and toilet paper dispensers in public restrooms
and put toiletries and supplies in guest rooms. They dust and polish furniture. In some
hotels, they bring requested items, such as infant cribs, to guest rooms. These hands -on
tasks fall to the actual cleaning staff.

Supervisory Functions

The work of organizing and coordinating the cleaning falls to the first-line supervisors
and housekeeping managers in a hospitality business. They determine which rooms or areas
must be cleaned, make the job schedule, assign tasks and check the work. Scheduling often
requires coordinating tasks with other hotel departments and activities to avoid disrupting
other services. Supervisors also make sure housekeeping equipment, such as vacuum
cleaners and floor polishers, is properly maintained. When they receive complaints, they
investigate the issues and see that problems are taken care of.

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Management Functions

Housekeeping management functions belong to higher-level supervisors or managers,
depending on the size of the hotel or operation. Workers fulfilling this role need skills in
supervision, procurement, budgeting and problem-solving. For example, managers set the
housekeeping standards and oversee the training of new hires. Conducting in-service
sessions, they teach company policies and the correct use of equipment. Managers track
the inventory of supplies, keep payroll records, maintain the department budget and
prepare expense and occupancy reports. They help keep worker morale high and ensure
that safety procedures are obeyed.

Job Requirements

Entry-level housekeepers typically learn by helping an experienced worker. Although
they need to be in decent physical condition, no formal education is necessary. First -line
supervisors usually need at least a high school diploma and experience in housekeeping. At
the level of manager, you'll typically need experience as a housekeeping supervisor plus
knowledge of office computer software. Although not always required, college training gives
you an edge for promotions. Bachelor's degrees in hospitality management are available,
and the International Executive Housekeepers Association certifies applicants who meet its
education requirements.

Job Description for Room Maids

It may not be one of the highest-paying or most glamorous occupations available, but
you'll usually be able to find work as a hotel room or chamber maid if you have some work
experience under your belt, even in a really tough economy. If you do well, you could even
work your way to becoming an executive housekeeper.

Education and Training

Room maids typically require no formal qualifications to land a job, although some
employers prefer to hire applicants who have a high school education. As they spend much
of their working day on their feet, aspiring room maids need to be physically fit and have
plenty of stamina. They also need good communication and customer service skills to help
them get along with colleagues and hotel guests. Entry-level maids usually learn how to do
their jobs alongside more experienced cleaners.

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Work Conditions

Most modern hotels provide their room maids with a wide selection of cleaning
materials and a uniform. The majority of room maids, as the job title suggests, spend most
of their working days cleaning guests rooms, but many are also tasked with transporting dirty
linen to laundry rooms and garbage to refuse and recycling points. They must carry out their
work with the convenience and comfort of guests at the forefront of their minds.

Duties

A room maid's main duties consist of changing bedclothes, vacuuming floors, wiping
down surfaces, replacing soiled towels and replenishing sundries such as soaps and
shampoos. They are also charged with reporting any major room issues they find to
maintenance staff. If a room maid finds any guests' belongings after they have checked out,
they must be taken to the employer's lost-and-found department. Some room maids also
carry out additional cleaning tasks in other parts of the travel accommodation they work in.

Other Hotel Housekeeper Qualifications

Hotel housekeepers must be able to work the sometimes irregular hours required by
their employers. This often includes working on holidays, evenings or weekends. They must
be willing to perform many unpleasant tasks, including emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets
and cleaning up spills and other messes. In some hotels, housekeepers must also perform
errands, such as delivering supplies or extra beds to a room.

Outlook for Hotel Housekeeping Jobs

The number of jobs for housekeepers in all industries will show an increase of 11
percent between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS. This is faster than the average for all
jobs. The increasing demand for rooms will create more hotel housekeeping jobs. In addition,
the turnover of current housekeepers will help to create opportunities for new workers.

Housekeepers with a minimum of a high school education can enhance their chances of
promotion by completing a certificate program, an associate degree or a self-study program
to qualify as a Certified Executive Housekeeper.

The Role of a Manager in Housekeeping In the Hotel Industry

Compliance with hygiene and cleanliness standards are important in any hotel. Hotels
that are not cleaned properly are not only aesthetically unappealing, they also present a
potential health and safety hazard to guests and employees alike. Hotel housekeeping
managers manage the individuals who keep the hotel rooms' common areas in good shape.

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Job Description

• A housekeeping manager oversees the operations of the housekeeping department.
Job responsibilities may include:

• Hiring and training staff
• Developing staff schedules
• Purchasing cleaning supplies and equipment
• Working with hotel guests who have specific housekeeping needs
• Coordinating housekeeping needs with other hotel department managers
• Performing cleaning tasks when staff don't show up for work or the team is

shorthanded.

Housekeeping & Its Sub Department Layout in Hotel

The housekeeping department structure depends on the total number of Guestrooms,
Outlets, and Necessary staff. The following departmental areas are the most famous −

• Office of the Executive Housekeeper − The administrative work of the department is carried
out here.

• Housekeeping Control Desk − It is open 24 hours a day, and operational. Here the
housekeeping staff registers at the beginning and end of the shift. There’s note boards, storage
shelves, registers, cupboard lost and found, and key-hanger matrix.

• Laundry Area − Washing, ironing, dry cleaning, folding of linen, and staff uniform takes place
here.

• Linen Room − Here, the linen of the hotel such as bed-sheets, towels, pillowcases, etc., are
stored, collected, and carried to the required places in the hotel.

• Uniform Room − The staff uniforms are collected, stored, and distributed from here.
• Tailor Room − Here, stitching and repairing of linen and uniforms take place.
• Housekeeping Stores − It is a storage area where the cleaning equipment and items, and

guest supplies are securely stored.
• Flower Room − It is an air-conditioned room with worktables, sinks and water supply,

cupboards to store vases and stones, and a counter.
• Lost and found − All things left by the guests are kept. It deals directly with the front office

staff, as the visitors appear to ask about their missing products first.

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ROLE OF Housekeeping & Its Sub Departments.

Housekeeping plays a very important role in hospitality industry such as:-

• To gain as much productivity as possible in ensuring the safety and comfort of visitors and in
the smooth running of the department.

• To build a friendly environment and to ensure courteous, efficient service from all
departmental staff.

• To ensure high standards of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas that are the
responsibility of the department.

• To have linen in the rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, meeting centers, health clubs, and so
on, and to maintain an inventory for the same.

• To provide uniforms for all employees and to hold sufficient inventories for the same.
• To meet the hotel’s linen laundering requirements, staff uniforms, and clothing for guests.
• Provide and display floral décor and improve the hotel’s landscaped areas.
• To plan the redesign and refurnishing of the property as and when consulted with the

management and the interior designers.
• To deal with lost and found articles.
• To ensure the preparation, monitoring, and monitoring of all departmental staff.
• To establish a good working relationship with other departments.
• To ensure that safety and security regulations are made known to all staff of the department.

Industry

Housekeeping managers work in motels, hotels and resorts, which are typically well-
lit and climate controlled. Some managers may need to work evening or weekend hours,
since most hotels are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A housekeeping manager would
spend at least some time working from an office within the hotel, coordinating schedules,
hiring employees and performing other duties. However, she may also need to spend time
in other areas of the hotel, supervising and training workers, performing inspections and
liaising with other hotel managers and executives.

Housekeeping is a major support department, engaging the largest workforce and handling
responsibilities spread over a vast area in the hotel. The various departments in a hotel are
discussed here in brief.

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Rooms division department In a large hotel, the housekeeping, front office, and
maintenance departments come under the rooms division. These departments together are
responsible for maintaining and selling the rooms in a hotel. In most hotels, these are the
departments that directly or indirectly generate more revenue than any other department.
This is because the sale of rooms constitutes a minimum of 50 to about 65 per cent of the
total revenue of a hotel. A hotel’s largest margin of profit comes from room sales because a
room, once made, can be sold over and over again. The rooms division is headed by the
Rooms Division Manager, to whom the Front Office Manager, Executive Housekeeper, and very
often the Chief Engineer report.

Housekeeping department This department is responsible for the cleanliness and
upkeep of the front of the house areas as well as back of the house areas, so that they appear
as fresh and aesthetically appealing as on the first day the hotel property opened for business.
This department is headed by the Executive Housekeeper or, in chain hotels, the Director of
Housekeeping.

About the Book Hotel Housekeeping: Operations and Management is specially
designed to meet the needs of students of undergraduate and diploma courses in hotel
management, certificate courses in housekeeping, and postgraduate courses in
accommodation operations. Students of home science will also find the book useful. This
book can act as a reference for all issues related to housekeeping for managers and
supervisors.

Key Feature Discusses all aspects of housekeeping such as the role of housekeeping in
hospitality operation, composition, care and cleaning of different surfaces, room layout and
guest supplies, area cleaning, routine systems and records, pest and odour control, uniforms,
laundry, flower arrangement, interior decoration, indoor plants, lighting, contract services, and
more.

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Housekeeping - Definition, Role, Responsibilities and Layout

1. Definition of Housekeeping

Housekeeping may be defined as ‘provision of a clean, comfortable, safe and aesthetically
appealing environment’. By another definition, ‘housekeeping is an operational department
in a hotel, which is responsible for cleanliness, maintenance, aesthetic upkeep of
rooms, public areas, back areas and the surroundings’.

The term Housekeeping outside the hospitality, hospitals refers to the management of daily
duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home
maintenance, shopping, and bill payment etc. These daily recurring tasks may be performed
by any members of the household, or by other persons like butler or maids who are hired for
the purpose.

2. Role of Housekeeping

Housekeeping department in hotel ensures the cleanliness, maintenance, and aesthetic
appeal of all rooms and public areas. The housekeeping department not only turnarounds
(prepares and clean guestrooms) on a timely manner it also cleans and maintains everything
in the hotel so that the property is as fresh and attractive similar to the day when it opened
the doors for the business.

The effort that the housekeeping makes in giving a guest a desirable room has a direct bearing
on the guest’s experience in a hotel. Thre are more employees working in the housekeeping
department when compared to any other hotel departments.

Being responsible for the turnaround of the rooms in a timely manner, housekeepings primary
communications are with the front desk/reception team. Each room status is updated on a
regular basis from the housekeeping to the front desk and vice versa. With new technologies
available a room status update can be done via the hotel software, telephone systems,
housekeeping mobile applications etc.

Housekeeping also coordinates closely with the maintenance or engineering department, as
the housekeeping staff identifies different types of maintenance issues while cleaning the
rooms and reports to the maintenance team for rectification or replacement. Example snags
or issue with the TV, AC, Heating unit, Plumbing, Lighting, Electrical faults, Furniture, Toilet,
Vanity, Tub, Towels racks, Ventilation issues etc.

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3. Different Sections in the Housekeeping

Executive Housekeeper's office: An Executive housekeeper has to plan, counsel, brief and
meets her subordinates. It should preferably be a glass-panelled office so as to give her/him
a view of what is happening outside the office. The office should be led by a cabin for the
secretary who would control movement into the housekeeper's office.

Desk control room: This room acts as a nerve system centre for coordination and
communication with the front office and other departments. The desk control room should
have a large notice board to pin up staff schedules and day to day instructions. The desk
control room is the point where all staff report for duty and check out at the duty end.

Linen room: This is the room where current linens are stored for issue and receipt. The room
should be large airy and free from heat and humidity. It should have adequate shelves, easily
accessible to stack all linen. It should be secured and offer no possibilities of pilferage. The
linen room should have a counter, across which the exchange of linen takes place. The room
should preferably be adjoining the laundry so as to supply linen to and from the laundry.

Linen room store: This room stores the stock of new linen & cloth materials for uniform, etc.
the stock maintained should be enough to replenish the whole hotel at a time. However,
these stocks are only touched when the current linen in circulation falls short due to shortage,
damage or loss. The room should be cool and dry with ample shelves, generally 6" above the
ground.

Uniform room: This room stocks the uniform in urgent use. It is possible that smaller hotel
may choose to combine the uniform room with the linen room. A separate uniform room
really depends upon the volume of uniforms in circulation. The only difference will be that
the uniform room would have adequate hanging facilities as many uniforms are best
maintained when hung.

Tailor's room: This room is kept for house tailors who attend to the stitching and patch-up
work of linen and uniforms. Room is avoided if the mending and the stitching jobs are done
in contract basis.
Lost and found section: This section should be small and airy with cupboards to store
guest articles lost and maybe claimed later.

Flower room: This should be an air-conditioned room to keep flowers fresh. The room should
have a work table, a sink with a water supply and all necessary tools required for flower
arrangement.

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Laundry: This is an important section under housekeeping which is responsible for the
cleaning of all fabrics used in the hotel. The section should be adjacent to the linen room so
as to avoid excessive steps. Laundry should ensure the cleanness and drying of all guest
clothes, employee uniforms and linen to the best-assured standard.

4. Housekeeping Staffing Calculation

Compared to other hotel departments, the housekeeping department employs the largest
workforce in most hotels. Manpower thus becomes a major operating expense. Good
management of the housekeeping department depends on achieving a balance between the
workload and the staff strength. When calculating staff strength, it must be remembered that
each property will have its individual requirements.

The factors to be considered here are the type of hotel, location of the hotel, traditions and
customs of the locality, the size of the hotel (in terms of the number of rooms),
the occupancy rate of the hotel, management needs and policies, the quantity of work to be
done per room, the quality of work expected, the standards to be met, The time needed to
do the work, the frequency with which the work needs to be done etc.

The staff strength of the housekeeping department mainly depends on the size and structure
of the hotel, that is, whether it has a compact structure with clusters of rooms, the number
of rooms per cluster or floor, the expanse of the public areas and landscaped areas, and so
on. The general rule of thumb that aid in determining staff strength in the housekeeping
department is given below.

5.Housekeeping as a supporting center or ancillary department

It is rightly said that housekeeping is a 24 x 7 x 365 operation. Imagine the stacks of linen
needed to make up all the beds in a hotel; the huge amounts of bath soap, tissue, and
other amenities such as shampoos, colognes, and so on that must be placed in the
guestrooms; the miles of carpeting, floors, walls, and ceilings to be cleaned and maintained;
the countless pieces of furniture that must be dusted and polished, and the barrels of cleaning
compounds along with special tools and equipment needed in order to clean these.

Other than hotels, professional housekeeping services are very much in demand in hospitals,
on cruise liners, at offices, and more. Since most such organizations prefer to outsource these
functions, contract housekeeping is becoming a lucrative entrepreneurship venture these
days. Housekeeping, thus, is an ancillary department that contributes in a big way towards the
overall reputation of a property.

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As mentioned above the tasks performed by the housekeeping are critical for the smooth
daily operation of any hotel regardless of its category, size, location, number of rooms etc.
Also, the critical point in achieving operational success is the teamwork which must exist
between housekeeping and the front office, engineering, maintenance personals etc.
Hotel Housekeeping Duties: A Day in the Life

Do you want to jump into an exciting new career? Or brush up on your hotel operations
knowledge? The housekeeping department is a crucial part of the hotel business, but you may
be wondering how exactly it functions. Housekeeping staff perform essential tasks to keep the
hotel running smoothly, and a housekeeping job can be a great launchpad for a successful
and fulfilling career in hotel management. In this article, we’ll define which roles you can find
on a hotel’s housekeeping team, explore hotel housekeeping duties (including the duties and
responsibilities of a housekeeping attendant), and offer tips for finding a job in the
housekeeping department. By the end of this article, you might be inspired to consider a
career in the housekeeping track - but you’ll definitely feel more appreciative of the
hardworking people who make each hotel stay a pleasant one.
What Hotel Jobs are in the Housekeeping Department?
Housekeeping teams can vary greatly depending on the size of the hotel. Small boutique
hotels may have just a handful of room attendants, while giant resorts can have hundreds of
housekeeping team members. The enormous MGM Grand in Las Vegas has nearly 400 room
attendants working on a given day! But room attendants are just one part of the housekeeping
department. The entire team can include several sub-departments, each with different
responsibilities and areas of expertise.

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• Leadership roles: In very small hotels, the room attendants might report directly to
the front desk manager or the general manager, but most hotels have a leadership
role within the housekeeping team. In medium-sized hotels, this role could be a
Housekeeping Manager or an Executive Housekeeper, and in large hotels, there might
be a Director of Housekeeping who is supported by an Assistant Director of
Housekeeping, a Housekeeping Manager, or an Executive Housekeeper. The head of
housekeeping is responsible for scheduling staff, managing expenses, and ensuring all
rooms and public areas meet the hotel’s standards of cleanliness.

• Rooms: All hotels have guestrooms, so all hotels have room attendants that are
responsible for cleaning rooms during and after reservations. In some hotels, floor
supervisors might oversee the room attendants on each floor and perform quality
control checks.

• Public areas: Just like guestrooms, a hotel’s public areas also need to be kept clean.
Public area attendants keep the lobby, meeting spaces, restaurants, bars, offices, and
any other public areas neat and tidy.

• Laundry: All those sheets and towels need to be cleaned somehow! Some hotels
send their laundry out to an off-site laundry service, but many hotels have on-site
laundry rooms. Laundry attendants are responsible for cleaning, drying, and pressing
all of the hotel’s linens, towels, and uniforms. Many hotels also offer valet laundry for
guest clothing, so specialized laundry staff handle those items. Some hotels also have
on-site tailors and upholsterers to fix or alter uniforms, furniture, and guest clothing
items.

• Linen room: After the sheets and towels have been washed and dried, linen
attendants organize them in the linen room and distribute them to various
departments in the hotel.

• Other roles: Some hotels have a dedicated phone operator for the housekeeping
department, who answers calls from guests and other hotel departments and forwards
the request to the appropriate housekeeping team member. Some hotels also have
minibar attendants, who are responsible for restocking and billing minibar items, as
well as housemen, who bring housekeeping items to guestrooms upon request, such
as additional pillows or towels.

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Daily Tasks for the Hotel Housekeeping Department
There’s never a dull moment in a hotel’s housekeeping department! The entire team

works together to make the hotel shine - literally - so that guests can have the best possible
experience. With so many moving parts, strong housekeeping departments utilize
housekeeping technology, like Optii Solutions, to streamline communication within the
department, reduce errors, prevent communication lapses, and improve overall efficiency.
Communication can be challenging for a big team that often works in different areas of the
hotel, so housekeeping-specific systems can make communication between the room
attendants, public area attendants, laundry staff, and management team easier. But what does
each member of the housekeeping department actually do each day.

Hotel Housekeeping Manager Duties
The housekeeping manager’s role is to organize the housekeeping department’s operations.
He or she is usually the main point person for the housekeeping department when
communicating with other departments, like in emails or meetings. The housekeeping
manager sets the department’s schedule and holds the team accountable for upholding the
hotel’s service standards.

A housekeeping manager’s daily tasks include:

• Gathering arrivals and departures reports
• Scheduling housekeeping staff for the week or two ahead
• Working with the front desk to arrange special requests or welcome amenities
• Attending hotel leadership meetings
• Holding pre-shift team meetings
• Responding to guest requests
• Resolving guest service issues related to housekeeping
• Leveraging technology to communicate with other departments and track task

completion
• Managing department expenses, like supply costs and payroll

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Room Attendant/Hotel Housekeeping Duties

A room attendant has one of the most important jobs in the entire hotel. If a guest’s
room isn’t clean when they arrive or if essentials aren’t restocked mid-stay, then the guest
can have a negative impression of the hotel. They might never stay at the hotel again, and
they might write a bad review of the hotel online. On the other hand, if a room attendant
goes above and beyond to provide quick service and attention to detail, the guest could have
a very positive experience that inspires them to return again and again. Room attendants have
a lot of responsibility and can make or break the guest’s experience.

Room attendants usually work in shifts of 8 hours, during which they may clean as
many as 16 guestrooms. Many hotels offer housekeeping service only once per day, so room
attendants would work one daytime shift (usually 8am to 4pm, approximately), while high-
end hotels that offer evening turndown service would have a second shift of housekeeping
staff who work afternoon and evening hours. Some hotels also might offer 24-hour
housekeeping service, so a few room attendants may work overnight shifts.

Duties and responsibilities of housekeeping attendant include:

• Cleaning guestrooms mid-stay and after departure
• Making beds
• Replacing dirty linens and towels
• Restocking guestroom amenities like toiletries, drinking glasses, and notepads
• Removing garbage, recycling, and room service trays
• Picking up and returning valet laundry items
• Organizing and stocking housekeeping carts
• Notifying the maintenance department about broken appliances, old light bulbs, or

damage
• Upholding the hotel’s confidentiality and security standards
• Respecting “do not disturb” signs and the guest’s privacy

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Public Area Attendant Duties
Like room attendants, public area attendants have a big impact on a guest’s impression of the
hotel. Nobody wants to see overflowing garbage cans, dusty lobby furniture, or dirty carpets
in the hallways when they stay at a hotel, so a public area attendant’s job is instrumental in
creating a positive guest experience. Some public area attendants work daytime shifts, while
others work evening or overnight shifts to clean high-traffic areas, like lobbies, when guests
aren’t using them.
A public area attendant’s daily tasks include:

• Cleaning public spaces like lobbies, restaurants, and meeting rooms
• Cleaning back-of-house areas like office and employee changing rooms
• Cleaning stairways, hallways, and elevators
• Emptying garbage cans in public areas
• Reporting broken items to the maintenance department

Laundry/Linen Room Attendant Duties
Though most laundry or linen room attendants don’t interact directly with guests, their work
is crucial to the hotel’s overall operations. Without clean sheets and towels, room attendants
can’t do their jobs and guests will want to stay elsewhere.
Daily tasks of laundry staff or linen room staff include:

• Sorting, washing, drying, folding, ironing, and organizing all hotel laundry, which can
include towels, sheets, bathrobes, napkins, tablecloths, uniforms, and more

• Removing linen that has stains or holes
• Operating washing and drying machines
• Mixing and measuring soaps, detergents, and cleaning products
• Handling guest valet laundry and dry cleaning within the agreed upon timeframe.

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Skills and Requirements for a Hotel Housekeeping Employee

While hotel housekeeping duties are very important - and a career in the housekeeping
department can be rewarding - the work is often challenging. Housekeeping staff need a variety
of skills, a passion for service, and a high level of dedication to be successful in their roles.

Housekeeping employees, especially room attendants, need to be able to perform various
physical activities, which can be strenuous:

• Push/pull a housekeeping cart
• Stand, walk, or kneel for an extended period of time
• Lift or move heavy objects, like mattresses or chairs
• Use hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills
Besides the physical requirements, housekeeping staff must have a strong work ethic and
many soft skills, including:

• Attention to detail
• Guest-forward thinking
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Organizational skills and time management
• Listening skills
• Honesty and integrity
• High energy levels
If you’ve never worked in a housekeeping department, that’s okay! Most staff members get
on-the-job training for the specific housekeeping skills needed for their role, like how to make
a bed and how to operate the laundry machines.

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Finding a Job in the Housekeeping Department
Are you interested in working in a hotel housekeeping department? You’re in luck! Hotels are
always searching for good housekeeping employees. Most hotels post their housekeeping job
openings online, so you can easily search for open roles and apply online. You will be able
to find job posting on individual hotel website or on popular job boards, like Indeed.
In addition to applying online, you can go to a hotel and apply in person. Most large hotels
have human resources departments that accept in-person job applications. Once you’ve
applied (online or in person), you’ll likely need to have an interview with the hotel’s human
resources department, the housekeeping manager, and maybe even the general manager,
depending on the size and quality of the hotel.

Functions and Responsibilities of Housekeeping Department.

The aim, objectives and responsibilities of the housekeeping department are to

• Achieve the maximum possible efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests and in
smooth running of the department.

• Co-ordinate with front office department for efficient sale of rooms.

• Establish a welcoming atmosphere and ensure courteous, reliable service from all staff of
the department.

• Provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquets halls, conference venues, health clubs, and
so on, as well as maintain an inventory for the same.

• Provide uniforms for all the staff and maintain adequate inventories for the same.

• Cater to the laundering requirements of the hotel linen, staff uniforms and guest clothing.

• Provide and maintain the floral decorations and maintain the landscape areas of the hotel.

• Select the right contractors for jobs such as pest control, façade cleaning, etc. and ensure
that the quality of work is maintained as at the onset of the business.

• Coordinate renovation and refurbishing of the property as and when, in consultation with
the management and with interior designers.

• Coordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning
agents, equipment’s, fabrics, carpets, and other items used in the hotel.

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• Ensure updation of records, form, and formats for systematic operations and for auditing
purposes.

• Deal with lost and found articles.

• Ensure training, control, and supervision of all staff attached to the department.

• Establish a good working relationship with other department.

• Ensure that safety and security regulations are made known to all staff of the department.

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

Guest Satisfaction and Repeat Business
First Impression: Housekeeping helps us to give a good impression to any customer because
when a customer first comes into a hotel, he/she will feel good to see the good system
regarding decoration & make his/her visit again and again.
Home Away From Home: Housekeeping provides a home away from home because when
any customer takes a room & sees that everything that a room requires is placed on its right
place & all the facilities like home are there in the room so he/she will feel that he/she is not
away from home.
Repeat Business: When a customer will be satisfied with the services provided by the hotel
& also likes the decoration or view of the hotel, he/she will visit the same hotel again& again.
Also, he/she will tell others to be the customer of that hotel so we can say that housekeeping
plays the role of repeat business.

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Importance of housekeeping Department

• Housekeeping is an operational department in a hotel, which is responsible for cleanliness,
maintenance, aesthetic upkeep of rooms, public areas, back areas and the surroundings.

• The effort that a housekeeping department makes in giving a guest a desirable room has a
direct bearing on the guest’s experience in the hotel.

• Housekeeping is the backbone of the hotel.

• The HK department not only prepares clean guestrooms on a timely basis for arriving guests,
but also cleans and maintains everything in the hotel so that the property is as fresh and
attractive as the day it opened for business.

• HK is an ancillary department that contributes in a big way towards the overall reputation
of a property.

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The black collar represents Black shirt buttons The black collar represents
prudence and strength. mean firmness in work. prudence, strength, and patience.

The gray short-sleeved Gray shirt is simplicity,
shirt represents simplicity, politeness, smooth fabric,
honor, and politeness. not hot, convenient to work.

Magnetic black buttons
comfortable to wear

White apron means Pockets are wide and deep.
cleanliness, can hold small Can put pens, keys or other
items and large items. small items.

A long skirt covering the knees means Black slim-fit trousers with a wide, comfortable
showing respect to the guests. Neat, fit. does not make it uncomfortable, does not
not tight, easy to use and clean. make it hot, is agile to work

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Problems and methods of solving problems in housekeeping
1. The guests stole the items in the room back.
solution
Put up a sign telling Jane which item is worth the price. If you bring it back, you will be
charged accordingly. and if the hotel finds that the guest has stolen it the guest will be
guilty And the hotel can file a lawsuit according to the law. Don't forget to mention that if
you want to buy, you can contact the staff.
2. The problem of being sexually harassed by guests
solution
Dress up in a loose fitting dress. looks suitable for work Avoid entering the cleaning while the
guest is still in the room.
3. The guests move the items arranged.
solution
Coordinating with the front desk to inform guests prior to their stay and to put up warning
signs.
4. The guests made the sheets heavily soiled.
solution
Please remind guests to keep it clean, if there is a large amount of soiling, additional charges
may apply.
5. The problem that the guests complained about entering the cleaning without notice but
it is duty
solution
Guests should be notified in advance of the cleaning time. If the guests are not convenient
to clean, they should inform them ahead of time or put a Do Not Disturb sign in front of the
room.

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Q&A

1. What is Housekeeping?
Housekeeping means carrying out all the cleaning duties, maintaining orderliness, and

running a house or business property.
Housekeeping means not doing all cleaning operations. maintain order and take care

of home or business assets.

2. What is the main function of the housekeeping department is to keep the premises
clean and hygienic as part of customer service Maids and vacuums carpets and
furniture in hallways, rooms and public areas ?

Basic Functions
Supervisory Functions

3. How many parts does the job description have?
4
7

4. The laundry area is ?

Washing, ironing, dry cleaning, folding of linen, and staff uniform takes place here.
the linen of the hotel such as bed-sheets, towels, pillowcases, etc., are stored,
collected, and carried to the required places in the hotel.
5. What is the importance of the housekeeping department?
The housekeeping of the housekeeping department is only partly important.
Housekeeping is an operational department in a hotel, which is responsible for
cleanliness, maintenance, aesthetic upkeep of rooms, public areas, back areas and the
surroundings.

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6. What colors do our maid uniforms mainly focus on?
Grey
White

7. The meaning of the black collar is?
The black cover represents discretion and tidiness.
The black collar represents prudence and strength.

8. What kind of buttons are used on the housewife's uniform?
Wooden buttons
magnetic button

9. What does the white in the apron represent?
cleanliness
patience

10. What are the functions of the men's pockets?
The large bag can fit large items.
Pockets are wide and deep. Can put pens, keys or other small items.

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References

aih.edu.in. (n.d.). aih.edu.in. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from www.aih.edu.in.com:
https://aih.edu.in/blogs/2018/06/14/importance-of-housekeeping-in-the-hotel-industry/

hoteltechreport. (n.d.). hoteltechreport. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from www.hoteltechreport.com:
https://hoteltechreport.com/

hoteltechreport. (n.d.). Housekeeping Functions in the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved June 10, 2022,
from www.Housekeeping Functions in the Hospitality Industry.com: c/housekeeping-
functions-hospitality-industry-30195.html

setupmyhotel. (2011). www.setupmyhotel.com. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from
https://setupmyhotel.com/: https://setupmyhotel.com/

setupmyhotel.com. (2022, June 10 ). setupmyhotel. Retrieved from www.setupmyhotel.com:
https://setupmyhotel.com/

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