COMMENT
COMMENT | PETER HANCOCK
Housekeepers
keep on keeping on
By PETER HANCOCK,
chief executive – Pride of Britain Hotels
A
s a guest in most hotels always with the twin objectives of environment so many great
you seldom get to meet the improving the guest experience housekeepers create for their teams,
person in charge of arguably and the efficiency of the business. which I have witnessed at first hand.
the most important area of activity Technology plays a big part and so Pay is gradually improving and with
behind the scenes – the head does the opportunity to exchange low unemployment looks set to go on
housekeeper. And if you did then ideas, which our industry is improving around the country purely
he or she (it’s usually she, let’s be extremely good at doing. as a result of supply and demand. No
honest) would not have time to chat
less important are the family-friendly
produced by our ‘mystery guests’ how hours that compare very favourably
pressure of work against the clock many details need to be perfect every with other jobs, whether in or outside
that characterises the role. time: cleanliness of the room itself, hospitality. Gradual improvement is
cleanliness of the many bathroom important but it doesn’t make the ten
have tough and complex tasks to surfaces, the bed coverings, mirrors, o’clock news.
perform, they also somehow have to re-stocking of amenities, removal manage and motivate a team of room of rubbish, replacement of towels, the educators and show them
attendants who could probably earn vacuuming of carpets, presentation of that a job in housekeeping can be
the same or better money elsewhere bedding, placing of reading material, rewarding as well as offering the
with a lot less effort. At least, that is evening turndown and so much more. chance of rapid progression into
the widely held view. To compound this some guests may supervisory and management roles.
Not only do housekeepers
Somehow we need to educate
check out late and others may check When you come across people who
meet lots of these miracle-workers in early, reducing an already tight have clocked up 20, 30 or more years
over the years by attending events window of opportunity to get in and in the profession can it really be so
organised by the UK Housekeepers do the job. terrible? A few days ago I met an
I have been lucky enough to
Association, a marvellous
It’s easy to see why parents and
executive head housekeeper who
organisation that enables head teachers often try to dissuade young had retired comfortably, at a time of
housekeepers from all over the UK people from entering this industry, her own choosing. Two years later
to share knowledge and promote especially if they have seen Channel she was back in harness at the
best practise. More recently within 4’s shocking Dispatches documentary same hotel. I asked her why on earth
Pride of Britain we have arranged a in which contract cleaners working she had decided to return and she
couple of ‘Housekeepers’ Forums’ in some Premier Inn hotels were answered with a big smile across her
in conjunction with one of our mercilessly exploited. face saying “I missed it too much, the
sponsors, P&G Professional. At these
we aim to both learn and inform,
16
We know from the reports
for very long because of the sheer
www.hotelowner.co.uk
What never seems to get aired,
however, is the happy working
buzz, the camaraderie. I just wasn’t
ready to give it up!”
November 2018