United Against Kronos Blog Site

Sitting here reflecting on everything that has transpired up until this moment one situation stands out in my mind and makes me personally think of the Housekeeping Department in the hospitality industry.

Doing the tedious task of searching  for articles and public record documents one day a link came up from a NewsPaper called the Dothan Eagle out of Dothan Alabama.  What I found on that page was amazing.  Several Employees (mostly housekeeping from what I gathered) outside with bandanas around their faces to protect their identities from the camara with picket signs in their hands.  They even had the little chant going in unity.  These were not people that were looking to be recognized.  These were people that wanted to be heard.  Their employers were well aware of who they were and, thats all these folks cared about.  If they wanted their 10 minutes of fame so to speak they would not have had their faces covered when the cameras arrived.  They were letting their employers Kronos Hotels and Resorts know they were not going to take it any more. 

Being in the Hospitality industry for so many years and starting out in Housekeeping I know from experience it is not the most glorious job in the industry but it is a very rewarding job.  Knowing that without you and what you do they hotel would cease to exist.  I also remember the living paycheck to paycheck and hoping beyond hope that I would have just enough to squeek by with enough to get me to the next paycheck. 

As a pushed forward,  and my career in the hospitality industry progressed I never forgot where I came from, Housekeeping.  I never stopped respecting the people that did it. 

The philosophy that was gained by me was this.  Housekeeping is the backbone of the hospitality Industry.  A computer program can be made like the express check-in at the airports.  You put a confirmation code in swipe your credit card and out comes your information and your keys.  A program to clean your room will never happen.  Although the hours may be a little on the unstable side depending upon location and season, Housekeeping is the most stable position in the industry.  It will always be needed.

Yet in my personal experience the Housekeeping department is always looked down on.  They are back of the house and looked at as just that.  They get little respect, and little recognition yet when something is wrong there is no delay in them being let known.  

Housekeeping departments are usually underpaid, and overworked.  They are the unsung heroes of the hospitality industry.  If someone checks in with a rude GSR, they expect to go to a run down room.  Housekeeping can override that 1st impression with the job they do.  When that guest opens a door, or looks under a bed, or (like I do out of habit) goes through the room looking for any kind of dust and finds nothing but cleanliness it puts their mind at ease.  A clean comfortable room is what the majority of travelors are after.  Housekeeping can provide that.

It is my true belief that everyone would benefit from starting out in Housekeeping and working their way up the chain.  It would create alot more respect for the industry.  It would create alot more sense of “this is my career” vs. “this is just a job”  It would  create more team atmospheres as it is alot harder to place the blame on someone such as “the back of the house housekeepers” when you have walked in their shoes.  If they can’t start in housekeeping they should be trained in housekeeping.  Not just a day or two.  Everyone should be cross trained.  Everyone should know how and be required to step in and help.  I also believe more people would be willing to step up and help if they knew how hard the Housekeepers of our industry work. 

Any Gm out there that hears that GSR, or that Waitress/Waitor, the Sales Person, or whoever else start complaining about Housekeeping not doing their job.  Send them back to work for Housekeeping for awhile so they know what Housekeepings job is.  If you want to build a successful team thats how you do it.  Bring Housekeeping out of the dark and shed some light on them.  They will appreciate it, the rest of your associates will appreciate it, and you will find in the long term it makes your job just that much easier. 

Housekeepers everywhere deserve a pat on the back every day for what they do.  They deserve recognition.  So next time you pass that housekeeper, instead of just walking by and saying “Hey” tell them “thank you” for the job they do.  Watch the expression on their face.   If that is not reward enough for you, you are in the wrong industry.

Oh and please dont call them maids.  That drives me crazy.   And frankly it drives alot of them crazy too.