Organization is the process of identifying and grouping the work to be performed, defining and delegating responsibility and authority, and establishing relationships to enable people to work more effectively in accomplishing objectives. If the whole establishment has to work as in unit, there must be clear lines of authority and good lines of communication. The organizational structure of a housekeeping department –whether in a small, medium, or large hotel is depicted using an organization chart. “An organization chart is a schematic representation of the relationships between positions within an establishment showing where each position fits into overall organization and illustrating the division of responsibility and lines of authority”.
The head of the housekeeping department is the Executive housekeeper who reports to the general manager, or to the resident manager, or to the room division manager of a large hotel. In case of chain hotels, the executive housekeeper reports to the housekeeping Director who heads all the housekeeping department in the chain. The deputy housekeeper assists the executive housekeeper and depending on the size of the property, there can also be assistant housekeeper who looks after the various responsibilities in the hotel that is floors, public areas, the linen room, and desk control. Then there are supervisors in each of the section, who reports to respective assistant housekeepers.
The floor and public area supervisor are responsible for guest room and public areas getting it to be cleaned. The linen room supervisor is in charge of the linen and uniform room operation. The desk supervisor is responsible for coordinating all the housekeeping activities and liaising with the other departments in the hotel. Attendants and houseperson report to the supervisors. The horticulturist has gardeners reporting to him/her she reports to the executive housekeeper. The laundry manager also reports to the executive housekeeper. He has laundry workers reporting to him. Laundry may also be given out on contract.
HOUSE KEEPING PERSONNEL
1) Executive Housekeeper:
Responsible and accountable for the total cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. This is achieved with the resources available to her of manpower, materials, machines, money, space and time.
2) Assistant Housekeeper:
May be one for each shift for a large hotel. She may be the housekeeper of a small hotel or the deputy to the Executive Housekeeper of a medium –sized hotel. She manages the resources given by the executive housekeeper to achieve the common objectives of cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness in a given shift. Her accountability normally ends on the completion of her shift.
3) Uniform Room Supervisor:
A non-management person solely responsible does providing clean serviceable uniforms to the staff of the hotel. As the hotel staff are all practically in uniform her task is gigantic as she has to keep and inventory control on various uniforms at various stages of use, such as, when sorted ones are handed over, or those which are being washed or dry-cleaned in the laundry or those on the person of the staff or those in store for issue. She would set the system control as also the budget for the procurement of additional material for room uniforms.
4) Uniform Room Attendant:
The uniform room attendant who actually does the issue of uniforms while receiving soiled ones for onward transmission to the laundry. These attendants are in actual contact with the staff.
5) Helpers:
They are to be found both in uniforms and linen room and do the physical work of transporting, counting and bunbdling of uniforms and linen.
6) Linen Room Supervisor:
A non-management person solely responsible for the acquisition, storage, issue and cleanliness of linen in its various forms. Types of linen are many, some of which are bed sheets, towels, table cloths, napkins, etc. Here is a mammoth task to keep track of all linen as they would number in thousands.
7) Linen Room Attendant:
Assist the supervisor by actually issuing linen and filling such record as necessary.
8) Floor Supervisor:
Responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness of the guest floors attached to her in a shift. Her scope encompasses guest room, corridors, staircases, floor pantries of the allotted floor.
9) Public Area Supervisor:
Responsible for cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness of all public areas which include restaurant, bars, banquets, gardens, administrative office, shopping arcade, health club, swimming pool, main entrances and car park areas.
10) Room Attendants: Known also as chamber maid or room boys. They do the actual cleaning of guest rooms and bathroom allotted to them. They are not responsible for the cleanliness of corridors, guest elevators or floor pantries.
11) Housemen:
Usually handy men who do the heavy physical cleaning required in guest rooms and public areas. Their job would include heavy duty vacuuming, shifting of furniture, cleaning of window panes, moping, brassoing, sweeping, etc.
12) Head Housemen: Supervises the work allotted to the housemen. Especially those in the public areas. He would be deputed on behalf of the public area supervisor especially at night if state laws prohibit women working in the night shift. In a medium sized hotel he would be the person in charge of housekeeping on night shifts.
13) Desk Control Supervisor:
The hub of information dissemination in housekeeping and is thus critical person in housekeeping operations. The housekeeping desk must be manned 24 hours as guest and staff will contact this desk to transmit or receive information concerning housekeeping. It is the Desk Control Supervisor who co –ordinate with the Front Office for information on departure rooms and handing over cleared rooms. The desk also receives complaints on maintenance from housekeeping Supervisors spread all over the hotel.
14) Cloak Room Attendants:
Cloak room attendant are persons, male or female responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and service in public area guest toilets. Their responsibility would include ensuring the supply of clean dry towels, soaps, and perfumeries, if prescribed by the management.
15) Hat checkers:
This is a service provided by superior hotels in cold climates. A hat – check room is where hat and heavy coats are deposited by guest as soon as they enter the hotel lobby so as to spare them the inconvenience of carrying them around in the hotel. The hat- checker would carefully label these guest articles and hang them correctly so as to return them to the guest when they leaving the hotel.
16) Night Supervisor:
Is special in a manner that would require him or her to be able to handle any aspects of housekeeping at night including desk control operations, issue of linen and uniform in an emergency, etc. Her area of activity extends over guest rooms, public areas as also linen and uniform rooms. She is solely responsible and accountable at night for smooth housekeeping through her night brigade and has large decision –making authority than other supervisors as she is the housekeeper for the night.
17) Horticulturist:
Many hotel may contract horticultureal work to an outside agency. However, large hotels have horticulturist who maintain the gardens of the hotel as well as supply flowers from the gardens for interior arrangement. Flowers are used largely by housekeeping to enhance aesthetically various parts of the hotel. They are used in banquets functions, guest room, restaurants, lobbies, etc. The horticulturist would have to ensure smooth supply of flowers as well as assist the housekeeper in flower arrangements.
18) Head Gardner:
Supervises the brigade of gardens and keeping them contemporary each season.
19) Gardeners:
Does the actual digging, planting, watering, etc. of garden on day to day basis.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOUSE KEEPING DEPATMENT
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
Content of notes
Organisational structure
House Keeping Personnel
Structure og Hotel House Keeping Department
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
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