Lesson

Layout of the
Housekeeping
Department

2.1 LAYOUT OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

Introduction
There is no ideal or universal model for the layout of a housekeeping
department.
a) It has to be accessible to all employees of the hotel as they will
come to the uniform room for the issue and exchange of
uniforms;
b) It has to be accessible to food and beverage personnel and floor
supervisor for the exchange on linen;
c) The location has to be away from guest view and hotel staff
traffic;

d) The area must be strong to install heavy equipment.

e) The laundry involves heavy duty washing machines, hydro extractors
and calendar machine etc.
f) The sound and vibration of equipment must not affect the quite
ambience required for guest living.
Who Plans Housekeeping Facilities?
The task of creation the housekeeping spaces is given to a facility planner.
Preliminary Consideration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To determine the project tea.

To have the basic needs worked out.
To determined the type of service.
Set specifications of equipment and furniture.
Develop a blueprint.

Prepare
blueprint

Prepare
interior
design

Set specification

Furniture
Fixtures
Equipment
Utilities
Building materials

Survey
suppliers

Enter into
contracts

Housekeeping Design Factors

Space: The housekeeping must take full advantage of spaces ensuring
security and accessibility.
Noise: The facilities must control noise which comes from noisy laundry
equipment and verbal staff communication.
Temperature: Is important in places of extreme climate.
Freedom of movement: Is essential for safety reason.
Exchange counters: The uniform exchange room can be congested at
certain times especially mornings, when all the staff is in a hurry to get
fresh uniforms for the day.
Storage: Housekeeping will need adequate storage to keep the volume of
linen, uniforms, cleaning detergents, operational equipment, lost and
found things, etc.
Cost: Obviously the cost of equipment furniture, and fixture depends on
the type of quality of the establishment.

 Quantity and quality: Equipment must be able to meet the quantities of

linen and amenities provided.
Equipment:
The equipment must be cost effective.
It must be durable.
It must have guarantees for replacement.
Spare parts must be cheap and easily available.
Technicians of the supplier are available readily at the time of
breakdowns.
The lead times for procuring equipment coincide with the opening of
the property.
The models of equipment can be replaced.
The equipment is easy to maintain and clean.
Equipment need minimum facilities to get it working.
Equipment must be safe.
Utilities: These are the power, fuel, water and steam connections
required to operate the housekeeping and laundry equipement.

 Sanitation and Safety

Type of Service
Physical Fatigue
Lightning
Government Safety Codes:
Sufficient drainage.
Adequate supply of dirking water.
Floor properly paved or cemented to carry heavy equipment.
Tiled walls where water is used, like the florist shop or the laundry.
Adequate exhaust system.
Provision of adequate garbage disposal.
Items to be stored at least three feet above the ground level,
requiring racking.
Metallic refuse bins to be provided with lids.

Layout and Housekeeping Facilities

Housekeepers Office
This is the main administration centre for the department.
Desk Control Room
This is the main communication centre of housekeeping.
Lost and Found Section
This adjoins the desk control room.
Linen Room
This is where current linen is stored for issue and receipt.
Uniform Room
This room stock the uniforms in current circulation.
Housekeeping Store
The store stock fresh linen and materials for uniforms.

Heavy Equipment Store

This is a store stock bulky housekeeping equipment like vacuum cleaners,
carpet shampoo machines, ladders for chandelier and window cleaning etc.
Tailor Room
This room is for in house full time tailors who stitch and mend damage
linen and uniforms.
Upholstery Yard
This is a space provided to store damaged upholstered furniture.
Floor Linen Room (Pantry)
Each guest floor has a floor linen room to keep a supply of linen, guest
supplies and cleaning supplies required to service the rooms on a floor.
Flower Room
Green House
Horticulture Equipment Store

2.2 ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

Introduction
The scope ho housekeeping embraces the entire hotel. Naturally, the largest
work force of the hotel belongs to the housekeeping department.

Executive
Housekeeper
Secretary
HK. Control
Desk
Supervisor

Linen/Uniform
Room
Supervisor
Tailors

Floor
Supervisor
Room
Attendant

Upholsterers
Linen/Uniform
Room
Attendants

Laundry
Manager

Assistant
Housekeepers

Public Area
Supervisor

Horticulturist/
Florist

Head
Housemen

Head
Gardener

Cloakroom
Attendants

Housemen

Housemen

Gardeners

HK Control Desk
Attendant

Linen/Unifor
m Room
Supervisor

Outsourced
Tailors &
Upholsterers

Helper

Housekeeper

Outsourced
Laundry

Floor
Supervisor

Head
Gardener

Room
Attendant

Gardener

Housemen

PA Head
Housemen

PA
Housemen

Executive Housekeepers: Is the head of housekeeping and is responsible

for translating hotel policies, procedures and standard into housekeeping
operations.
Assistant Housekeepers: Head a shift as the housekeeping provides
twenty four hours service.
Floor Supervisor: Direct the cleaning and maintenance of guest rooms on
allotted floors.
Control Desk Supervisor: This is a vital position that coordinates
communication with housekeeping personnel spread to all parts of the
hotel.
Room Attendants: Also called chambermaid, housemaid or room maid
where women are employed, are responsible for the cleaning and
maintenance or allotted guest room as per set procedures and standard.
Housemen: They are male cleaning personnel allotted to rooms and public
areas to manage heavy cleaning duties.
Linen Room Supervisor: Coordinated the exchange of soiled linen for
fresh ones with a team heavy cleaning duties.

Uniform Room Supervisor: Responsible for keeping uniforms in safe

storage conditions.
Tailors/Upholsterers: They mend uniforms, linen and upholstery to give
them longer life.
Public Area Supervisor: Ensures the cleanliness, maintenance and
aesthic upkeep of all public areas like lobbies, restaurant, banquets space
etc.
Horticulturist: Is responsible for the upkeep of all landscapes and gardens
with at a team of gardeners based in the area.
Florist: She is responsible for all internal flower arrangements for guest
rooms, public areas, banquet buffets, etc.
Gardener: Responsible for the upkeep of an allotted area of a landscape.
Laundry Manager: Normally a male has a large brigade of washer men,
drycleaners, ironers, etc.
Future Perspectives: Hotels have already begun to outsources public area
cleaning.

2.3 JOB DESCRIPTION OF HOUSEKEEPING PERSONNEL

Introduction
A job description is written description of a job performed by a job holder. It
specifies the parameters within which a job done.
Executive Housekeeper
This is one of the most important positions in the hotel since it carries the
responsibility for the cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic appeal of
facilities so that they are sanitary, desirable and in saleable condition.
Job Title:
Reports to:

Executive Housekeeper
1. Accommodations Manager
2. General Manager
Job Summary
Responsible for the cleanliness,
maintenance and aesthetic upkeep
of the hotel.
Duties & Responsibilities
1. Develop and monitor an annual
housekeeping budget.
2. Hire, train, lead and motivate
the HK team.

Job Title:
Executive Housekeeper
Directly Supervises
Assistant Housekeepers, Laundry
manager, Horticulturist, Florist
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates performance of staff
2. Checks discipline of staff
3. Recommends budget
Coordinates with
1. Front Office for the cleanliness
of the rooms and making them
available for
sale.
2. Accounts
3. Engineering
4. Security
5. Purchasing
6. Accommodations Directors
Minimum Educational
Bachelors in Hotel Management or
Home Science
Qualifications Experience
Minimum 3years as Assistant
Housekeeper of a reputed hotel.
Skills and Competencies
- Thorough knowledge of
housekeeping
- Training skills
- Guest handling skill

Assistant Housekeeper
She is the deputy to the Executive Housekeeper. This is a management
position that is preparing ground for the position of the Executive
Housekeepers.
Job Title:
Reports to:

Assistant Housekeeper
1. Executive Housekeeper
2. Accommodations Manager
Job Summary
To ensure that the policies,
systems, procedures and
standards are
understood and
implemented by housekeeping
supervisor at the operational
levels in
a shift.
Duties& Responsibilities
1. Conduct morning shift briefings
and allot duties for the day.
2. Lead, train and motivate a
housekeeping team in a shift.
Directly Supervises
Floor Supervisors, Public Area
Supervisor, Desk Control
Supervisor,
Linen and Uniform
Supervisor.
* Well groomed and physically fit
* Eye for detail

Job Title:

Assistant Housekeeper

Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates performance of
supervisory staff.
2. Checks discipline of staff
3. Can declare a room out of order
4. Can refuse purchases if not as
per specs
Coordinates with
1. Front Office
2. Engineering
3. Security
4. Purchasing
Minimum Educational
Bachelor in Hotel Management or
Home Science
Qualification
Minimum 3years as Assistant
Housekeeper of a reputed hotel.
Skill & Competencies
* Knowledge of housekeeping
* Guest handling skills
* Leaderships, training &
motivation skills

Floor Supervisor
This position should be held by a competent, personable individual who
knows her employees well and is able to meet the public.
Night Supervisor
The night supervisor is the representative of the housekeeping
department at night.
Public Are Supervisor
She is the most challenged in a hotel because her responsibility expands
over large public areas including areas, lobbies, function rooms, public
cloak room, corridors, foyers, elevator, etc.
Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor
Her basic role is to issue uniforms and linen to staff according to
prescribed system and procedures.
Room Attendant
This position is perhaps one of the most critical in a hotel as their work
under the scrutiny of the guest.

Housemen
The housemen has two roles: (a) to support the room attendants with heavy
work and (b) to be the primary cleaner of the public areas.
Head Gardener
He is the supervisor that translate the horticulturists directives and
procedures to the operational level which is manned by gardeners.
2.4 COMPETENCIES OF A HOUSEKEPING PROFESSIONAL
Competencies
Competencies are a set of behavioral traits and technical abilities that
suitable for the job. The housekeeping professional is obliged to develop
certain attitudes that are a must for the role. These attitudes translate into
behaviours called competencies.
Smile!
Many of us may have forgotten how we look when we smile. Many have
even forgotten to smile!
Grooming and Hygiene
Grooming is one of the most important features of housekeeping
professionals.

Here are some tips for a male housekeeping professional:

1. Hair should be cut close.
2. The uniform should be spotless and well ironed.
3. Nails should be well manicured and hands absolutely clean.
4. Staff must guard against body odor or cheap perfumes.
5. Shoes should always be polished, and of a conservative style.
Some tips for a female housekeeping professional:
6. The elastic hair band should always be clean.
7. High heels could be physically strenuous to the women as they have to
be on their feet for a complete shift.
8. Stocking should be clean.
9. It is preferred to have a light makeup to project a professional
working image.
10. Excessive jewelry should be avoided.
Basic Etiquettes
The hotel business is an alchemy of showmanship, diplomacy, and
sociability.

The basic etiquettes that a housekeeping member should exhibit are to:
1. Smile and attend to guest as soon as they approach them.
2. Recognize guest. Recognitions is a powerful tool to use for regular
guest.
3. Be polite to guest by frequently using such as Thank you, Please,
May I help you?, Pardon me, etc.
4. Avoid mannerisms such as touching the hair, scratching oneself or
picking the nose, etc.
5. Stand erect at all times.
6. Talk shortly.
7. Desist from chewing gum or beetle nut.
8. Shut the doors quietly.
Orderliness
Guest evaluate a property by how orderly the hotel personnel are. They
observe whether the maid cats are kept clean and in an orderly fashion.

Teamwork
Teams have a become the cornerstones of service operations. A poor team
performance can severely damage the establishments reputation, while
superior team performance directly enhances it.
What is a team? A team is small interdependent group of people with
complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose,
performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually
accountable.
Why should we have teams? Teams can meet significant performance
challenges. They have a common purpose and are able to assist when a team
member is slow.
Who is the team in a housekeeping operation? The direct teams are the
floor supervisors with their coterie of room attendants and housemen; the
public area supervisor with her team of housemen.
What is team leaders role? The team leaders role is to build commitment
to be common purpose.

Attitude
Attitude is a buzzword in modern operations. We wear an attitude. In other
words, attitudes is something that we own and are responsible for.
Self Discipline
Discipline is the hallmark of a good housekeeping professional. This is
because the temptations a hotel are many.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

Unavoidable circumstances
Adventurism
System of control
Ignorance of rules
To attract attention
Does not accept the system
Rebel
Affiliation with negative groups
Bad habits
Take short cuts.

Courtesy
1. it is the hallmark of a good housekeeping professional to be courteous
on all occasions not only towards guest, but also towards colleagues
and other people working in the same unit.
2. Courtesy should be inherent in ones nature and a sign of ones desire
to please those with whom one comes into contract with.
3. The advantage and necessity of being courteous should be emphasized
as it not only smoothes operations, but also ensures better
relationships.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is a new term for the internal entrepreneurship.
Housekeeping professionals are required to think like businesspersons.
Continuous Education
Housekeeping professionals will be required to upgrade themselves
constantly.

Costumer Orientation
We have learnt by now that the costumer is the king (or queen). Unless a
hotel or its people do not put the costumer as their main focus the business
is like to decline.
Physical Fitness
The television has rightly or wrongly exposed the public to the dream
figures and presentation of housekeeping professionals.
Eye for Detail
Housekeepers worldwide have been known for their eye for detail. This is
term means that the person has a sharp eye for things that are not quite
right.