ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF H/K DEPARTMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF H/K DEPARTMENT

Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of a housekeeping department---whether in a small, medium, or large hotel--- is depicted using in organization chart.

An organization chart is a schematic representation of the relationships between positions within an establishment, showing where each position fits into the overall organization and illustrating the divisions of responsibility and lines of authority.

The housekeeping department in a hotel is headed by the executive housekeeper.

He/she reports to the general manager, or to the resident manager, or the rooms division manager in a large hotel.

In the case of a chain of hotels, the executive housekeeper also reports to the director of housekeeping, who heads the housekeeping departments in all the hotels of that chain.

The deputy housekeeper assists the executive housekeeper and, depending on the size of the property, there can also be assistant housekeepers who look after the various areas of responsibility in the hotel, that is, floors, public areas, the linen room, and desk control.

Organization Chart/Hierarchy of a housekeeping department in a small hotel

Organization Chart/Hierarchy of a housekeeping department in a medium-sized hotel

Organization Chart/Hierarchy of a housekeeping department in a Large hotel (Chain hotels)

Organization Chart/Hierarchy of a housekeeping department in a Large hotel

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

Guestrooms are the heart of the hotel.

Unless its décor is appropriate, the air odour-free, and furnishings and upholstery spotless clean, the hotel may lose the guest as a potential repeat customer.

The housekeeping 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.

Housekeeping, thus, is an ancillary department that contributes in a big way towards the overall reputation of a property.

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.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

• To achieve the maximum efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests & in the smooth functioning of the department.
• To establish a welcoming atmosphere.

• To ensure courteousness, reliable service from all staff to the guest.
• To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas for which the department is responsible.
• To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, conference halls, health clubs etc, as well as to maintain an inventory for the same.
• To provide uniforms for all the staff & maintain inventory for the same.
• To Cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guests.
• To provide & maintain the floral decorations and to maintain the landscaped areas of the hotel.
• To select the right contractors & ensure the quality of work is maintained.
• To co-ordinate renovation and refurnishing of the property in consultation with the management & with interior designers.

• To co-ordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning agents, equipments, fabrics, carpets, & other items used in the hotel.
• To deal with lost & found articles.
• Carpet shampooing.
• Dealing with any guest queries, complaints & requests as they occur.
• To keep the general manager or administrator informed of all matters requiring attention.

AREAS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF HOUSEKEEPING

1. Front of the house areas.
2. Back of the house areas

Front of the House areas

Guestrooms

Corridors

Lobbies & public restrooms

Pool and patio areas

Meeting rooms

Dining rooms/restaurants

Banquets Halls

Convention Halls

Hotel-operated shops

Recreation rooms (Games rooms)

Gymnasium rooms

Building exterior

Landscaping & gardens

Back of the house areas

Management offices

Storage areas

Linen & sewing rooms

Laundry room

Employee locker rooms

Administrative offices

Cloakrooms

Maid’s service room

Layout of the Housekeeping Department

The layout of the housekeeping department is the physical demarcation of areas in the department.

When the layout is well-planned, it enables the smooth functioning of the department.

The layout is dependent on the size of the hotel as well as physical space restrictions.

Normally, the layout is decided by the executive housekeeper, at the facility planning stage in setting up the hotel.

The following factors are taken into consideration when deciding on the area and layout:

Total number of guestrooms

Number of function rooms and number of food-and-beverage outlets

Amount of manpower required

Volume of business anticipated

Number of jobs contracted out.

Flow of traffic (people and equipment)

The following areas constitute the layout of a housekeeping department:

Executive housekeeper’s cabin

Secretary’s cabin

Desk Control Room

Lost and found Section

Housekeeping Stores

Florist’s room

Linen and Uniform room

Linen Store

Sewing room

Floor Pantry/Maid’s service room

Layout of a housekeeping department in a large hotel

Floor Pantry/Maid’s Service Room

Though not attached to the department physically, floor pantries are very much a part of housekeeping department.

These are located on each guest floor to keep a stock of linen, guest supplies, and maid’s cart and cleaning supplies for that particular floor.

A floor pantry stores a complete set of linen for the whole floor over and above what is already in circulation in the rooms.

The floor pantries should be tucked away from guest’s view and should be situated near the service elevators.

It should store all housekeeping items so that the housekeeping staff does not have to keep going back to the housekeeping department or linen room for any item.

It should have shelves and cupboards for linen and supplies, and sufficient area to park a room maid’s cart.

It should have a sink with water supply.

Since the floor pantry is used to stock expensive items such as linen, it should remain locked at all times when not in use.

The key to the floor pantry is kept by the GRA of that floor and a duplicate is kept with the floor supervisor.

The following should be provided in a floor pantry:

Cupboards to store guest supplies, cleaning agents and equipment.

Shelves and racks to store fresh room linen.

Linen trolleys to store fresh and soiled linen and for transporting/dispatching the same to the linen and uniform room.

A notice board to display information regarding expected arrivals, VIPs in the house, extra bed, and guest loan items given to guests.

A sink with hot and cold water facilities to wash or disinfect glasses, fill drinking water in flasks, and for flower arrangements.

Guest loan items such as rollaway beds, cribs, and bed boards.

Sample layout of a Floor Pantry