UNIT 2-THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

 Layout of housekeeping department

The layout of 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

·       No. of jobs contracted out.

·       Flow of traffic (staff and equipment)

Hierarchy of Housekeeping department

The organizational structure of the housekeeping department mainly depends on the activities and the size of the hotel. The charts below show the organizational of structure of the large, medium sized and small hotels.

HOUSEKEEPING HIERARCHY CHART FOR A SMALL HOTEL:

                                          

HOUSEKEEPING HIERARCHY CHART FOR A MEDIUM SIZED HOTEL:

                                   

HOUSEKEEPING HIERARCHY CHART FOR A LARGE HOTEL:

 

·       Executive Housekeeper: Responsible and accountable for the total cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. This is achieved with the resources of manpower, materials, machines, money, space and time available to him.

·       Assistant Housekeeper: May be one for each shift in a large hotel. He may be the housekeeper of a small hotel or deputy to the Executive Housekeeper of a medium-sized hotel. He manages the resources given by the Executive Housekeeper to achieve the common objectives of cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness in a given shift.

·       Desk Control Supervisor: The Housekeeping Desk must be manned 24 hours as guests and staff will contact this desk to transmit or receive information. It is the Desk Control Supervisor who co-ordinates with the front office for information on guest rooms and forwarding the same message or updating the same on the system. All calls regarding guest room cleanliness and maintenance is handled by the control desk supervisor.

·       Floor Supervisor: Responsible for the cleanliness and maintenance of the guest floors. His scope encompasses guest rooms, corridors, staircases and floor pantries of the allotted floor.

·       Night Supervisor: They handle all aspect of housekeeping at night including desk control operations, issue of linen and uniform in an emergency, etc. His area of activity extends over guest rooms, public areas etc. He is solely responsible and accountable at night for smooth housekeeping through his night brigade and has larger decision-making authority than other supervisors as he is the housekeeper for the night.

·       Public Area Supervisor: Responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and present ability of all public areas which include restaurants, bars, banquet halls, garden, administrative offices, shopping arcade, health club, swimming pool, main entrances and car park areas.

·       Laundry Manager: laundry manager is the overall in-charge of the hotel laundry and has the responsibility to outlook that all laundry are washed and recorded in accordance with the management rules and procedures.

·       Horticulturist: Many hotels may contract horticultural work to an outside agency. However, a large number of hotels have professionally trained Horticulturists who maintain the gardens of the hotels as well as supply flowers from the garden for interior decorations and floral arrangements.

·       Room Attendants: Known also as chamber maids or room boys. They do the actual cleaning of guest rooms and bathrooms allotted to them.

·       Housemen: usually handy men that do the heavy physical cleaning required in guest rooms and public areas. Their job would include vacuuming, shifting of furniture, cleaning of windows panes, mopping, sweeping, etc.

·       Cloak Room Attendants: Cloak room attendants are persons responsible for the supply of clean dry towels, soaps and disinfectants prescribed by the management for the public area washrooms.

·       Uniform Room Supervisor: A non-management person solely responsible for providing clean serviceable uniforms to the staff of the hotel. He / she has to keep an inventory control on various stages of uniform handling, such as, when sorted ones are handed over, or those which are being washed or dry-cleaned in the laundry.

·       Uniform Room Attendants: The uniform supervisor is assisted by attendants who actually do the issue of uniforms in exchange for soiled ones for onward transmission to the laundry.

·       Linen Room Supervisors: A non-management person solely responsible for the acquisition, storage, issue and cleanliness of linen in its various forms.

·       Linen Room Attendant: collecting fresh linen from laundry, arranging linen room and assisting the supervisor by actually issuing linen and filling records as necessary.

·       Valet: He is a person who goes from one guest room to another, for collecting or delivering guest laundry.

·       Tailor / Seamstress: Tailor or seamstress personnel are responsible for stitching and mending the linen and upholstery.

·       Laundry attendants: they help in managing the function of a laundry, carrying soiled linen from chute area/floors and uniforms from uniform issuing counter, segregation of linen and uniform as per the standard, loading and unloading laundry machines, ironing and folding, taking care of machines, cleaning of machines and laundry area

·       Gardeners; Does the actual digging, planting, watering, etc. of gardens on a day-to-day basis.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFFS

AT MANAGERIAL LEVEL

Ø  Executive Housekeeper

1.      Responsible for managing, organizing, supervising, inspecting and evaluating cleanliness, maintenance and appearance of the hotel.

2.      Schedule, recruit, train, and recommend hiring, discharging and discipline of all department employees through management and in accordance with labor regulations.

3.      Participate and represent in HOD meetings.

4.      Supervise and maintain follow up file to ensure that all public areas and guest accommodations do not deteriorate from standard.

5.      Develop and train employees to perform their best in the standard procedures as applicable to their job positions.

6.      Organizes and directs departmental training programs, resolves personnel problems and evaluates employees performance and working relationship

7.      Develop and recommend standard procedures for new tasks or changed conditions.

8.      Inspects and evaluates physical condition of establishment, and submits to management recommendations for painting, repairs, furnishings, relocation of equipment, and reallocation of space.

9.      Pay particular attention on inspection to the presence of odors and pests and appropriate control measures.

10.  Work closely with the General Manager on day-to-day Housekeeping requirements.

11.  Coordination activities with other departments.

12.  Evaluate departmental records to plan, develop and forecast budget and personnel requirements.

13.  Developing and managing appraisal system in coordination with HR department for the departmental personnel

14.  Supervise housekeeping inventory.

15.  Develop and supervise maintenance of lost and found procedure, including disbursement of unclaimed articles to employees/charity.

16.  Identify reliable suppliers for housekeeping materials and recommend them to Purchase Department.

17.  Develop housekeeping systems and procedures and see that they are followed diligently.

18.  Plan, control and supervise horticulture and pest control requirements and commitments.

 

Ø  Deputy housekeeper

1.      Reports to the Executive Housekeeper

2.      Preparing and implementing housekeeping staff and cleaning schedule, duties and tasks and ensure follow-up.

3.      Responsible for coordinating with the Executive housekeeper and the staff to ensure compliance with cleanliness standards and procedures within the Housekeeping Department

4.      Responsible for performance appraisals of team members working in assigned areas as per policy and guidelines.

5.      Responsible for operational training for all team members.

6.      Responsible for the implementation of cleaning schedules for all areas and follow-up.

7.      Oversees lost and found and proper recording, storage, and communication to various departments.

8.      Conduct interviews for potential new hires, perform coach and counseling sessions and/or disciplinary measures, employee evaluations, and will document and pass all documentation to Executive Housekeeper.

9.      Review scheduling with Executive Housekeeper, based on demands of hotel, and properly maintain levels of staffing therein.

10.  Maintains par levels of inventory of cleaning supplies, linens, and brand required room materials and elements, to ensure brand standards and consistency measures are met.

11.  Provides, fosters, and educates staff on a safe work environment, including proper storage of chemicals and materials needed for daily room cleaning.

12.  Daily inspection of all rooms to ensure cleanliness and brand standards are consistently being met and room attendants are completing tasks in a timely fashion.

 

Ø  Assistant housekeeper

The assistant housekeeper usually reports to the executive housekeeper. In hotels where an additional senior position of deputy housekeeper exists, the assistant housekeepers may report to the deputy housekeeper. Generally hotels employ one assistant housekeeper per 50-60 rooms. There may be just one assistant housekeeper under the executive housekeeper in a medium-sized hotel or one for each shift in a large hotel. In large hotels, the responsibilities for the floors, public areas, linen room and control room are divided among assistant housekeepers. Essentially, the assistant housekeeper manages the resources provided by the executive housekeeper to achieve the objectives of cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness during a given shift.

Duties and responsibilities

1.      Be responsible for the efficient and orderly management of cleaning, servicing and repairing of guestrooms

2.      Be responsible for the hotel linen and check its movements and its distribution to room attendants

3.      Keep an inventory of all housekeeping supplies and check it regularly

4.      Provide the front office with a list of rooms ready for allotment to guests

5.      Check for flower arrangement, as per the requirements

6.      Arrange the training of staff and substitute for the executive housekeeper in case of  his/her absence

7.      Update record books, registers and files

8.      Compile the maids’ roster

9.      Check the VIP and OOO ( Out-of-order ) room

 

Ø  Laundry Manager

1.      Managing  regular function of linen room/uniform room/laundry

2.      Conduct budgeting, purchasing, payroll, forecasting and inventory control.

3.      Ensure to maintain top level cleanliness following set policies, standards and procedures. 

4.      Plan, develop and implement laundry and dry cleaning safety and security programs and activities.

5.      Prepare or direct preparation of correspondence, reports, and operations, maintenance, and safety manuals.

6.      Review invoices, work orders, consumption reports, and demand forecasts to estimate peak delivery periods and to issue work assignments.

7.      Inspect physical conditions of laundry stores and machines, linen room, uniform room, cleaning of  equipment, their maintenance/repair

8.      Conduct interview, supervise, train, schedule, counsel and evaluate staff. 

9.      Conduct communication meetings once in month and ensure employee performance effectively. 

 

AT SUPERVISORY LEVEL

Ø  Desk control supervisor

1.      Report to the Deputy Housekeeper

2.      To receive guest calls and convey the message to concern one immediately

3.      To handle the maintenance request refers to the responsibilities of house keeping

4.      To maintain all staffs records, their allocation of work in different area, performance record etc.

5.      To prepare extra cleaning schedule for department

6.      Extra cleaning schedule for guest area (floor corridor, rooms)

7.      Extra cleaning schedule for public area (pantry, restaurant, banquets, cloakroom etc.)

8.      Extra cleaning schedule for laundry (laundry area, linen room, uniform room etc.)

9.      To maintain rooms record in the computer along with complete information

10.  Handling all the keys of floors from attendant which was submitted at initial period of the shift

11.  To maintain all the records:

·       Guest call register

·       Maintenance register

·       Room checklist

·       Babysitting register

·       Room occupancy report file

·       Log book

·       Duty roaster file

·       Carpet shampoo register

·       Extra cleaning record

12.  To fulfil every room required items through passing information to concerned section. E.g. mini bar is empty then inform to linen and store room

13.  To check all the required item of rooms, if items are being shortage then fill the requisition form.

 

Ø  Floor Supervisor

1.      1. Report to the Deputy Housekeeper
2.      Assign duties to the floor housemen and room attendants.
3.      Inspect each room completed by Room Attendants according to specified room checklist and ensure that they meet the standards of the establishment in terms of cleaning, functional and aesthetic value.
4.       Check par stocks of linen and guest supplies and cleaning supplies on floors and ensure timely delivery of soiled linen to laundry and requisition for fresh linen from linen room and guest supplies / cleaning supplies from the stores.
5.      Train Room Attendants and Housemen for maximum productivity and standards of efficiency.
6.      Submit performance appraisals periodically for each staff under his / her control.
7.      Check all safety systems on the allotted floors.
8.      Liaise with security on security aspects on guest floors.
9.      Account for movement of linen from his / her floors.
10.  Prepare housekeeping occupancy lists for front Office.
11.  Check all maids’ carts and floor pantry to ensure the proper storage and usage of linen, guest room amenities and cleaning supplies as per standards stipulated.
12.   Follow upon maintenance orders sent to Engineering.

 

Ø  Night Supervisor

Supervises all night force engaged in cleaning public areas and guest rooms of hotel. His duties and responsibilities are same as that of the floor supervisor and public area supervisor.

 

Ø  Public area supervisor

1. Check all public areas against area check-lists and see that they meet the standards of cleanliness stipulated.

2. Remove furniture, curtains and other fixtures, which require repairs, mending, spotting, washing, etc.

3. Maintain a regular and complete advance scheduled program for cleaning public areas after receiving the final concurrence of the Executive Housekeeper.

4. Prepare schedule for the chandelier cleaning crew.

5. Prepare Schedule for the carpet shampoo crew.

6. Inspect staff turnout.

7. Train new recruits.

8. Submit performance appraisals of staff working under his / her control.

9. Clean safety and security systems in public areas, e.g. locks, shutters, etc.

10. Account for furniture movements, if any.

11. Initiate and follow-up maintenance orders for public areas/service areas under his / her control.

12. Check and control equipment like hovers, floor washing machines, floor polishing machine, carpet shampoo and beating machines and ensure that they are used correctly and maintained properly.

 

Ø  Laundry Supervisor

1.       Supervise and coordinates activities of workers engaged in receiving, marking, washing, and ironing clothes or linen in laundry.

2.       Determines sequence in which flatwork, emergency service, and white and coloured work are to be scheduled through laundry to provide quick and efficient service to customers and to regulate workloads.

3.       Inspects articles to determine methods of specific cleaning requirements.

4.       Inspects finished laundered articles to ensure conformance to standards.

5.       Observes operation of machines and equipment to detect possible malfunctions.

6.       Investigates and resolves customer complaints of unsatisfactory work.

 

Ø  Uniform / Linen Room Supervisor

1. Schedule linen / uniform room staff.

2. Check periodically the condition of uniform and hotel linen.

3. Assign daily work to tailors.

4. Devise and maintain an effective control system to issue clean linen and uniforms.

5. Co-ordinate closely with the laundry department to ensure timely supply of fresh uniforms and linen.

6. Conduct periodic inventories of linen and uniforms.

7. Ensure that all linen, uniforms needing stitching, mending is immediately attended to before being sent to the Laundry Department.

8. Ensure that the Linen Room is kept neat and clean.

9. Ensure that all linen, uniforms and materials are neatly and systematically stacked and arranged and properly labelled.

10. Train the staff to perform their duties effectively and, efficiently.

11. Maintain all relevant records in respect of material, uniforms /linen-storage and movement.

 

AT OPERATIONAL LEVEL

Ø  Room Attendant

1.      Cleaning guest rooms and replenish supplies as per the requirement

2.      Cleaning guest floor corridor and floor pantry area.

3.      Report missing or broken hotel property to the Floor Supervisor.

4.      Replenish maid cart with guest supplies, cleaning supplies and linen.

5.      Hand over lost and found articles at control desk

6.      Make physical check of rooms for preparing the house keeping occupancy list.

7.      Check that maintenance of guest rooms and report for the same at the control desk.

8.      Doing turn down service in the guest rooms.

9.      Filling the floor log book as per the standards

10.  Prepare guest room inventory records.

 

Ø  Uniform / Linen Room Attendant

1. Issue uniforms to all hotel employees on a one-to-one basis.

2. Count soiled uniforms / linen received and delivers the same to the laundry department.

3. Maintain records of linen and uniforms movements.

4. Store uniform and linen according to prescribed methods.

5. Check for damages when receiving dirty uniforms.

6. Check for fitness of uniforms as per norms laid down before issuing.

 

Ø  Public area attendant

1.      Dry and wet mopping of the floor of public area.

2.      Dusting and cleaning doors, windows fixture and furniture of public area

3.      Cleaning hallways and restrooms

4.      Cleans and maintains restaurants and banquet halls.

5.      Empties ashtrays and urns

6.      Polishes furniture and fixtures of the area

7.      Vacuums and polishes elevators.

8.      Cleans rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture using a vacuum cleaner, broom and shampoo machine.

9.      Washes walls and ceilings, moves and arranges furniture as per the standard

10.  Responsible for upkeep of all the equipment which he is using i.e., Vacuum cleaner, caddy, Scrubbing machine etc.

11.  Responsible for spring cleaning of their area as per the schedule given to them.

 

Ø  Cloak Room Attendants

1. Maintain adequate stocks of soap, detergents and hand towels to meet demands at peak level.

2. Maintain shoe-shine kit and clean guest shoes, if required.

3. Maintain all cupboards and fixtures installed in the cloak room.

4. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude to guests.

5. Report any plumbing deficiencies to Public Area Supervisor.

6. See that clack rooms are immaculately clean. Faucets should be sparkling, wash basins dry and environment free of unpleasant odour.

7. Supply the guest with towels, soap, comb, brush and powder.

8. Sweep, wash and scrub the floors.

9. Clear the soiled linen periodically from the baskets.

10. Brush the guest’s jacket, if requested.

 

Ø  Tailor / Upholsterer

1. Mend all damaged linen.

2. Mend all damaged uniforms.

3. Refurnish all damaged upholstery handed over by the Supervisor.

4. Estimate the requirements of material and request the Linen Room Supervisor to requisition it from stores.

5. Collect material from the stores and take to the work area assigned.

6. Pre-shrink all materials which have a tendency to shrink.

7. Cut the fabric as per requirement of each particular item.

8. Check the quality of springs, in the cots and replace, if necessary under directions of the Linen Room Supervisor.

9. Fasten springs properly with strings and place the foam in position.

10. Keep the work area assigned neat and tidy.

11. Store systematically all items, i.e., needle, thread, etc. Prepare requisition for replenishment of stock and render accounts of the same.

12. Render account of material consumed and balance left over should be handed back to stores.

 

Ø  Horticulturist

1.      Ensure that the prescribed landscaping is carried out in the garden.

2.      Brief on the work, schedule and allot duties to gardeners to meet daily exigencies.

3.      Procure seeds from reliable sources at least cost.

4.      Procure, control and supervise the usage of manure and fertilizers.

5.      Ensure that seeds planted are done so with consideration for ultimate aesthetic appeal and survival.

6.      Ensure that gardeners follow the watering fertilizing and maintenance schedules, reporting any water shortage problems and suggesting alternatives.

7.      Maintain nursery at optimum conditions and ensure steady supply of saplings for planting.

8.      Provide the hotel with flowers, garlands, wreaths, bouquets as required. Also grow, supply and maintain indoor plants for the hotel.

9.      Ensure that lawns are well maintained, healthy and kept clean at all times.

10.  Ensure that gardeners handle garden tools and machines properly and carefully.

 

Ø  Houseman

1. Hoover carpets.

2. Shift beds, chairs, heavy furniture for cleaning carpets.

3. Beat carpets and shift from one area to another.

4. Clean swimming pool when assigned.

5. Clean all surfaces including garden paths, etc.

6. Polish all brassware.

7. Clean all windows, door and ventilators.

8. Clean and replenish linen in the floor and pool area.

9. Do all heavy cleaning like shaft cleaning, terrace cleaning, etc.

 

Ø  Laundry attendant

1.      Laundry attendant is responsible for the washing and folding of all linen, guest cloth and staff uniform.

2.      He is responsible for keeping the laundry room neat and tidy.

3.      He is responsible for cleanliness and maintenance of all the laundry equipment and machines.

 

Ø  Laundry Valet

1.       Reports directly to guest Laundry Supervisor.

2.      Collect laundry from in-house guest.

3.      Inquires with guest, if any special service desired, as emergency or express.

4.      Writes on laundry/dry cleaning list any special request made by the guest

5.      Delivering guest laundry in the room as per the specified instruction of as per the hotel standards

 

Ø  Gardener

1.      Maintain landscaped area properly and also prepare for fresh planting.

2.      Plant seeds and saplings as per conditions and concept prescribed.

3.      Apply manure and fertilizers economically ensuring proper coverage.

4.      Perform spraying of insecticides and fungicides to control pest and diseases of the plants.

5.      Water all gardened areas as per daily schedule and routine.

6.      Prepare such flowers potted plants, wreath, bouquets etc. as required by the Hotel.

7.      Maintain indoor plants as per schedule

PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF

There are certain qualities which a housekeeping staff should possess in order to perform the housekeeping functions which are sometimes more important than the skill too.

i) Pleasant personality- The staff should have a good presentation of one’s own self when interacting with guests. This reflects the quality of service and standards in an establishment.

ii) Physical fitness- The housekeeping staff should go through a thorough medical examination and should be fit to perform the housekeeping functions.

iii) Personal Hygiene- The housekeeping staff should have healthy skin, clean hair, eyes, teeth, nose, nails and fingers etc.

iv) Eye for detail- The staff should possess power of critical observation to make a flawless room and keen sense to inspect rooms for perfection.

v) Cooperation- The staff must cooperate with staff of other departments for team work and more efficiency.

vi) Adaptability- The staff should be able to adapt to new ideas/ concepts and accept changing/ upgrading situations willingly

vii) Honesty- The housekeeping staff need to have this quality as they have access to all the rooms and guest belongings are left lying around. They also deal with various kinds of guest amenities that are very expensive. So they should have inherent discipline and integrity.

viii) Tactful and diplomatic- The housekeeping staff have to handle guest requests and complaints. Sometimes guests are fussy and can make unusual requests. The staff has to be tactful and diplomatic to handle these requests.

ix) Right attitude- The staff should have a right attitude which displays an even temper, courtesy and good humour and optimistic in nature.

x)  Calm Behaviour- Should be able to handle situations humbly and politely.

xi) Courteous- Should be courteous to both guests and colleagues

xii) Punctuality- Should has respect for time, during working hours as this reflects on his/her sincerity.

xiii) Good memory- Should have good memory to remember likes, dislikes, needs and wishes of guests and especially/repeat guests.

 

Areas considered under Housekeeping department

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSEKEEPING AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS

The Housekeeping Department should co-ordinate and ensure maximum co-operation with other departments to provide high quality service. To be successful, a well-planned work schedule should be prepared so as to ensure minimum disruption to the guests and work flow of other departments.

1.     Coordination with Front Desk: The control desk acts as the nerve centre for coordination with the other departments in the hotel. the control desk attendants receives the night report, the arrivals and departures list, VIP list , and the list of crews and groups in the house from the front office. Based on these documents, the housekeeping department schedules the workers for cleaning, maintenance and servicing of guestrooms and related areas.

a)     To ensure efficient rooming of guests, both housekeeping and front office must inform each other of changes in a room’s status for proper room management.

b)     There should be coordination to clean front office public areas

c)     There must be coordination between housekeeping and front office department to share information on occupancy levels which helps to forecast occupancy for the year and makes it easier to draw up a budget, establish par stock levels and estimate required staff strength.

d)     There should be coordination know about the daily room report and housekeeping discrepancy report.

e)     It also helps to gear renovations and spring cleaning to low occupancy periods thereby preventing loss of revenue.

f)      The housekeeping and front office department also coordinate with each other for other important information which require special attention like

·                Night report: this report is prepared by front desk attendant, indicates the rooms occupied that night and ones that are to become check-outs the following day. Based on this report, the executive or assistant housekeeper schedules employees for servicing these rooms. Once the rooms have been cleaned and made ready, the floor supervisor calls the control desk or the front desk directly, releasing the room for sale.

·                VIPs in house: this information is essential so that the staff can take a little extra care and keener precautions in cleaning and supervising VIP rooms. Housekeeping can take extra care in cleaning the VIP rooms by equipping the rooms with additional amenities as per the policy of the management.

·                Groups in the house: the group rooming list must be provided before the group’s arrival to the housekeeping as groups tends to move together in terms of arrival, departure, sightseeing tours and meals. Their rooms need to be readied together in view of strict time parameters. Group rooming lists enable the housekeeping department to organize their work and have the group’s room ready on time.

·                Crews in the house: Sometimes the arrival of a crew and the departure of another crew from the same airline may overlap. In such circumstances, it is important for the allotted rooms to be cleaned within a short period of time.

·                 Flowers: sometimes the management extends its compliments to a guest with a special gesture of a flower arrangement in the room as recognition of the importance of a person. This requirement of flower arrangements for certain guests is conveyed to housekeeping by the front office on a daily basis.

Apart from the above communications the front office needs to depend on housekeeping for the provision of clean uniforms to its staff.

 

2.     Coordination with Engineering Department: The housekeeping control desk has to coordinate with the engineering department for maintenance request that the room attendants registers while servicing the guest room or in the floor.

a.     The housekeeping department depends on maintenance to keep things in order.

b.     A need for urgent repairs is reported to maintenance over telephone and these requests are usually taken into action immediately.

c.     Engineering department depends on the housekeeping department for providing fresh uniforms to their staff.

3.     Coordination with Security Department: The coordination here is mainly concerned with the prevention of fire and thefts and the safekeeping of keys and lost property. There are so many security hazards on the floor that this liaison is particularly important and housekeeper cooperates by endeavoring to see that housekeeping staff are aware of the hazards. Housekeeping personnel should also report anything of a suspicious nature immediately to the security staff. However, a guest may take advantage of this privacy and may be engaged in certain illegal activities such as gambling, smuggling and so on. Housekeeping personnel have to be alert to this risk and seek the security department's intervention if necessary. The security department is responsible for conducting training sessions on handling emergency situations for the staff. For example, they conduct fire drills to train staff to gear up in a fire emergency.

4.     Coordination with Food and Beverage Department: The food and beverage department consist of both the service staff as well as the kitchen staff. The coordination of housekeeping with the restaurants and banquet halls is mainly concerned with the provision of linen and uniforms. The linen room supervisor, under the supervision of the executive housekeeper, needs to have sufficient stock of clean linen to meet the demands of the F & B department's restaurant and banquet function. On his/her part, the restaurant manager should ensure that the time set for the exchange of linen is respected; that linen is not lost or misused; and that intimation of forthcoming banquet function is conveyed to housekeeping well in advance. Beside extra/special linen, housekeeping may also have to arrange for flower decorations for banquets.

Coordinating between two departments becomes particularly necessary in the case of room service, so that friction does not arise over matters such as waiters not collecting trays from guestrooms or room service staff leaving soiled trays in the corridors or causing extra work through careless spills on the carpet.

In many hotels, housekeeping also looks after pest control in restaurants, kitchens, and store attached to them. Both restaurant and kitchen staff required clean uniforms on a daily basis, for which they need to communicate with housekeeping. Provision of staff meals for housekeeping personnel, on the other hand, is the responsibility of the kitchen staff.

5.     Coordination with Personnel Department: Housekeeping coordinates with the personnel department for recruitment of housekeeping staff, managing their salaries and wages, addressing indiscipline, following through grievance procedures, issuing identity cards for employee, running induction program, maintaining locker facilities, completing income tax formalities, effecting transfers, promotions, appraisals, and exit formalities, procuring trainees and organizing training sessions.

6.     Coordination with Purchase Department: The purchase department procures out-stock items for housekeeping, such as guest supplies and amenities, stationery, linen, cleaning materials and equipment, and so on. Housekeeping should convey their requirement to purchase by way of advance notice in the form of a purchase requisition.

7.     Coordination with Stores: Coordination with stores ensures the availability of day-to-day necessities of housekeeping. Larger hotels have a store attached to the housekeeping department that stock linen, supplies and so on. Smaller hotels may stock them in the general store, except for linen, which is sent to the housekeeping department on purchase. Communication with stores is by way of a requisition form, which housekeeping sends to stores when it requires certain items.