Reflective Review

ROOMS DIVISION SERVISION STANDARDS ASSESSMENT 2: A REVIEW OF HOUSEKEEPING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE Kang Yu LEE 000882577 40 B Executive Summary This report provides a review of the application of housekeeping skills and knowledge attained by the student through classroom theory and practical training in Crowne Plaza, Adelaide. Strengths and weaknesses are gathered from lecturers and then elaborated. The review includes the research of two emerging trends in the hospitality industry as chosen by the student; namely 1) the wall-mounted foam soap dispenser and 2) duvet covers. The purpose is to convince people of the chosen trends’ practicability over the current implementations in Crowne Plaza. Then, the analysis of two housekeeping standard criteria presents their importance in the industry and approaches to monitor and maintain them are discussed.  Table of Contents Executive Summary i Table of Contents ii 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Authorisation 1 1.2 Limitations 1 1.3 Scope of the Report 1 2.0 Strengths in Relation to Housekeeping Service Standards 2 2.1 Responsive in learning 2 2.2 Communication with team member 2 3.0 Areas for Improvements 3 3.1 Attention to Details 3 3.2 Bed-Making 3 4.0 Emerging Housekeeping Trends 4 4.1 Wall-Mounted Foam Soap Dispenser 4 4.2 Doona (or Duvet) Cover 4 5.0 Monitoring and Maintaining Housekeeping Standards 5 5.1 Continuous Application of Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare (OHS&W) Principles 5 5.1.1 Set Up OHS&W Committee 5 5.1.2 Take Lead 5 5.1.3 Inspect the Property Regularly 6 5.2 Demonstration of Application of a Logical Cleaning Sequence 6 5.2.1 Visual Aids 6 5.2.2 Department Meetings 6 5.2.3 Newsletters 6 5.2.4 Bulletin Boards 7 6.0 Conclusion 8 7.0 Reference List 9 Figure 1 Foam Soap Dispenser WCS-062 from TEIC International S.A. 4 Figure 2 The Painted Feet Test 7  Introduction Authorisation Sophie Kinloch, the Rooms Division lecturer, commissions this report. As part of the syllabus of Rooms Division Service Standards, this report acts as the reflection of the student’s performance and feedback provided throughout the three Housekeeping practical sessions. Limitations As well as a privilege, the Housekeeping practical sessions were only conducted in Crowne Plaza, Adelaide, and thus this report focuses on the student’s experience specifically in this property. Another limitation is the student’s lack of industrial knowledge in depth which the student attempted to make up for with research for the purpose of this report. Scope of the Report This report shows the collective reflection of the student’s three Housekeeping practical sessions in Crowne Plaza, Adelaide. It discusses the strengths and areas of improvements required by the student to develop a better understanding towards Housekeeping service standards. In addition, two rising trends in the industry are chosen and elaborated with reasons why they could be implemented in the property. Lastly, this report explains the approach the student would take to monitor and maintain two chosen Housekeeping standard criteria provided in the assessment’s marking criteria.  Strengths in Relation to Housekeeping Service Standards Responsive in learning The desire to get things right is a positive trait as the student responds to corrections appropriately. There are procedures to follow and the lecturers have provided tips and tricks to accomplish them with more ease. The current commitment shown by the student can be a possible determinant for his future progress in the industry. Hence, the onus is on the student to continue learning from mistakes and preventing them from happening. Communication with team member Tasks between partners had gotten smoother as both parties have understood each other’s roles. As both students start to look out for each other, they can anticipate the needs of each other thereby preventing interruptions of the workflow of the other. More importantly, the students had acted as guests for each other and provided a clearer perspective on things that were missed out.  Areas for Improvements Attention to Details It can become dreary for housekeepers to perform the same tasks repeatedly during their work shift. This could affect their enthusiasm to maintain the equal and high standard for the following rooms to clean. As a result, they become less scrupulous in their duties. The standard of the rooms then deteriorates and leads to an undesirable inconsistency (Calbone 2008). To continue enjoying the housekeeping experience, the student believes in setting a self-challenge to spot any faults before anybody else; that includes before the guests and other associates. By doing so, one can continue to be livened while on duty. Bed-Making It takes a considerable amount of practice to become proficient in making the bed. Due to the lack of experience and insufficient training, the student had not perfected the technique of laying the bed sheets, which could help hasten the process. Consistent practice makes for consistent standards.  Emerging Housekeeping Trends Wall-Mounted Foam Soap Dispenser Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1 Foam Soap Dispenser WCS-062 from TEIC International S.A. Foam soap is derived from liquid soap that has been whipped with air, thus its bubble-like appearance. By doing so, it reduces the usage of water as the soap is pre-lathered and it is more environmentally friendly (Nix 2012). Expenses are reduced as well because the amount of soap in the dispenser is less proving higher profitability than the traditional soap bars or bottles (Zoya 2012); and it is gentler on the skin as compared to the more concentrated liquid soap Although guest amenities are cut down, replacing soap bars/bottles with the soap dispensers also significantly reduce waste generation. As guests become more aware of ‘greening’ efforts, they are more likely to accept and support the hotel’s ways. Doona (or Duvet) Cover Doona covers have the same constructs as pillowcases; they ‘consist of a removable insert within an outer shell that has a zipper running along the side to keep the insert secure’ (Mabasa 2008, p. 1). A short video by Amy Cleaning (n.d.) provides six simple steps to putting on a doona cover, which is relatively easier than triple-sheeting. The triple-sheets standard (incorporated by Crowne Plaza, Adelaide) and the doona covers serve the same purpose of providing means of cleanliness and sanitation. They, both, separate the guests from the doona easing off the hygiene-wary guests’ minds. However, the doona cover outperforms the bed sheets as it helps housekeepers reduce the time required to make the bed. Rather than making the bed with a bed sheet, followed by a second bed sheet, a doona and then another bed sheet (top cover), only one doona cover is required with the doona inserted (Mabasa 2008, p. 2; Kozlowski 2008).  Monitoring and Maintaining Housekeeping Standards Continuous Application of Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare (OHS&W) Principles The OHS&W Act places the obligation of ensuring health, safety and welfare of every individual in the workplace to both the employer and employee (Government of South Australia, Attorney-General's Department 2012; SafeWork SA 2007). Figures from SafeWork Australia (2011) shows that more than 300,000 people are injured and 2,900 lose their lives each year in Australia due to work-related accidents. The workers’ compensation costs the nation more than $4 billion. After making allowances for the additional costs of lost production, the total cost soars to $9 billion per year. The student will elaborate on three methods to oversee this standard criteria. Set Up OHS&W Committee Chiplin (2010, pp. 116 - 117) states that in order to improvise or follow through with safety procedures, the constituted OHS&W committee of the hotel shall evaluate the workplace safety measures on a regular basis. Stower (2008) advises the OHS&W committee to comprise of representatives from every department. From then on, the committee can distinguish and advocate procedures to preserve the safety and health of the occupational environment to the management for approval. Take Lead Denton (2010, p. 13) gives an example of unsafe behaviour of a housekeeper and negligence of the housekeeping supervisor: A housekeeper cuts corners by cleaning the room without the use of protective gloves in a bid to save time. Gloves were not used due to the belief that they affect the hands’ sensibility while cleaning; thereby memory is committed to rinse the chemicals off from the hands. Worse, when the housekeeping supervisor disfavours wearing the gloves too. Even when both parties know the correct procedures, neither had taken action to rectify. ‘Behaviour ignored is behaviour accepted… Behaviour rewarded is behaviour repeated’ (Chambers 2006). Repetition of hazardous conduct will lead to injury in due time. For that reason, other than adhering to safety procedures, a manager has to spot unbecoming behaviours and coach the staff in order to stop the development of bad habits (Denton 2011, p. 14). Inspect the Property Regularly Stover (2008) recommends inspecting the property on a monthly basis. During an inspection, keep a look out for potential sources of hazards, log them down and seek the respective agencies for rectification. Thereafter, follow up by inspecting the rectified area and ensuring that the hazard has been rectified. Demonstration of Application of a Logical Cleaning Sequence Being familiar with the proper cleaning sequence not only helps to save time and frustration for the housekeeper, it serves to save money for the property too. ‘The best room attendants will explain that they have developed a system to clean their rooms. Whether or not they have been formally trained, veteran cleaners have worked out a routine that they use in each room’ (Edwards 2011). Nevertheless, the input of the executive housekeeper in helping the attendants learn an effective system cannot be discounted. Thus, the student feels that providing continuous training is the most important factor that encourages the ongoing adherence to the logical cleaning sequence. Green (2008) advises the following implementations as training aids to support an ongoing training program: Visual Aids Reference cards designed with cleaning standard operating procedures (SOP) and images of demonstrations on each side can be issued to the department. Different sets of reference cards can be made for different tasks. Department Meetings Arrange for regular meetings – whether monthly, weekly or prior to work shifts – and incorporate fun games to emphasise the importance of the housekeepers’ contribution towards the hotel’s financial success. Newsletters Newsletters help by distributing information quickly to the staff. Information can include the latest news on chemicals, supplies and significance of safety. A selected team in charge of producing the newsletters promotes participation and can better the staff morale. Bulletin Boards Placing a bulletin board in a prominent place allows staff to conveniently review updated policies and announcements every day. This becomes more effective when the department enforces the initiative of the staff to view the board regularly. Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2 The Painted Feet Test Edwards (2011) further depicts the efficiency of streamlined housekeeping procedures with The Painted Feet Test (right), which allows housekeepers to visualise the approximate number of steps they require to clean a guestroom. The aim of this test is to minimize the steps required while cleaning. As a result, the housekeepers are better able to understand the importance of limiting their trips to the cart by conforming to the property’s SOP.  Conclusion The heart of the hotel is to provide accommodation. Housekeepers are paid mainly to maintain the cleanliness and standards of the rooms, which takes up 90% of their time (Weiss 2012). Although the exposure was for a short period, the practical assessment has provided the student with further understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a housekeeper. Other than the practical skills learnt, the soft skills (such as paying attention to details) prove crucial in an industry where there first impression counts, and there is only one chance to get it right and ‘the most successful housekeepers are those who take ownership of their property’ (Hogan 2006). Other than being proficient in service, the hospitality professional has to keep up with the trends. This can help the hotel by better equipping the associates with tools and skills to provide better service.  Reference List Amy Cleaning n.d., How To Put On a Duvet Cover, video, Videojug, viewed 25 Oct. 2012, <http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-put-on-a-duvet-cover>. Calbone, A 2008, The Rooms Chronicle, viewed 28 Oct. 2012, <www.roomschronicle.com/articles/index.cfm/NU1619.pdf?>. Chambers, L 2006, Behavior Ignored is Behavior Accepted | By Lizz Chambers, CHA, CHE, viewed 28 Oct. 2012, <http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4028516.html>. Chiplin, J 2010, Hospitality Core Units, 3rd edn, Hospitality Books, New South Wales. Denton, J 2010, How to Obtain a Return on Investment for Your Hotel's Insurance Dollar, The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 12 - 13. Denton, J 2011, Behaviour Ignored is Behaviour Accepted...Behaviour Rewarded is Behaviour Repeated, The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 14 - 15. Edwards, G 2011, To Increase Room Attendant Efficiency, Limit Trips to Cart, The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 1, no. 3, p. 5. Ellis, Jr, R. C 2009, The Start of The Year is Time to Complete a Thorough Walk-through Inspection, The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 4 -6. Government of South Australia, Attorney-General's Department 2012, South Australian Legislation, viewed 26 Oct. 2012, <http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/R/OCCUPATIONAL%20HEALTH%20SAFETY%20AND%20WELFARE%20REGULATIONS%202010/CURRENT/2010.173.UN.PDF>. Green, DM 2008, When Training New Housekeeping Employees, "Think Outside of The Triangle", The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 6 -7. Hogan, J 2006. The Rooms Chronicle, viewed 28 Oct. 2012, <http://www.roomschronicle.com/articles/index.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_article&article_ID=2281>. Kozlowski, E n.d., The Rooms Chronicle, viewed 28 Oct. 2012, <http://www.roomschronicle.com/articles/index.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_article&article_ID=2158>. Nix, Ocha 2012, The Benefits of Using Dispenser Foaming Soap, viewed 26 Oct. 2012, <http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Using-Dispenser-Foaming-Soap&id=4124100>. SafeWork Australia 2011, Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act & Regs, viewed 28 Oct 2012, <http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=2474>. SafeWork SA 2007. SafeWork SA, viewed 28 Oct. 2012, <http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/uploaded_files/gs7i.pdf>. Stover, J 2008, Ten Points to Help Ensure a Safe Work Environment for Hotel Employees, The Rooms Chronicle, vol. 16, no. 2, p. 8. Weiss, S 2012, Managing Housekeeping in the 21st Century, Executive Housekeeper, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 48 - 49. Zoya, P 2012, Foam Soap Dispensers: For Better Hygiene at Home and Workplace, viewed 26 Oct. 2012,<http://www.artipot.com/articles/1236768/foam-soap-dispensers-for-better-hygiene-at-home-and-workplace.htm>. Rooms Division Service Standards Assessment 2 1 Kang Yu LEE 000882577 16 November 2012 9