Held every year during the second week of September, International Housekeepers Week (IHW) is the perfect opportunity to recognize this hardworking group of hospitality professionals. Below we’ll talk about why housekeeping is important not just for a guest’s overall experience, but for the success of the business as well.
Like other parts of hospitality, some form of housekeeping dates all the way back to ancient Roman and Greek civilizations; which has now evolved into the modern hotel-style housekeeping we see today.
Though we’re probably most familiar with hotel housekeepers, there are a variety of places that employee this position such as: casinos, healthcare facilities (hospitals, assisted living, etc.), retirement communities, hospitality venues, and other locations.
Why Housekeeping is Important
It’s not hard to understand why housekeeping is important, especially on a customer level. In general, common housekeeper responsibilities include cleaning and sanitizing rooms, changing linens, making beds, emptying garbage’s, replacing toiletries/disposables, and notifying maintenance of any issues. The venue will have an impact on what the responsibilities are and may differ depending on factors like size, location, available staff, etc. It’s safe to assume that without housekeepers, hospitality would look a lot different.
Housekeepers are employed not only to help provide a great experience, but also to create a safe environment. There’s been no other time that safety was as critical as it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Housekeeping professionals worked throughout the pandemic and even today are continuing to prioritize health and safety standards so we and our loved ones can be comfortable and safe. Their action during the pandemic is a key reason why housekeeping is important.
In addition to the impact they have on guests, there’s another reason why housekeeping is important: its effect on a business’s bottom line. Without effective housekeeping, businesses can suffer in the following ways:
- Negative brand reputation. If guests are unhappy with the housekeeping services they receive, they may leave a negative review or share their feedback with friends and family.
- Higher costs. Running an effective housekeeping department includes making sure each housekeeper can quickly and efficiently turn over rooms. If your efficiency is lacking, you may have to hire more employees or lower your expectations of what can get done in a shift.
- Poor health standards. If the employee isn’t following appropriate health standards, guests may be at risk for illness or injury.
- Lower morale. Whether they know it or not, coworkers rely on each other to keep motivation and morale high. If one team were to see the housekeeping department running efficiently (regardless of who’s at fault), it could lower morale which will impact productivity across the board.
All the above instances will affect your brand reputation, revenue, and more. This only goes to show some of the impact housekeepers have and why housekeeping is important.
In honor of International Housekeepers Week, we hope you take a moment to thank a housekeeper the next time you can. This position can offer be overlooked yet they do so much for the hospitality industry and everyone who gets to enjoy it.
You didn’t need this article to tell you why housekeeping is important, but hopefully you’ve thought more about the significance of this position. Since 2003, LGC has been partnering with businesses to connect them with the housekeepers they need to be safe and successful. We want to say a big thank you to all the amazing housekeeping professionals we’ve worked with over the last two decades and look forward to future partnerships.
About LGC
Since 2003 LGC has been building connections between businesses with staffing needs and job seekers looking for new opportunities. Our range of solutions include temporary and permanent placements (and everything in between) in a variety of industries. With offices located nationwide, we can tap into a dynamic pool of talented professionals. We have a passion for creating partnerships that last and work hard every day to ensure both clients and candidates reach their employment goals.