Leadership and strategic vision play crucial roles in shaping the success of modern housekeeping operations today. As expectations of guests evolve and operational challenges grow more complex, effective leadership is indispensable for ensuring seamless service delivery. Strategic vision, on the other hand, involves foresight and innovation in deploying resources, adopting technology and implementing sustainable practices to enhance efficiency and guest satisfaction. Keerthana Sundar, Special Correspondent, Clean India Journal interacts with Pamini Hemaprabha, an International Hospitality Professional to explore the benefits of a forward-thinking leadership and clear strategic vision.
Role of Technology
The world is undeniably moving towards greater integration of AI across all levels. While housekeeping remains predominantly manual, its essence lies in the physical effort and the personal touch provided. Even as robots can replace human labour for certain tasks, they cannot replicate the warmth and personalised service that humans offer, such as smiling at guests while greeting or anticipating their needs.
Housekeeping thus straddles both physical labour and guest interaction, constantly aiming to enhance the guest experience through personal engagement. However, AI plays a pivotal role in simplifying tasks, enhancing efficiency, and managing resources effectively. It supports sustainability efforts by optimizing water and chemical usage.
Moreover, AI has revolutionized administrative tasks, automating processes like task sheets, PPM checklists, and service request management. This shift from manual to digital has streamlined operations significantly, enabling quicker responses and adherence to standards.
Embracing technology is crucial for today’s housekeepers to leverage AI tools effectively. Remaining tech-savvy is essential in staying competitive and capitalizing on advancements. Continuous learning through workshops and training ensures teams are equipped to utilize new technologies as they emerge.
The immediate KPIs for a team should focus on AI. It is essential that the management ensures AI innovation and best practices are integrated. This expectation holds them accountable to prioritize AI initiatives as a core responsibility, not just a side project. Secondly, allocating a budget within department budgets for workshops, AI enhancements, and networking reinforces our commitment to AI integration. Thirdly, implementing reward and incentive programs for R&D efforts in AI promotes a culture of innovation and recognition. Regular briefings help us assess progress and plan ahead, ensuring AI remains integral to our operations. Additionally, advocating for AI courses and ensuring compliance with AI training further embeds AI into daily practices and culture.
Progress vs Budget
Guest feedback is paramount for enhancing housekeeping operations. Detailed, granular feedback often yields valuable insights and suggestions that drive improvements. Leaders must be open-minded and responsive, capable of advocating for necessary changes beyond budget constraints. Effective negotiation skills are crucial in persuading stakeholders. Continuous development of leadership skills is essential to navigate evolving challenges and technologies. Comfort and complacency hinder progress; leaders must embrace discomfort and strive for continual learning. Choosing future leaders wisely is pivotal in fostering dynamic and adaptable leadership in the ever-evolving hospitality landscape.
COVID-19 and Innovation
COVID-19 was a profound wake-up call for many, highlighting life’s unpredictability and the need for clear priorities. Despite its challenges, the pandemic spurred significant innovation across various sectors. Personally, it reinforced the importance of seizing opportunities, cherishing loved ones, and pursuing ambitions with determination. It also underscored the significance of leaving a positive legacy and embracing change rather than stagnation. As life moves forward with economic recovery and renewed vigour, COVID-19 remains a poignant reminder to live purposefully and prioritize resilience over comfort.
Post-COVID, remote work became widespread with tools like Zoom transforming digital collaboration globally. This shift not only enabled seamless remote meetings but also enhanced work-life balance by eliminating commute times. Technology has united the world digitally, enabling professionals to work from anywhere and participate in global meetings effortlessly. Even in hospitality and tourism, digital connectivity remained robust during COVID, fostering virtual participation in international conferences and forums. This rapid digital progression, powered by AI and digital tools, continues to redefine work dynamics, marking a significant advancement since the pandemic.
Housekeeping team pain points
Housekeeping in hospitality faces enduring challenges, primarily rooted in physical labour. Addressing these issues necessitates a multifaceted approach. Firstly, equipping staff with appropriate tools, including sustainable and AI-driven technologies, can significantly alleviate physical strain.
Moreover, thoughtful hotel design plays a crucial role. Innovations like adjustable beds and automated cleaning features under beds streamline tasks and reduce strain on housekeeping staff. The shift towards convertible sofas further simplifies room setup, eliminating the need for heavy lifting.
From a construction standpoint, prioritising ease of cleaning in room and public area design is essential. Technologies such as toilets with self-cleaning capabilities, reflect advancements, enhancing efficiency and hygiene.
There is a growing consensus that housekeeping should be recognised as a valued service, potentially moving from a complimentary offering to a fee-based model similar to bed and breakfast charges. This shift would acknowledge the labour-intensive nature of housekeeping and ensure its sustainability within the hospitality industry.
Ultimately, fostering awareness and embracing technological advancements are pivotal in transforming housekeeping into a respected and financially supported organ of hospitality operations.
Balancing outsourced & in-house staff
Ensuring quality in housekeeping hinges on staff selection, emphasising specific skills and backgrounds. Increasingly, outsourcing agencies are playing a pivotal role, often providing enhanced service levels compared to earlier standards.
The distinction between in-house and outsourced housekeeping should not be stark; typically, a 70-30 split is observed, demonstrating a blend that accommodates both models. Regardless of employment type, all individuals represent the organization and should meet uniform expectations of performance.
Usually, outsourced roles may receive lower compensation. A fair and equitable approach to maintain quality across all staff categories must be enforced. Leadership must advocate for parity to uphold consistent standards, regardless of staffing source.
Ultimately, the balance between in-house and outsourced staff varies by organizational scale and need, but adherence to uniform performance standards should be critical in driving housekeeping excellence, irrespective of employment arrangement.
Interdepartmental Interaction
Implementing best practices in an organization is critical. This includes daily huddles, regular team buildings, and fostering a strong teamwork culture, which hinges on effective management. It is important to involve department heads in monthly meetings to gather insights on housekeeping and ensure collaboration across departments. Additionally, workshops should involve key divisions like housekeeping, engineering, and finance to enhance understanding and alignment on goals and budgets. Regular team building at the HOD and executive levels further strengthens unity and collective success within the organization. These practices are essential to integrate and optimize our efforts across all functions.
Metrics for Success
Guest feedback, employee feedback, TripAdvisor ratings, social media cleanliness scores, and audits are critical metrics for success in hospitality. However, achieving and maintaining high scores also requires regular review of internal expectations, vision, targets, and KPIs. These must be revisited monthly to track progress effectively. Equally important are consistent action plans for hiring top talent, retaining employees, and maintaining robust reward and recognition systems. These interconnected elements collectively drive consistent performance and success in the industry.
Future trends
AI workshops will accelerate, playing a pivotal role in transforming the industry. Talent retention is crucial for fostering a passion for housekeeping and enhancing salesmanship. Expect trends to include increased workshops, digital presence, and recognition through rewards, podcasts, and awareness campaigns. Housekeeping has evolved significantly, extending beyond hotels to include ships, malls, tourism, and more. Moving forward, the perception of housekeeping will continue to shift towards innovation and personalized service, moving away from traditional cleaning roles towards roles as curators of spaces.