7. HOUSEKEEPING PRE OPENING CHECKLIST
7.2. ORGANISATION
1. PERSONNEL AND PRODUCTIVITY
a. Obtain final hiring schedule/Manning Guide with correct arrival dates of all housekeeping employees from Director/EAM Rooms or the Human Resource Department; follow-up status/progress, identity cards for staff
b. Organisation Chart: Assistant Housekeeper (s) and Supervisors
c. Determine absenteeism/turnover experienced by other local hotels: consistent with planned staffing?
d. Average number of guests rooms per day to be handled by day maids, night maids and floor supervisors
e. Hours of various housekeeping shifts
f. Issuing hours of Main Linen room, and Uniform room
g. Language barrier interpreter to communicate with staff, if appropriate
h. Determine temporary local help required immediately; coordinate with Director/EAM Rooms and Human Resource Manager; screen and hire i. Locate and engage temporary team of local tailors for uniforms fitting and
alterations; coordinate same
2. FURNITURE, FIXTURE & EQUIPMENT AND OPERATING SUPPLIES FOR HOUSEKEEPING
a. Obtain copy of final computer print out from Director/EAM Rooms for Housekeeping supplies to be received or already on the premises; check on shipping and arrival dates; follow-up frequently
b. Obtain copies of purchase orders on operating equipment to be handled in housekeeping department; check status and follow up
c. Obtain copies of Furniture, Fixture & Equipment and other items to be received by housekeeping department; check status and follow up
1 In the absence of a Director/EAM Rooms, the Executive Housekeeper will report direct to the General
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d. Carry out physical inventories of all items already received for Housekeeping Department, and keep records in file
a. Request samples of employee white shirts, black shoes and socks and rubber boots from local market, if appropriate. Requisition required quantities in different sizes
b. Requisition cleaning and other supplies for temporary use, according to availability on local market. Coordinate with Food & Beverage Stewarding for possible bulk orders. (see Appendix A: Suggested shopping list)
c. Check on printing and stationary items and ensure that all forms and the like used by Housekeeping are in print. (See Appendix B: Printed forms checklist) d. Check secure installation of main linen room shelving and establish a punch list for this area. Keep one copy in file and submit list to Director/EAM Rooms and Chief Engineer
e. Establish requirements for uniform racks appropriate for number of uniforms on order; submit detailed drawings to Director/EAM Rooms and General Manager for approval and Chief Engineer for installation (keep a copy for file)
f. Clean up main linen room and Housekeeper‟s office
g. Set up main linen room and Housekeeper‟s Office (see Appendix C: Recommend filing system)
h. Determine if there are any special requirements for Housekeeping Department due to special Furniture, Fixture & Equipment Décor items 1. INVENTORIES
a. Linen – Guest Rooms and Food & Beverage
(1) Quantity and Scheduled arrival time at hotel
(2) Method to track late linen shipments if linen on hand is below par stock levels required
(3) Par stocks in circulation and in storage (4) Handling of discards policy
(5) Are employee bath towels provided?
(6) Are kitchen rags provided? Contract service needed?
b. Uniforms
(1) Quantity and scheduled arrival time at hotel (2) Procedure for initial uniform issue and fitting
(3) Agree on employee time clock number for identification of uniforms, if possible, and establish procedure with Human Resource Manager for authorising initial uniform issue
(4) Exchange procedure for cleaning uniforms c. Rollaway Beds/Bed Boards/Baby Cribs
(1) Quantity ordered sufficient? If not, where to rent?
(2) Other amenities required on order: non-allergenic pillows. Foam pillows and the like?
(3) Storage locations established? d. Guest room supplies
(1) Are all InterContinental Hotels Group Standards supplied/ordered? (2) Non-standard guest room supplies
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(4) Floral arrangements: who orders same, who delivers to guestrooms? (5) Florist on staff or outside contract?
(6) Procedure for handling room service trays in rooms
(7) Who handles mini-bar re-supply in guestrooms; if housekeeping, recheck productivity standards, new procedures and guest floor storage restocking
3. HOUSEKEEPING KEY CONTROL
a. Determine distribution and control of master keys; coordinate/agree same with Hotel Director of Business Support
b. Storeroom key control: linen, uniform, housekeeping, etc.
c. Procedure to handle broken keys in locks (coordinate with Chief Engineer)
4. LOST AND FOUND
a. Storage location, control and security of routine items b. Procedure and location for valuable or costly lost items
c. Length of time unclaimed items stored: check with Hotel Director of Business Support
d. Disposal of unclaimed items
5. MAINTENANCE WORK ORDERS
a. Will the standard InterContinental Hotels Group system be used? b. Means of communicating same with Engineering Department c. Who replaces light bulbs in guestrooms?
6. OUTSIDE CONTRACTS FOR HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES
a. Cost-benefit analysis required on all contracted services b. Window washing, if same too dangerous for hotel staff c. Public Area Cleaning
d. Gardens and Landscaping e. Floral arrangements f. Laundry of hotel linen g. Guest laundry
h. Dry cleaning/valet
i. Exterminator/pest control (coordinate with Engineering) j. Carpet shampooing – floor wax stripping.
k. Other services
l. Procedure with Director of Business Support on contract specifications and approval
7. LIVE-IN STAFF AND /OR STAFF HOUSING
a. Who lives in the hotel? b. Who lives in staff housing?
c. Frequency and extent of housekeeping services provided
8. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN MAIN LINEN ROOM AND GUEST FLOORS
a. Staff telephone with light signal? b. Maid‟s telephone on each guest floor?
c. Beepers?
d. Mobile phones? e. Walky Talky systems?
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f. Room status system?
g. Other?
9. IN-HOUSE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
a. Coordinate service elevators for exclusive housekeeping use during initial guestroom set-up
b. Are there chutes for soiled linen and/or rubbish? c. Transport method for dirty linen to laundry d. Transport method for clean linen to maid‟s closets
10. STORAGE ORGANIZATION
a. Surplus Furniture, Fixture & Equipment Storage and requisition procedure. b. Excess linen storage location/requisitioning
c. Housekeeping general stores d. Housekeeping equipment storage
e. Temporary storage of goods received but not distributed. Find secure locked space in basement and on floors: do not use guestrooms. Ensure the room is dry and not humid!
f. Spare curtain and drapery material is to be taken over by housekeeping as well as spare dust skirts and day spreads. All other spares including furniture, carpets, lamps, and upholstery material should be stored by Engineering and issued against requisitions
11. INSPECTIONS
a. Hotel turnover punch list: how does hotel Executive Housekeeper coordinate same with corporate/regional director housekeeping?
b. Procedure for inspecting initial guest room set-up, inspection checklist? c. Procedure for inspecting cleaning of pre-opening staff quarters. Incorporate
as part of training program
d. Inspection program after opening – floor supervisors
e. Program for General Manager/Executive Housekeeper personal hotel inspection tours before and after opening
f. After opening program executive staff guestroom inspections
12. LAUNDRY
a. Organize turn-in procedures for dirty laundry with Laundry Manager b. Coordinate guest laundry procedures with Laundry Manager
c. Coordinate staff uniform cleaning procedure
d. Coordinate with Food & Beverage Manager for Food & Beverage linen issue/control
e. Coordinate agreed procedures with Food & Beverage outlet managers
f. Coordinate kitchen rag program with Food & Beverage Manager/Executive Chef
g. Outside laundry
(1) Develop procedures and locate an area for linen count control outgoing and incoming
(2) Coordinate billing documents and receiving documents with hotel Director of Business Support
(3) Agree on delivery schedules, especially weekend/Holiday
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(5) Recalculate par stock requirements due to in-transit laundry and recheck inventory for adequacy
(6) Coordinate with Laundry specialist re standards
13. HOUSEKEEPING EQUIPMENT
a. Ensure all equipment tested and stored under lock and key
b. Coordinate with Chief Engineer and Purchasing Manager for local sources to repair equipment and maintain warranty
c. Develop issuing and control procedures with Front Office Manager and Director of Business Support for guest charges for renting roll-aways, etc. d. Develop maintenance program with Chief Engineer for heavy-duty
equipment (golf cart linen wagons, etc.)
e. Organize issuing and receipt program for items lent to hotel guests without charge (voltage converters, etc.)
14. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
a. Program for maids‟ daily room assignments b. Procedure for controlling clean rooms called in
c. Organize out of order procedure with Front Office Manager and Chief Engineer for OOO (Out of Order) request, return from OOO, and routine Engineering request
d. Coordinate with Front Office Manager procedures to communicate room checkouts, expedite makeup, VIP room assignments/inspections, and ready to rent rooms
e. Organize payroll reporting with Director/EAM Rooms and Human Resource Manager/Director of Business Support including overtime procedure, timesheets and casual labour
f. Identify any grey areas regarding cleaning responsibilities, especially Engineering and Food & Beverage Stewarding. Agree on program and issue memo confirming agreed responsibilities