Episode 1 of an ongoing series.
Back in 1990, when I first started my studies in Hotel Management at Les Roches SHA in Switzerland, something Mr. Cartret said during our Housekeeping Management Operations class struck me like thunder. “70% of the hotel’s income comes from room sales.” I always enjoyed his housekeeping stories — he had quite a lot to tell, and we listened with real attention. That 70% figure stayed with me, and right then I said to myself: this is the sector of hotel management I will pursue. Housekeeping Management.
By 1992 I had finished my studies, well prepared — or so I thought.
My first job as Housekeeping Manager made me feel incredibly proud. The studies were paying off and I was about to show what I had learned. Remember, this was the early 90s. No computers in the housekeeping office, no apps — just paper with duplicate pages underneath, where you constructed your monthly roster that, in reality, had nothing to do with the actual shifts. That monthly plan was for the labour office, if you know what I mean.
There was also the not-so-warm welcome from existing employees — especially from persons who felt they were entitled to the position that had just been given to me. My point is: once you arrive in a new environment, you are on your own. No matter what the GM who hired you said, or the HR Director. Especially when you are young.
I was 23 years old, handed the responsibility for the cleanliness of all rooms and public areas, the linen room, and the management of 26 people — chambermaids, supervisors, laundry attendants, and public area cleaners — in a city hotel.
So how do you take control of a department that doesn’t know you, is suspicious of you, and quietly believes or wishes that you won’t make it?
My first instinct was: let me observe how things are done, and then I’ll adjust. My office was on the 3rd floor, close enough to hop onto the guest floors for room checks quickly. During that first week, something surprised me. The chambermaids were in constant stress — shouting and quarrels in the corridors, some of them in tears. The main cause was the shift roster preparation.
I also quickly realised that the shift planning wasn’t working. Chambermaids were moved to different floors every single day, with no fixed floor responsibility. No ownership. No routine. Just chaos dressed up as a schedule.
That was my first real lesson — and the classroom had nothing to do with it.
Episode 2 coming tomorrow: What I did about the roster planning — and why my first decision nearly backfired.
Browse our professional housekeeping management tools — SOPs, checklists, training kits and more. Free to browse, instant download after purchase.
➡️ Browse the Product Directory
The names and identifying details in this series have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. The events are based on real professional experience.
0 comments