Executive Housekeeper Volume 18 Number 1

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Vol 18

No 1

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Publishers LETTER

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atching the Sochi Winter Olympic Games made me realise a couple of things. Firstly, there would not have been many gold medal winners who hadn’t broken a few bones over time, judging by the daredevil events that I saw. Secondly, we are lucky in Australia that we don’t need to worry about clearing snow for six months every year. Could you imagine trying to find a housekeeper willing to grab a shovel and brave the cold every morning?

There are some issues though which face every housekeeping department around the world. One of the most challenging, and common, is hiring and retaining quality staff. Stuart Mullens of Executive Search International gives us an excellent piece on who you want to be hiring and how you can turn what they might see as a job into a career.

Bed bugs are another issue we tackle. Stephen Doggett, of the Department of Medical Entomology at the University of New South Wales, writes for us about the code of practise for the eradication of bed bugs and Mark Rosenberg looks at the use of steam in their eradication.

Speaking of the Olympics, our regular contributor Liz Lycette changes pace to talk about her recent involvement with the Sochi Winter Olympics. Liz is passionate about the

games, having been to five of them now. She also provides us with an excellent interview with Angela Attard of the Westin Dragonara Hotel and Resort on the island of Malta.

They might not be a Winter Olympics powerhouse, but Malta certainly sounds like a nice place to visit!

We then turn to the growing problem of rubbish disposal.

Any housekeeping department upgrading their IT hardware may be shocked by the amount of ‘e-waste’ that is left behind. Tech Collect may be the answer when you need to get rid of the waste without simply ‘throwing it away’.

We show how Tech Collect can solve this problem while looking after the environment.

We chat with Donna Musarella, the new president of PEHN, to see what plans she has for the organisation in the future and her journey to the top. We also talk with Deborah Rien of HACCAP Australia about hand cleanliness, while Robert Kravitz discusses the merits of using hot or cold water for carpet cleaning. We also take a look at current and future IT trends, spa cleaning, and stone and tile care.

There is always a lot going on for housekeepers as you can tell. Thankfully, keeping balance on ice to clear a path to your hotel’s entrance isn’t one of them!

Regards, Neil Muir

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Contents 6

PHAN News

10 PEHN News 12 SEQPHA News 16 How to hire quality staff 20 Caring for the psychological health of your employees 26 Bed Bugs 29 Right the first time 34 The “Big” IT trends for the next 5 years 38 TechCollect 40 Hot or cold?

44 Donna Musarella Profile 48 Why we should think green 50 Clean hands 52 What’s lurking in your spabath 54 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games 58 A great customer experience 60 Accent on safety 62 Killing bed bugs 66 Angela Attard interview 70 Product News

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Cover images shows SKYCITY Darwin Vol 18

No 1

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PHAN NEWS First event for 2014 – Visit to Sydney Harbour Marriott and Pier 1 – February 27, 2014

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0 PHAN members visited the two properties for PHAN first site inspection for this year.

A return to Sydney Harbour Marriott – to look at their 15 year old “vintage” duplex suite versus the newly refurbished guestrooms.

Marriott maintenance and housekeeping teams do a fantastic job in terms of maintenance and upkeep. What great shape the room was in – and the overall consensus “Looks great - why renovate”. But of course in this fast moving world we have to move and update and change.

The new look with blinds, softer colours, extensive guest amenities and stylish furniture and décor is a knockout.

Well done Marriott – you are certainly keeping up to the mark with the demanding market in town.

Then a good walk for all of us – round to Pier 1 and to see an interesting new property. Some may remember when

New PHAN Committee Pier 1 was a passenger berth elected March 2014 till 1963 (many Back row from left: Michael Gilzean – Public Areas Manager, The Star (NEW); migrants first Grace Esogon – Executive Housekeeper, The Marriott; stepped ashore Kamila Smirski – Executive Housekeeper, Shangri la; in Australia there).

Tracey Reed – Executive Housekeeper, Holiday Inn Potts Point (NEW); Then converted Kevin Lucas – Executive Housekeeper, QT Hotel (NEW); to a cargo wharf Young Oh – The Grace Hotel (NEW). till 1977 when Front Row from left: it became an Nenita Poquiz – Executive Housekeeper, Amora; interesting mecca Nela Neves – Executive Housekeeper, Holiday Inn Darling Harbour; of art and craft Maureen Jolowicz – Executive Housekeeper, retail (before local Radisson Blu; craft markets Zarife Melick – Executive Housekeeper, The Menzies. became the norm). In 1977 it became a mecca of art and craft shops and the best restaurant view in Sydney at the harbour end – and then again another new life in 1999 when it became a hotel.

Now operated by Marriott – its probably best described as a “boutique” hotel, their rooms and suites have (as you would expect) absolute, unparalleled water views – and each room and suite seems to be positioned to take in the best the views have to offer, with stunning balcony’s and decks – along with wonderful natural light, the opportunity to open windows and doors – and enjoy the clean air that the harbour offers.

Imagine treating yourself to New Year’s Eve at Pier 1 – would be hard to beat.

A great start to the year checking just what the other properties in town look like, catching up with colleagues and then a dinner and lots of good networking. We all enjoyed a great night out. 

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PHAN NEWS The Professional Housekeepers Association of NSW, has sent a donation of $1,000 via the Red Cross to assist the people of The Philippines.

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resident of PHAN, Maureen Jolowicz announced this donation out of gratitude to the many people from The Philippines who are core members of the hospitality profession in our city of Sydney – and Housekeeping in particular.

Meeting with her Executive Committee, it was unanimously agreed to support the people of The Philippines during their recent time of great trial. Across the board working in Hotels in Sydney are many long serving valuable staff originally from The Philippines and many who have family in their home country. As a mark of high regard for their contribution to our industry here in Sydney – the association is moved to support the relief operation.

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Additionally Maureen in her role as a founding member of SOAPAID, is working with that initiative to direct the saved/reprocessed soap to The Philippines. SOAPAID – based in Melbourne is collecting and reprocessing used soap from Hotels to be re-cycled in a safe form to needy people around the world.

This urgent crisis in The Philippines needs an urgent response and Maureen is working with SOAPAID and their associates to re-direct supplies to assist in the humanitarian work taking place in The Philippines.

A past President of PHAN, Chona Ogilvie, was visiting family in The Philippines when the hurricane struck.

Here she attended to her family in Cebu

then moved into areas on the west coast to assist in the relief effort. Luckily Cebu was not the worse affected area – though the devastation on the east coast is heartbreaking she said.

She advised the most practical support is sending financial assistance, so that water and basic food and clothing can be purchased and shipped into the regions where it is most wanted.

The Professional Housekeepers Association encouraged all its members to initiate a collection and/or fundraising initiative at their property to support the huge relief effort. Fundraising projects were organised by many hotels including QT Hotel, The Star at Darling Harbour, Sydney Harbour Mariott. 

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PEHN NEWS Things have been very busy with PEHN the past few months.

With many events held and many more fun and exciting things on the way.

PEHN’s Annual Christmas Party

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ince the last issue we had a terrific Christmas party, held at the Park Hyatt’s Treasury Room. It was a more formal and intimate affair this year with seating at round tables and the emphasis on fine dining and good conversation.

Megan Johnston from Park Hyatt was instrumental to the success of this evening, having arranged spectacular table settings, exquisite cuisine and everything required for an entertaining evening. As always many of PEHNs many corporate members and connections contributed to the usual raffle, with fantastic prizes on offer. This event is clearly the one event on our calendar not to miss, so make sure you join us this year.

The PEHN Committee

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t the AGM back in October 2013, the new PEHN committee was elected in. This team of dedicated people look forward to helping PEHN grow into a strong network, based on fun, learning, knowledge sharing and a camaraderie of support and friendship amongst those in the world of Housekeeping and those associated with it.

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President: Donna Musarella (front centre) Vice President: Margaret Fernandes (front left) Secretary: Megan Johnston (back centre) Treasurer: Jocelyn Ng (front right) Asst Treasurer: Christina Pak (back right)

Committee members Lynabel Carreon (not present in photo) Dorthe Jantzen (back left) Marie Brereton (not present in photo)

Clean Up Australia day

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ehn participated in this years Clean up Australia day on Sunday March 2nd at Batman Park in Melbourne’s CBD. The weather was good to us, nothing really unusual found, and we got the job done.

PEHN President is Going to Gaol BAIL OUT THE PRESIDENT!!!

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s we go to print the president of PEHN, Donna Musarella is participating in Whitelion’s biggest fundraiser on 31st May 2014, when she will be locked up in the Old Melbourne Gaol. Your donations will not only help bail out “Dodgy Donatella”, but more importantly help to support, inspire and empower disconnected young people.

Another PEHN member Deb “The Pom” Bullock will be participating and keeping the president company in the lock up for the night. Please support these two by making a donation.

gives them the best chance to “break the cycle” through positive role modelling, mentoring and employment, and the opportunity to build positive lives for themselves. To learn more about Whitelion please visit their website at www.whitelionbailout.org.au If you would like to sponsor me, please visit www.whitelionbailout.org.au and follow this simple process.

1. Search for me as a registered inmate by typing in my name 2. Click on “Bail me Out” 3. Complete the donation form and choose your preferred payment method (Credit card, Cheque or Money order) Please remember, donations $2 or more are tax deductible.

See the presidents message below:

Thanks for your support.

Hi there!

What’s happening at Pehn

I’m participating in Whitelion’s biggest fundraising event on the 31st of May 2014 where I will be locked up in the Old City Watch-House (Old Melbourne Gaol) and am required to raise funds to bail myself out. I am looking for donations to help me raise the minimum target of $1,000. The aim of the Bail Out campaign is to raise money to help Whitelion support, inspire and empower disconnected young people by providing them with positive relationships and lifechanging opportunities that support their progress toward life goals.

11th June – Breakfast get together

Whitelion is a non-profit organisation that supports disadvantaged young people and helps make our community a safer and more inclusive place. Each year thousands of youths are disconnected from their families and our community due to abuse, neglect, drug addiction and poverty. These young people have often had horrific life experiences with few positive role models and are caught in a “cycle of discouragement”. Many of them end up in Outof-Home Care or the Juvenile Justice Systems. Whitelion

19th June – Trivia night July – Educational forum on grooming for Hospitality  To find out more about up coming events, or see more photos from previous events, visit our web page at: http://www.pehn.org

You can contact us at: PEHN PO Box 200 Market Street South Melbourne VIC, 3205 Email us: Pehn.aus@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PEHN.Aus

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How to hire quality staff

and keep them?

by Stuart Mullins

An age old question to an age old problem. Answer: Buggered if I know but let’s give it a go.

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hen anyone books a room at a hotel or resort, the first two things we do when opening the door is check for cleanliness, then the mini bar or the other way around.

The mini bar for some strange reason we believe is free or we suspend belief that it costs an arm and a leg. Why we do this? I’ll never know. The gods of mini bar must shake their head in bemusement. It’s not till the checkout, do we step back into reality and blame the kids, except they do not drink Corona’s dad.

The other thing we do by habit is check the bathroom for hair, the toilet bowl for... and under the bed for fluff, a throw back from our mothers and from our mothers mother.

The guest complaints are not about the corona’s costing $10 a pop BUT the about the room not being clean. This is the one thing that irks guests, shoddy housekeeping work.

Just view trip advisor comments.

Housekeeping? everyone calls.

Housekeeping is where you creep up to the cart outside the next room and nick soap, coffee and sugar, or get the kids to do it.

Housekeeping are the people you ask for directions to the museum, or where the restaurant or pool is. Or are the people you will have a chat with on your floor. They are the front line. Housekeeping is an intrical, highly important part of running a great hotel.

Then why treat staff like they are mere cleaners. They are not. Why have a uniform that is more suited to prison?

Of course this is not indicative of all hotels BUT if this even sounds faintly like your hotel then there are already a few reasons one cannot keep staff. It’s difficult enough to keep Housekeeping staff without the above occurring.

Your uniform should be as professional, fashionable and as vibrant or as classy or as trendy as your hotel, should it not? And easy to work in.

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If you have or believe you have Cr#@ uniforms then have a staff meeting, discuss and engage staff. With the ideas collected inform HR or the GM. I mean most Housekeeping

departments are made up of the united nations so image the expertise and ideas!

Clear direction to the staff. What they need to achieve to get to where they want to go.

The uniform is an intrical part of the front line image for Virgin, Jet Star and Qantas then it should be the same for Housekeeping staff cause that’s who the guest see’s most.

If you cannot go to work in your uniform and feel good then it ain’t a great uniform. So come up with something you are proud to wear.

“Effective organisational leadership is simple: 1. Have a vision of where you want to get to.

2. Clearly and persuasively communicate that vision to employees.

3. Be consistent in your behaviours as you strive to achieve that vision.” – from A Roadmap for Employee Engagement

by Andy Parsley.

Your staff room/uniform room, you know, the place where you all meet, talk, gossip. Is it a room you like being in when on a break? If not, change it... As the ones I have seen remind me of a hospital ward. Not a great enticer for staff retention or staff hiring.

If one is spending 8 to 10 hours a day at work, then make the work environment, especially the HK staff room/linen room, a place you like to meet; to have a “nice” coffee to have a chat. It should be a social environment, this is where team work is built.

When hiring, age is out the window. Yes it says in Australia we are Equal opportunity, yeah right... bollocks. Hire on passion, enthusiasm, energy and drive, you can teach everything else. It’s simple, the older you are the more of life experiences you have and can spot dusk particles at 50 paces, ask my 80 year old mum. Bloody amazing.

Ever thought of hiring physical disabilities person. A missing limb doesn’t stop one from being an excellent housekeeper.

Or hiring other people with some disabilities, give it a try it may surprise you and may show us up which ain’t a bad thing. Look what they are doing at the Olympics, imagine then how quick and well done a room will be cleaned.

If someone applies, you interview and they remind you of your mum, provided they have drive and passion, hire them.

Their eye for detail would be astonishing, and an eye for detail is something this job needs.

In this current environment when there is a shortage of available people in the market, go on your intuition. Put the resume aside when interviewing and go on your intuitive instincts, IF your gut feel says don’t hire, DON’T. No matter what’s on the resume. And also do the opposite, the CV may not read well but gut instinct will tell you, trust it.

Your intuition is very rarely wrong... Trust yourself.

“Intuition is the highest form of intelligence, transcending all individual abilities and skills”, Sylvia Clare.

When hiring and keeping staff, have a well set out plan, direction, vision, for your department personnel.

A career plan.

Ongoing effective accredited training courses than mean something on a resume. 3 to 6 month reviews and feedback to the staff member and working closely with HR.

KPI’s set and discussed is so important. Again engage your people. Staff leave because after all is met and performance is there nothing happens.

If you make a promise and KPIs met, then honour that promise. Word gets around in the industry if promises are broken, especially when it comes to reneging on bonus’s.

So when hiring, do not BS. Do not make promises you cannot or the hotel cannot keep. This, above all is why people leave.

Some staff will be quite happy doing Housekeeping for a long time. Many though wish to climb the ladder and move over to Rooms Division and Front Office. You should happily facilitate this. Life is a journey always learning and developing. Help them along the way. Great leaders lead and develop their staff.

Regular meetings with staff. Engaging staff and hire people that are recommended by your effective, efficient Housekeeping staff. Quality recommends quality. Let your staff in on the hiring process.

“According to the Corporate Leadership Council, employees with lower engagement levels are four times more likely to leave their jobs than those who are highly engaged. But the importance of employee engagement isn’t just increased employee retention; it’s also about higher productivity. One study by HR strategy firm Kenexa found that of 64 organisations studied, the organisations with highly engaged employees achieved twice the annual net income of organisations whose employees were less engaged.”

Motivating staff is not a one off. Motivation is not a one off.

People want to have a reason to come to work, they want to feel part of a team. They want to feel good about what they do.

Wonder why many in this world feel negative? Because we are fed negatively 24/7. I have heard people say, I read a motivational book, was pumped for a while then it waned.

Of course it does. To get fit you must regularly feed yourself quality food and exercise. To get fat do the opposite.

For motivation it is a constant feed also. If you want to be negative listen to shock jocks, read the newspaper and watch the news. Feed yourself this every day and you wonder why the world is the way it is?

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What’s that got to do with your department? A hell of a lot.

Simple, motivational sayings with recent staff photos rotating on a TV in the Housekeeping/staff room or ironing store room really brightens ones day. It works. You see them at gyms all the time, always changing and always motivating with many positive sayings. You will be amazed how much positivity it creates and makes one proud of what they do.

When I am not at my best at the gym, reading the sayings, ever changing on the screen in front of me inspires me and lift my game. It works, and yours will do the same and lift staff morale more than you know.

Change the environment the staff work in. They spend most of the week there. Do you have a nice modern coffee machine in there, nice fridge all well set out? If not why not!

Do you have a sports tipping completion? Horse racing betting club, an agreement with the local gym for cheaper membership? And that’s just the tip of a great iceberg.

Be positive even on the worst days as being positive and leading this way, the worst day becomes the best day. It’s all in the mind and staff are looking at you for leadership.

A quality motivational leader will have low staff turnover.

And when was the last time you took the staff out for dinner? To say thank you, to give awards? We all love awards and as a recruiter we do notice them on a resume, believe me. We love seeing ongoing courses completed there on the resume. It displays commitment, desire and passion.

Do you have a room card with the Housekeeper/Attendants name on them, and it’s not too difficult to have their picture on also. Personalise it. i.e. Dear MR Smith, Tom here, how was your room today? Can you let me know?... and end the card with a motivational saying. These can be actually done now at home on an Apple, have you asked your staff?

Talk to your marketing department or GM for approval.

I mean really where would we be without housekeepers?

In a real mess.

If one views positive humorous quotes every day, positivity quickly follows, it has too.

“I hate housework. You make the beds, you wash the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again.” Joan Rivers.

“I’m not going to vacuum ‘til Harvey Norman makes one you can ride on.” Roseanne Barr.

“My ex-husband taught me housekeeping; when I divorce I keep the house.” Zsa Zsa Gabor.

“I like to insist that hotel housekeeping make the bed with me still in it.” Anon

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“Housekeepers have the agility, are the fittest and quickest.

You try making 10 beds every morning, dodge and weave around the mess on the floor then tell me you ain’t.” S.M. “Wipe on Wipe Off” Cleaning made the Karate Kid a Champion. S.M. “If you work really hard and are kind, amazing things will happen.” Anon.

When advertising for Housekeeping staff use humorous quotes. Set yourself apart from the crowd. Make one believe your hotel is the best place to work.

Please, No more hum drum, bland ads. Spice them up.

Most ads are downright boring and not enticing at all.

The old way of hiring is gone, break the mold.

Use of face book, twitter and your staffs mobile data base phone numbers. Let your staff know first there is a vacancy so they inform their friends. 70% of hiring is done by word of mouth/recommendation.

Using face book? Display the faces of your staff at work, why not.

Using Seek or Career One the same, brighten it up, write like you are in real estate, you know, the hook... “Beach front glimpses”, you are there to get someone’s attention, are you not?

AND do not discard a candidate simply by their name, shock, horror. As we use Seek or Career One we all know that CVs are received from all over the globe. They, the candidate does not read the ad they just see the word “AUSTRALIA” and you are swamped. However, do open and read as there are always the ones that have emigrated here with excellent experience from groups such as TAJ, Kempinski, Fairmont, Hyatt etc. Yes it takes time but there are always diamonds in the rough.

Yes, staff will move on, that’s life, but you can slow this down and keep more of your staff by doing some of the above. Coming to work should not be a chore, it should be rewarding and engaging SO make it so.

To the hirer, if you are not happy in your job because you have been there too long, or you think you need the security, you don’t.

You can choose Freedom or Security, choose the latter and you will get neither.

If you are not motivated, neither will your staff be. Have a think of where you want to be because in the end the buck stops with you.

Great teams have great leaders.

BE ONE 

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Caring for the psychological health

of your employees

by WORKLOGIC

Take a look around your workplace, or if you are reading this article on public transport have a look at your fellow travellers. As many as one in five Australians experience a mental illness every year. The chances are you probably already know someone with a mental illness.

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n recent years public awareness of issues relating to mental health has grown exponentially – and the evidence shows that this is a significant issue for our community. Depression and anxiety disorders are the second largest cause of disability and mortality in Australia1. Around one million Australian adults live with depression and over two million have an anxiety disorder.

WhAT do WE MEAN by “mental illness”?

The Australian Human Rights Commission defines Mental illness as: “A health issue that can significantly affect how a person feels thinks, behaves and interacts with other people. Mental illness is real and treatable.”

Mental illness can include a broad spectrum of conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to psychosis, personality disorders and substance abuse disorders.

ThE iMpAcT of MENTAL iLLNESS iN ThE WoRkpLAcE The potential impact of mental illness in the workplace is substantial – loss of productivity due to absenteeism, turnover of staff and the impact on co workers, as well as the cost of government subsided medical care including medication and counselling. It is estimated that job related depression for example costs the community $730 million every year2.

So much of our lives are spent at work, and our very identity is often tied up with what we “do” – Work plays a vital role in our emotional, social and physical wellbeing and so employers play an important role in helping

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support employees with mental health issues and those working with them.

Unfortunately recent research conducted by Sane Australia3 revealed that 95% of respondents surveyed believed that employers and managers need more education about mental illness and further training about how to manage the effects of mental illness in the workplace.

Many employers lack confidence in dealing with those who are experiencing issues with their mental health however the more information that is available and the more dialogue there is about mental health issues the better Australian workplaces will become for all workers.

Why ShouLd EMpLoyERS dEvELop MENTAL hEALTh STRATEgiES foR ThE WoRkpLAcE? Creating a work environment that safe and healthy for all employees is a sound aspiration for employers for a number of reasons: 1. It makes good business sense Recognising and promoting mental health benefits workplaces by reducing staff turnover and absenteeism.

Staff who feel supported and nurtured are more likely to work productively and stay with an organisation for longer.

2. Social benefits Statistics show that around 45% of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness at some point in their life, whilst one in five Australians will experience a mental illness in any given year4. Mental health problems are common in our community and by supporting people with mental health issues in the workplace employers make for a richer and more diverse workplace and one that better understands the needs of a diverse range of customers.

In turn those employees with mental health issues feel nurtured and supported, enabling them to approach working life with more confidence.

The stability of work provides an important structure and routine in day to day life which has an important flow on

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effect in other aspects of life and contributes to feelings of social inclusion.

3. Risk Mitigation Employers also have a positive legal obligation under Occupational/work health and safety laws to provide a safe and healthy work environment for employees and that extends to those with a mental illness. By putting in place strategies to address the needs of those with a mental illness employers reduce the likelihood of a crisis in the workplace and also avoid the risk of discrimination or occupational health and safety claims.

WoRkERS WiTh A MENTAL iLLNESS For many employees living with a mental illness the prospect of showing up to work each day can be daunting for a number of reasons. It may be that their condition itself is destabilising and impacts their self confidence. They may be struggling to juggle the competing demands of work and home. Many employees also fear how they will be perceived in the workplace – they may fear there may be some stigma attached to their illness, or co workers may consider they are just trying to avoid work. Some will be uncertain whether to even disclose their condition as they may be unsure what support their employer will provide and whether the disclosure will affect their career prospects.

It is not only the social aspect of work which can be challenging for employees but the systems in place in the work environment that dictate workload, the pace of work, and the schedule. The work itself may be demanding, require rapid decision making or require constant communications or interactions with other employees which the employee may feel unable to manage.

WhAT MEASuRES cAN AN oRgANiSATioN puT iN pLAcE To SuppoRT iTS EMpLoyEES’ MENTAL hEALTh? Communication Employers should ensure that ALL their employees are well informed about mental illness in the workplace by making available literature on the subject or through programs such as those run through Beyond Blue, Sane Australia’s Mindful employer program or the Mental Health First Aid Course run by Australian Red Cross.

These courses can improve mental health literacy and assist employees in learning how to recognise the signs and symptoms in someone with a mental health issue.

They also provide constructive advice on how to respond to mental health crises, and offer strategies to engage and support the person. By creating an ongoing dialogue about mental health employees become more familiar with the issue and it is less likely to be perceived as threatening or other common misunderstandings.

Addressing workplace risks to your employees’ mental health The importance of providing a work environment that is supportive of employees’ mental health cannot be underestimated – both for the ongoing wellbeing of all employees and for those returning to work after an episode of mental illness. Employers should be aware of the factors that can create a risk to mental health.

On its website5, Comcare proposes employers address what it describes as the “psychosocial” risks in the workplace. These are those aspects of work design organisation and management of work and its social and environmental context that can cause psychological, social or physical harm.

The U.K Health and Safety Executive6 has identified six key aspects of work that if not properly and effectively managed can lead to stress and loss of productivity.

1. The demands that are placed on employees This includes things such as the volume of work, the way in which the work is performed and the environment.

Employers need to ensure they are providing employees with work they are capable of completing and provide systems for employees to report difficulties.

2. Control Employees need to have a say in how they do their work.

3. Support Employees require the support of their employer in completing their job be it through resources such as training, or the provision of clear systems, policies and procedures.

4. Relationships Employers need to provide a workplace that promotes and supports positive healthy relationships between employees and offers policies and processes for dealing with conflict in the workplace.

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5. Role It is important that employees understand their role and that the boundaries between roles are clearly defined.

6. Change management How an organisation manages change in the workplace is significant. Employers need to engage employees in the process and to provide them with access to support through the change process.

Reasonable adjustments For those employees returning to work after an episode of mental illness there may be a need for the employer to make reasonable adjustments to the employees work arrangements to support them in their return to work. It is important to remember that individual employees will have their own special requirements and need different types of support – some may manage a mental illness in the workplace without it affecting their work, others may require temporary assistance and some ongoing support.

Employees have legal responsibilities under occupational/work health and safety laws and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and may need to consult with the relevant authority.

Organisations such as Beyond Blue and AHRC’s “Workers with Mental Illness: a Practical Guide for Managers” provide helpful resources in assisting employers through this process and focus on the importance of planning the return to work.

Some examples of reasonable adjustments might include: • Making changes to the employee’s work hours, offering flexibility to attend to medical appointments and to balance home and work life.

• Helping the employer to manage workloads by documenting tasks clearly, providing reminders, and making checklists.

• Purchasing or modifying equipment.

• Moving the employee to a quieter work space.

SuMMARy There is an abundance of information and resources available to workplaces to assist them in learning about this significant issue. Employers who take steps to understand the importance of supporting good mental health in the workplace will reap the rewards of a happier and more productive workplace.

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• Australian Human Rights Commission 2010 Workers with Mental Illness: A Practical Guide for Managers • Supporting the return to work of employers with depression or anxiety www.beyondblue.org.au • Mindful employers program www.sane.org • Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria www.arcvic.com.au • Anxiety Disorders Association of Vic Inc. www.adavic.org.au • Clinical research Unit for Anxiety and Depression – a joint facility of UNSW and St Vincent’s www.crufad.org 

References 1 Beyond Blue website 2 AS above 3 www.sane.org 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of results 2007 5 www.comcare.gov.au 6 www.hse.gov.uk

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Bed Bugs;

be Active by being Proactive!

by Stephen L. Doggett, Department of Medical Entomology, ICPMR, Pathology West, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145.

I

t has now been almost two decades since the start of the bed bug resurgence. During this period these thirsty little blood sucking insects have been biting your guests, and your businesses. Yet despite a huge range of products coming onto the market in recent years with the most outlandish claims on bed bug control, not one by itself will effectively rid you of an infestation, or prevent bed bugs coming into your premise in the first place. However, the key to minimising bed bug impacts is by being proactive rather than reactive.

It is unfortunate, and foolish, that many in the accommodation sector have simply chosen to ignore the problem, hoping that control technologies will evolve to magically make the insect disappear. The reality is that bed bugs are here to stay for a long time. There is unlikely to be any silver bullet developed to rid the world

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of these nuisance pests any time soon, which means that it is a case of not if, but when, you will have this unwanted guest in your facility.

This Ostrich mentality is fraught with danger in a multitude of ways. For example, if bed bugs become established within a facility, the infestation can rapidly spread increasing overall control costs by several magnitudes. For example, in one staff accommodation complex in Sydney with some 320 rooms, what should have cost $400 for the treatment of one infested room, eventually became $40,000 as the bugs quickly spread throughout the facility to encompass 20% of all rooms over a two year period.

The failure to be proactive on bed bugs means that it is the guest who usually finds the insects when

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Do you have

Bed bugs are on the increase globally, but how do you know if you have an infestation? More importantly, how can you recognize their signs in order to avoid them in the first place? This guide will help you to identify bed bugs and teach you where they can be found.

An essential guide for pest controllers, accommodation providers, travellers – in fact anyone who wishes to stay bed bug free.

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Stephen Doggett is a world authority on bed bugs and their control, and is the principal author of A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia.

For all your pest control needs contact:

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mysterious and extremely itchy bite marks suddenly appear. Not a good situation. Often the less scrupulous hotelier will deny that they should be responsible or even blame the guest for bringing in the bed bugs. Personally I have been involved in numerous cases where the various state Department of Health have been called into investigate guest complaints, when the manager of the facility failed to act responsibly.

Across the world there are various web sites where people can log their bed bug experiences and warn others from staying at the same location (e.g. see www.bedbugregistry.com). Expect similar web sites to start here. In the United States, guests who are attacked by bed bugs so often lead to litigation. Most of these cases are resulted out of court as the accommodation provider has failed to provided a duty of care by not being proactive in monitoring for bed bugs. The worrying aspect for Australian accommodation providers, is that there is now a case before the courts. Time will tell who will win the case, but some how I suspect it won’t be the one who provided the infested bed.

Of course this all means that bed bugs are severally damaging reputations and reducing profits.

One would think then, it would be best to prevent bed bugs from coming into a facility in the first place.

However, with current technologies this is simply not possible. Yet a great deal can be done to reduce the risk of bed bugs becoming established and developing into a major fiscal burden. Broadly speaking there are four phases of a bed bug infestation; the Introduction of the insect, the Establishment of the pest, the Growth of the infestation, and finally the Spread of the insect. Proactive strategies can be implemented that can combat bed bugs in each of the four phases and these are discussed within the Australian industry standard for bed bug management, ‘A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestation in Australia’ (available free from www.bedbug.org.au). Regular inspections of beds should be a key integral part of a proactive program, although

ultimately, no one strategy should be relied upon as bed bug risk reduction involves a multi-disciplinary approach.

It is important that all facilities have as part of their risk management process, a Bed Bug Management policy to minimise the impacts of bed bugs. The policy should cover aspects such as training, documentation of bed bug activity, work health and safety, the eradication processes, and those aspects dealing with the reduction of bed bug risks. To assist those that provide beds for others, a generic policy has been developed by the author of this article. ‘A Bed Bug Management Policy & Procedural Guide for Accommodation Providers’ is available as a free download from: http://medent.usyd. edu.au/bedbug/man_policy.htm. You are welcome to use this policy and to adapt it for your specific circumstances. A bed bug management policy that is adopted and adhered too may also reduce the potential for litigation.

Everyone who provides beds for authors must have a range of resources on bed bugs, including the Code and Procedural Guide mentioned above. Just recently the author of this article released a help guide for the identification of bed bugs, called “Do You Have Bed Bugs”. This 48 page booklet contains over 80 full coloured images, and is printed on high quality gloss paper. Included are images of all life stages, the signs of bed bugs, bite reactions in patients (including the author), as well as shots of where bed bugs can be found. This indispensable guide can help to train you and your staff in bed bug identification and where to find the insects. ‘Do You Have Bed Bugs?’ is only $5 (+P&H) available through http://doyouhavebedbugs.com.

The future with bed bugs is unfortunately bleak and it is important that you are not the captain of the sinking ship by allowing bed bugs to bite your guests. By being proactive rather than reactive, it is possible to minimise the effects these little blood suckers have on your business. 

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Right the First Time:

Careful Work Habits Support Safety and the Bottom Line

by Janet C. Marletto

I

think that it would safe to say that those of us trained in the art of housekeeping observe people outside of our sphere of influence conducting themselves in unsafe ways: such as mopping department store floors without wet floor signs, vacuuming in public areas with cords lying across traffic patterns and using chemicals inappropriately.

Some businesses have chosen to hire contractors to do jobs previously done in-house. Consequently, work habits have not been reinforced. It is not necessarily that the employees are lackadaisical but rather that they have not been trained. I believe that how the job is done is as important as the finished product.

Apparently there are others who do not agree.

This article was inspired by a recent real life experience I endured at home: A fire sprinkler was accidentally discharged during the installation of a new hot water heater at my residence.

Amazingly, due to quick thinking on the part of the plumber, the damage to my personal belongings was nil. It also helped to have some equipment within reach. It is the quality level of the work habits of the employees dispatched to carry out the mitigation process that is the subject of this article. Thus, the title: “Right the First Time.” A more apt, and more entertaining, title might be: “Why Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum deserve to be well trained.”

As an experienced trainer and supporter of “doing it right the first time”, I was left speechless during the residential mitigation procedure after the accidental release of water from a fire sprinkler. It became evident that those assigned to the mitigation

task had not been trained carefully.

Realising that the company manager might be able to use this as a training opportunity, I called the manager to discuss this with him. The response from the manager/owner screamed hubris. The manager said that everyone is treated the same way. This was my issue. If the habits observed are the norm, there is definitely a quality issue. The manager advised me to get another company. Resting on laurels does not play well in the current economy. As noted by my insurance claims agent, there was no monetary request, just a request for respect of the client’s possessions and for refresher training.

What actions on the part of the employees provoked the phone call? There were at least five actions: failure to wipe feet before entering the affected area; walking on dry carpeted areas with soiled soles without placing protective covering on the unaffected area; placing hands on white walls; moving furniture with delicate and irreplaceable items on top without preparation… among others.

Consequently, I monitored their actions to obviate further damage.

It was clear to me that the employees had no concept of “doing it right the first time” or that failure to work carefully can result in more work.

When asked why they had not placed protection on the unaffected carpet which was being soiled by their dirty soles, the employees responded that it did not matter because they would be cleaning it anyway. They assumed that they were controlling the situation.

They seemed unaware that I would be deciding which company did the restoration following mitigation. They had not anticipated that I would be

knowledgeable about the insurance procedures. Evidently they were used to encountering clients who were so grateful for assistance that they did not quibble about how the work was being done. They had not run into a former Director of Housekeeping before!

For years as a Director of Housekeeping and consultant I have trained employees to work carefully to avoid rework and damage. For example, at the Walt Disney World Swan, the Chief Engineer was pleased and amazed that bathroom fixtures did not have to be replaced due to use of strong chemicals. Considering the high occupancy rate at this property, this was noteworthy. This was a result of informed selection of cleaning products and thorough training. Another benefit was an excellent safety rating because products were being used correctly and safely. Yes, high quality products were selected so that room attendants could let the chemicals do their work to get good results with minimal physical exertion. The results proved that the decision to select quality was cost effective.

This same team was poetry in motion when converting rooms into suites for royal guests. This was achieved through thoughtful preparation and corrected practice. As a result, time constraints did not cause safety issues.

These same principles were applied to emergency situations. Planning and preparation played roles because equipment was maintained and kept at the ready as were appropriate supplies.

In the case of the residential emergency referred to above, there was equipment readily available within steps of the origin of the fire sprinkler release.

For example, there were several

29

brooms and a wet vac. Also there were several thick area rugs and a supply of Floodsax, an alternative to sand bags. Thanks to the quick thinking and fast action on the part of the contractor, they utilised these resources immediately so that antiques and valuables were moved out of harm’s way, water was contained and carpet was wet vacuumed. The fact that items in the path of the water were slightly elevated resulted in was negligible damage. Bottom line: only a box of tissues was lost! The fine response on the part of the contractor prompted me to write them a letter of recommendation.

All of this is testimony to having resources available in every setting: commercial or residential. Needless to say, the textbook response was ingrained in the respondents. In an emergency situation this is priceless.

In the same emergency situation it was eye-opening to observe the diversity of work habits.

Interestingly, after the phone call to the owner, a well-trained representative of the mitigation company was dispatched to make checks and to do the final work. This person displayed almost all of the habits of a person who recognises how to handle a situation.

For example, this person showed up with “booties” covering his shoes.

There was hint of superciliousness but I chose to ignore that. Nonetheless, even this model company representative disregarded specific appointment times by arriving thirty minutes early and then preparing to dispose of materials without my permission. It was fortunate that I requested that particular items be conserved because it turned out that they were difficult to replace items. This action on my part made restoration easier. For example, the resourceful floor expert who replaced the floor vinyl and baseboards was able to utilise the salvaged baseboards for hard to fit places. New baseboard was installed in the other areas. This same expert was happy to leave the homeowner with a generous amount of spare vinyl in case of future need of repair. Again, a true professional worked carefully and thoughtfully. Yes! He deserves to

30

be recommended and to be called for future projects.

path to desirable results is typically safer and more expeditious.

It is evident that poorly or incompletely trained employees come off as TwiddleDee or Twiddle-Dum. It is not their fault. It is the fault of the complacent supervisor/ manager/owner. It was this same contacted owner who refused to come to look at the situation because he was “too busy for that.” What would a hotel guest say if the housekeeping manager refused to inspect a situation?

Doubtlessly, it would not be positive!

This less-than-professional response sends a message of dismissal and/ or disrespect. It would not build trust. It would not support return business. Most knowledgeable managers know that each negative comment is equivalent to two hundred (200) negative responses once the displeasure has been telegraphed to the client’s sphere of influence.

It is human nature to express displeasure more vehemently than to share pleasure or satisfaction with enthusiasm.

The negative experience that spawned this article actually morphed into a positive reflection thanks to a plethora of professional contractors eager for the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise. One such contractor from the “old school” convinced me to trust his team to do carpet cleaning. His promise of excellence was realised.

His team member showed up on time and surveyed the scene before starting work. He spread a drop cloth to protect hardwood floors. He worked carefully and methodically as a testament to the “old school” training he had received.

On top of that he was courteous and respectful. This was a pleasant finale to a rocky beginning.

One of the axioms of IEHA is “Inspect what you expect.” Before this can happen, thorough training must be provided. For a room attendant, this basic training usually requires three weeks of supervised training. It is logical that the performance of most new employees is evaluated after the initial three weeks and then again after three months. It takes three weeks to establish a habit and three months to make it automatic. For house attendants the training period can vary depending on the scope of responsibilities. For more demanding duties requiring the use and care of expensive machinery, the supervised training period is more in line with a room attendant’s. Performance and work habits determine the level of mastery and autonomy of the employee. An employee is ready to work independently when performance and work habits are in synch. In other words, dirty equipment, erratic habits and careless use of chemicals indicate that retraining is in order, if the employee chooses to remain on the team. There is more to the job than the result. Given careful work habits, the

So, whether commercial or residential, the same rules apply to excellence in service: • Be prepared with equipment and supplies • Work with respect for assets and people • Think in advance so that safe work habits are in play • Be willing to listen with respect to the client • Be open to new ideas and techniques Most companies parrot that “employees are our most important asset.” However, this is only true when the employees are respected through regular training and reinforcement of excellence through commensurate recognition. In this way, the employees can work confidently and safely. In return, the company can trust that the client will be well served and that the company will be properly represented.  About the author: Janet C. Marletto is a member of LinkedIn. Invite her to join your network: jmarletto@yahoo.com Visit her new website: www.NewPlanetJanet.Net She joined IEHA in 1976.

Janet is a highly experienced and respected Executive Housekeeper based in America.

She writes for the IEHEA and we welcome her now writing for us. In the next issue she talks about Gamification.

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32

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The “Big” IT trends for the next 5 years: Mobile, Social, Cloud and BYOD

by Paul Morrall, general manager m-learning, the lennox institute

T

oday in this ever more technology-centric world, the dull IT department isn’t thought of as the home of innovation and business leadership. As we see some of the biggest advances in the history of technology impacting our frontline of service delivery that may have to change.

businesses must be able to effectively serve the markets they cater to, and doing so means using the same channels and techniques as their partners and customers.

Organisations must adapt to succeed and happily, I do believe there are approaches that can be adopted to address this gap.

Much has been written about the speed at which technology is reshaping today’s business landscape, even more so in our industry! Except that, technology is leaving the traditional business world behind and the reasons are; The scorching pace of external innovation, the opposing path the consumer world has taken from organisational IT support, and the limitations of a top-down adoption.

Mobile: It’s obvious to the casual observer these days that smart mobile devices are seeing widespread use. But projected worldwide sales of tablets and PCs tell an even more dramatic story. By 2015 the tablet market will be 479 million units and the PC market will be only just ahead at 535 million units. This means tablets alone are going to have effective parity with PCs in just 2 years!

As a result, there’s a rapidly expanding gap between what the technology world is executing on and what the organisations can deliver. When all’s said and done,

There are challenges to smart device adoption; for some, IT departments have organised themselves around older platforms such as windows, office and Lotus. Their infrastructure, skills, and relationships are largely built around an older generation of IT. Many of the inherent advantages of smart mobile devices are a curse to structured IT. From the app stores to HTML 5, the large and easy to access to the next-gen mobile immediately triggers a security lockdown response (right reaction, wrong response) from IT. Social media: While mobile phones technically have a broader reach than any communications device, social media has already surpassed that workhorse of the

34

and working, then you can be sure there will be reluctance to adopt the cloud.

Reliability and performance perceptions, outages reported by large companies (including Microsoft) in the past has set back cloud adoption a minor amount.

The recent sales of both facebook and twitter only endorse the trend of business looking at social media to spread their brand and their products. The message is that organisations are going to, and have every reason to, be using social media as a primary channel in the very near future, if they aren’t already. It’s time to get strategic.

Bring Your Own device (BYOD): The popularity of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenarios is on the increase in Australia.

This is a result of more consumers owning powerful mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, which can provide greater freedom, convenience and job satisfaction to employees. BYOD enables organisations to take advantage of new technology faster, and has the potential to reduce hardware costs and improve organisational productivity and flexibility. However, BYOD will introduce new challenges and risks, both to an organisation’s business and the security of its information.

Key considerations; Organisations are asking, what are the legal implications? Are there financial implications? What about security? And is there a strong business case to justify any security trade-off?

There are challenges to social media adoption; Social media is not an IT competency. Respectfully put, the human interaction portion of social computing is generally not IT’s strong suit. The more significant value propositions of social requires business transformation. Maintaining a Facebook page and Twitter account is relatively straightforward and necessary, but it usually won’t generate significant growth, revenue, or profits, there are additional elements to the business that need a rethink.

Despite the fact that organisations large and small should embrace only those technologies that are aligned to achieve their business goals, between now and 2020, we will continue to find that there is nowhere to hide from the disrupting yet energising effects of technology change. Only those with flexible processes, structures and culture will be able to adjust quickly and will find loaded with opportunity.

Innovative working processes are arguably more vital to business model changes than innovation in technology.

Cloud: Of all the technology trends in this article, cloud computing is one of the more interesting and in my view, now least contentious. While there are more reasons to adopt cloud technologies than just cost reduction, perceptions of performance issues and lack of visibility remain some of the top issues for large organisations. Yet, cloud computing is being adopted steadily for non-mission critical applications and some are now even beginning to downsize their data centres. Business agility, vendor choice, and access to next-generation architectures are all benefits of employing the latest cloud computing architectures, which are often radically advanced compared to their traditional enterprise brethren.

From a learning and communications perspective, we are seeing more mobile learning applications being used to focus on delivering real world skill development.

Training is becoming truly remote, distance and costs are becoming less important when inducting new employees and contractors. Toolbox talks that took a month to deliver due to a large geographical spread are now accessible to everyone all at the same time and compliance, compliance is no longer a nice to have but paramount in any risk mitigation process.

modern enterprise, e-mail. Increasingly, the world is using social networks and other social media-based services to stay in touch, communicate, and collaborate. For those working closely with CRM process see that they are being overhauled to reflect a fundamentally social world.

There are challenges to cloud computing adoption; Concerns of control. When jobs depend on IT being up

The future is here... and its good.  For further info contact Paul Morrall: T 02 9621 5988 E paul@lennoxinstitute.org W www.lennoxinstitute.org

35

Welcome To

SKYCITY Darwin

SKYCITY Darwin is the ultimate travel destination for discerning guests seeking a truly five star beach front experience in Australia’s extraordinary Top End.

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37

TechCollect

can solve e-waste problems for the hospitality industry

by Tim Fullerton, TechCollect

14 April 2014, Melbourne AUSTRALIA – Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling could be made much easier for companies in the hospitality industry as TechCollect, Australia’s only not-for-profit e-waste collection and recycling service, increases its focus on the large volumes of computer and IT waste generated by the corporate world.

T

echCollect is a free national e-waste collection and recycling service funded by over 60 of Australia’s leading technology companies dedicated to responsible recycling, including Toshiba, Lenovo, Fuji Xerox, Panasonic, Epson, Dell, HP and many others. TechCollect is committed to setting the highest Australian standard for responsible recycling of e-waste as the only Government approved, industry backed, not-for-profit recycling service under the National Computer and Television Recycling Scheme (NTCRS).

TechCollect’s focus on the hospitality industry is part of its larger business to business (B2B) campaign to encourage corporates to take stock of their unwanted IT in 2014.

“We’ve already established a strong service to households and small businesses over the last two years, but in 2014 sectors like the hospitality industry, generating high volumes of IT e-waste, are going to get special attention – they have a big problem knowing how to safely and efficiently dispose of their unwanted IT, and we have a great solution,” says Carmel Dollisson, CEO of TechCollect.

The e-waste collected

by TechCollect is manually disassembled into component parts and then further processed back to raw commodities for use in the manufacture of

38

new goods. Of the high volumes of e-waste it collected in 2013 – over 16,000 tonnes in total –TechCollect recovered more than 90% of raw materials in this way. The process is many times more efficient that refining or mining new commodities, is a better environmental outcome and ensures product does not end up in landfill.

These results have contributed to the overall success of the NTCRS, which combines government regulation with industry action to take responsibility for safe recycling of e-waste. The scheme is funded and run by industry and regulated by the Australian Government to provide householders and small business access to free e-waste recycling services.

TechCollect is particularly keen to hear from companies in the hospitality industry that regularly and consistently generate high volumes of obsolete IT in their day-to-day business.

“We’re interested in businesses that are regularly accumulating computers, accessories and unwanted TVs in store rooms, under desks or in corners of the office, without a clear plan of what to do with them”, says Dollisson. “We regularly find that many companies don’t even realise how large their stockpiles

TechCollect on 1300 229 837 to discuss their requirements further.

Alternatively, businesses can find their nearest free TechCollect service at www.techcollect.com.au and drop off their e-waste there. TechCollect recycles the following items: • All computers (e.g. towers, laptops, tablets, notebooks, palmtops) • Computer monitors and parts (e.g. internal hard drives and CD hard drives) • Computer accessories (e.g. cables, mice, keyboards, modems) have become until they actually take the time to stop and think about it, so we’re urging businesses to ask themselves: how much e-waste do we have lying around?”

While TechCollect cannot pick up one-off items or small quantities directly from business locations, where there is sufficient volume it can organise a pick-up service, either as a one-off or on a regular basis. Over the last six months, to name just two diverse examples, the service has collected about 3 tonnes of e-waste from Blacktown Hospital in Sydney and 7 tonnes from Ipswich Turf Club in Queensland.

Companies in the hospitality industry, including bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels and motels are encouraged to call

    

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Be Impressed

   

• Printers, faxes, scanners and multi-functional devices • All televisions “We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with the hospitality industry – it really is a win/win situation for everyone”, concluded Carmel Dollisson. 

Further information • Visit www.techcollect.com.au for more information about the TechCollect program, and to find your nearest collection site.

• Visit www.environment.gov.au for more information about the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.

• Call TechCollect on 1300 229 837.

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Hot or Cold?

What’s the Answer?

by Robert Kravitz

Do you wash your dishes in cold water, whether by hand or in an automatic dishwasher? Do you think it is more effective to wash your hands in cold water? Is it easier to melt away grease and oil on a soiled commercial kitchen floor using cold water?

I

f your answer to all of these questions is no, then I have one more question for you: Why would someone clean carpets with cold water? There is a very important reason heat—along with agitation, time, and chemical action—is one of the four fundamental components of cleaning, and that is heat speeds up the molecular activity of chemicals so they work harder. The process helps loosen and dissolve soils from carpets so that they can be more effectively removed. For the hotel housekeeper, more effective removal of carpet soils means an easier and more productive shift.

Studies reporting on the value of heat in cleaning date back to the late 1800s. Svante Arrhenius won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1903. One of his discoveries, which is referred to as the Arrhenius equation, is that heat increases chemical action.

Essentially, Arrhenius found that for many

40

common chemical reactions, the reaction rate doubles for every 10-degree Celsius increase in temperature over about 87 degrees Celsius.

While Arrhenius’s findings have been reevaluated and modified somewhat over the years and not everyone agrees with his conclusion that chemical reaction rates double for every 10 degrees Celsius, according to cleaning expert William Griffin, “I have yet to find anyone who thinks cold water cleans better than hot water or has any scientific proof that heat does not improve the cleaning process.”* Further, some cleaning experts now suggest that even without chemical, cleaning effectiveness can be improved by using heat. “Even without soap, small amounts of grease will dissolve in water,” says Dr. Michael Berry, author of the landmark book on professional cleaning, Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health. “[But] the amount increases sometimes ten-fold in hot water.”** In addition to enhancing cleaning effectiveness, when it comes to carpet cleaning specifically, heat, by way of hotwater carpet extractors, offers other benefits that can prove very helpful for hotel properties and their housekeeping staff. These include: Longer carpet life span. Soils in carpets behave like tiny daggers. With foot traffic, these soil daggers are pressed down and may be pushed from side to side. As this happens, they can actually cut carpet fibres. Over time such wear and tear can reduce the life span of the carpet.

Hot-water carpet extractors can minimise this by more effectively removing embedded soils before they can damage the carpet.

Easier removal of soils. Earlier we mentioned that heat can make the job of the housekeeper or carpet cleaning technician easier. Because heat improves cleaning effectiveness, fewer passes may be needed to remove

41

soils from carpets. Spots, and in some cases, even stains, are easier to remove.*** The end result is improved worker productivity and faster cleaning.

Improved appearance. According to Griffin, the use of hot-water carpet extractors often can improve the texture of the carpet once it dries. The carpet looks fuller and more luxurious.

Faster drying times. Drying time is a big concern in hotel properties. The goal is to have a guest room clean and ready for occupancy as quickly as possible. The use of hotwater carpet extractors can facilitate this because moisture evaporates faster.

Clarifying Some Fine Points Although it does appear that the use of hot-water carpet extractors can prove very beneficial for cleaning carpets in a hotel setting, and most cleaning experts will attest to this, some cleaning technicians still have questions. Among those are: • How much heat should be used?

• What about energy consumption?

• Is heated cleaning really the best approach?

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Helping us address these concerns is Doyle Bloss, who has been involved in the professional carpet cleaning industry most of his life and now serves as marketing manager for U.S. Products, manufacturers of professional portable carpet extractors.

To begin, a common question asked by carpet cleaning technicians is that if approximately 100 degrees Celsius is a recommended temperature of water when using a portable hot-water extractor, is hotter better? According to Bloss, “In general, you want to maximise heat. There are few cases when you want to turn down the heat.” He does suggest that one exception would be when cleaning wool carpet.

For wool, he recommends about 71 degrees Celsius to avoid damaging the fibres.

Another concern that comes up when discussing hotwater carpet extraction is that heating the water/solution demands more energy consumption, making it a less sustainable way to clean carpets. However, Bloss, as well as other carpet cleaning technicians, believes there are several ways to address this issue. Does the use of a portable heated carpet extractor use more energy than a cold-water extractor? In many cases, the answer is yes.

Can cleaning a carpet using a hot-water carpet extractor reduce cleaning passes and expedite the cleaning process?

Once again, in many cases the answer is yes. “Essentially,

we have a trade-off on this issue,” says Bloss. “While the hot water [extractor] may require more energy, if the carpets are cleaned faster by using it, this amount may be negligible and, in fact, it may actually save energy.”

Going a step further, some in the carpet cleaning industry suggest that the use of hot-water carpet extraction may even be a “greener” way to clean carpets. They have come to this conclusion because it can mean less chemical is needed to satisfactorily clean the carpets. Whenever less chemical is required in cleaning, the impact of cleaning on the environment is reduced, which is the ultimate goal of green cleaning.

Putting Heat to the Test

prove beneficial.

Try a portable hot-water carpet extractor and put it to the test.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding…and know that our famed chemist, Svante Arrhenius, will anxiously be awaiting your results. 

The vice president of a leading Canadian cleaning chemical manufacturer advises his distributors to let their customers compare his company’s products with the products the customers are using now. He refers to this as the “cleaning challenge,” and, invariably, he is happy to report that most customers do find his company’s cleaning chemicals superior.

Grant Hickey is with Advanced Specialised Equipment in Sydney, Australia, a distributor of U.S. Products hot-water carpet extractors. He can be reached through the company website at www.usproducts.com

While it may not be as easy to compare a cold-water carpet extractor with a hot-water machine, many distributors will allow customers to “test-drive” a machine before selecting it. If your hotel property is unsure about the value of heat when cleaning carpets, taking this cleaning challenge may

**Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health, Raleigh, NC: Tricomm-21st Press, 1994.

*Willliam R. Griffin is the president of Cleaning Consultant Services, Inc., Seattle, Washington (US).

***Unlike a spot, a stain is typically more permanent because it can discolour carpet fibres. However, treatments are available for removing many carpet stains.

43

Donna Musarella

PROFILE

D

onna Musarella is the Operations Manager for AHS based at the prestigious Crown Towers Hotel in Melbourne. Her position is slightly different from the average Executive Housekeeper as the Crown Housekeeping team operate the villas (suites) located on the top ten floors separately and the in house laundry. Public area cleaning is also contracted out.

Donna however has the huge responsibility for the upkeep of the other 448 standard rooms and suites along with the Crown team to a five star standard, and manages a team of 180 staff. Donna combines her busy operational role with the duties of the newly elected President of The PEHN, whilst also doing flexible delivery, lecturing and assessing hospitality students at William Angliss Institute and previously at the Northern Metropolitan Institute of Tafe (NMIT), the latter being where she herself gained the Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Event Management in 2009.

Donna’s desire to work in hospitality stems from the fact that her parents owned and operated country hotels and motels in both Hamilton and Numurkah and as she puts it “hospitality was in her blood”.

After leaving home her first position in hospitality was at Craig’s Royal Hotel in Ballarat where she worked as a waitress, bar attendant and room attendant. She moved to Melbourne in 1986 and her first position was as a full time turndown attendant at the Park Royal St Kilda Rd where she worked for a year and a half.

Donna then moved industries and for the next five years worked as a bank teller with the CBA and later as a sales clerk for a private company.

She was drawn back to the hotel industry in 1990 working at the Radisson President Hotel mainly as a room attendant but also filling in as a floor supervisor when the need arose, and assisted with the refurbishment.

She then accepted a position as a Housekeeping supervisor at the Sebel of Melbourne. Six months later, Donna was promoted to Executive Housekeeper and stayed until 1995. Whilst working at the Sebel, she also remained as a casual turndown attendant at the Radisson President until 1996.

In 1995, she applied to join the renowned Melbourne Club – a famous haunt for politicians in Collins St. and was appointed to the position of House Manager where she was responsible for recruiting all staff as well as the cleanliness of all public areas and rooms, purchasing and budget controls. She stayed in this role until 1999 when she moved to the Oakford Apartments in Queens Rd for a brief period as Executive Housekeeper.

Donna then joined AHS the outsourcing company in 2000 as Executive Housekeeper at the Hotel Swanston a very busy city central hotel. It was her first experience of outsourcing.

In 2001, she was promoted to Operations Manager co-ordinating the quality assurance programme for some 18 hotels in Melbourne.

In 2007, Donna took on the challenging role of Human Resources and Training Manager for the group based in Melbourne. In this capacity she was responsible

44

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for the recruitment and induction of all new employees, sourcing and implementing training programmes and ensuring compliance with all state and federal laws. She held this position until mid 2009 when she left to take a break from AHS whilst her son started school and her daughter completed her VCE, it was during this time that Donna took on a sessional teaching role doing hospitality training for a Queensland based company called Strive Training until March 2010.

and build membership as well as hold informative sessions relevant to the workplace.

When she is off duty, Donna likes to read, enjoys visiting family and friends. She is married with one daughter and a son. 

Donna then returned to AHS resuming a part time role as Human Resources and Training Manager recruiting all Housekeeping staff for the soon to be opened Crown Metropol Hotel and for the new Hilton Southwharf. Since July 2010 she has been back in an Operational Manager role in charge of a portfolio of AHS managed housekeeping departments and is now based at Crown Towers Hotel overseeing a staff of 180 employees.

The department is manned from 7am until 10pm As many Executive Housekeepers can attest to, Donna also finds recruiting and training the right staff an ongoing challenge and trying to attract young people who aspire to be the Housekeeping professionals of the future. She does however believe the perception of Housekeeping is slowly changing in a positive way and more General Managers are becoming more aware of the importance of good Executive Housekeepers.

Currently Donna is investigating e’ technology for use in the Housekeeping department.

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47

Why we should

when

What do you use to keep your rooms sparkling clean? Priorities will undoubtedly vary from one hotel to another. Perhaps affordability is the biggest concern to keep running costs down, or maybe it all comes down to how easy a product is to use.

It’s a delicate balancing act between cost, versatility, thoroughness, and a host of other factors, but chances are once the perfect product is found, there’s no need to give too much more thought to it. However, it’s worth reconsidering what’s in your hotels’ cleaning products, especially if you’re not sure what they contain.

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think green

when we clean

by Emma Lloyd, Communications Officer, Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)

M

ost of us don’t know a great deal about the chemicals present in cleaning products – we simply trust that they will do the job and leave surfaces fresher, cleaner and healthier, with a hotel environment free from germs and dirt. In fact, many standard cleaning products contain ingredients that are harmful not only to the environment, but to human health as well.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one example of a health hazard, and they’re common across a wide range of cleaning products and paints. VOCs contribute to poor indoor air quality, lingering in the air all day after the solvents used in cleaning solutions evaporate. They can trigger allergic reactions, headaches, eye irritation, and asthma problems, affecting cleaning staff and guests alike.

There’s also a vast amount of chemicals which bear Risk Phrases to declare that a substance may be a carcinogen or harmful to a developing foetus, for example. It’s rare for these hazards to be obvious to those who actually use the product, even if they read the ingredients list.

Another important factor to consider is whether a cleaning product contains palm oil or palm kernel oil. If it foams and suds, there’s a good chance it does. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are found throughout a range of supermarket products, and some may be aware of how commonly palm oil is used in chocolate and biscuits. It’s also a popular ingredient in cleaning products thanks to many desirable properties, including having a stable shelf life and adding a rich creaminess to cleaning solutions. Unfortunately, despite palm oil being a cheap and economical choice for manufacturers, the production of palm oil can cause significant deforestation when it’s harvested unsustainably.

It can wreak havoc on the environment by devastating orang-utan populations and displacing local communities due to poor harvesting practices.

Even after making the decision to switch to better cleaning products, purchasers should be careful when it comes to evaluating the “green” credentials of what they’re about to buy. Third-party ecolabel programs, such as the one run

by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), can help when it comes to evaluating these claims. Products have been assessed and their claims verified against strict standards to ensure that the product is better for the environment, better for human health, and is ethically produced.

“Understanding what issues are really important and deciphering what is on the packet can be difficult,” said Rupert Posner, CEO of GECA. “Seeing that a product is GECA certified gives assurance to purchasers that the product’s claims are real and that the product really is a better choice, not just for the environment but also for your health. Buyers can have confidence that the product has addressed the important environmental and health issues relevant for the product – not just one or two.”

Cleaning products that have been certified against GECA’s cleaning products standard contain minimised VOC content, fewer harmful chemicals, no carcinogens or reproductive toxins, and restrictions on fragrances and enzymes. “Human health and air quality are increasingly important issues for hotel owners,” said Posner.

“Choosing certified products helps eliminate those nasties and improve the air quality in the hotel. It’s better for guests as well as housekeeping staff.”

GECA certified cleaning products are also better for the environment, with reduced packaging, a limit on environmentally hazardous substances, and they contain only sustainably sourced palm oil products. The whole life cycle of a product is considered, from where the raw materials are sourced right down to how the packaging is disposed of, and ensures an ethical supply chain throughout the process.

There’s growing recognition of the need to have healthier, more environmentally-preferable spaces to live, work and rest in. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) now recognises cleaning products and paints under its Green Star Performance tool. The use of products that have been certified and meet particular criteria counts directly towards achieving possible “Green Star” credits, which is a measure of the operational performance of a building.

If your cleaning product of choice claims to be eco-friendly or safer to use, consider contacting the manufacturers and asking them to get certified. “You may be surprised how responsive your supplier is, and you will be doing both companies a favour,” said Posner.

Making the switch to environmentally-preferable cleaning products has an enormous range of benefits for the health of your guests, your cleaning staff, and the environment.

Perhaps it’s time to re-think what your hotel uses to scrub out the showers and freshen up the bed linen. 

49

CLEAN HANDS old dirt, new dirt

by Karen Constable, HACCP Australia

H

and hygiene is an area which has received a lot of attention lately, both in the heath care industry and in the food industry. As a result, there’s plenty of new research and new technologies around the topic of hand hygiene. Here, we take a look at some old ideas and some new ideas.

traces of past immoral behaviour, and also provides a change in their attitude to previously made decisions, reducing the need to justify those decisions.

Old idea: Washing hands is all about killing bacteria.

New ideas: Comparing survey results to observations has shown that people consistently say they wash their hands more frequently than they actually do. The iScrub Lite 1.5 is a free app for iphones which can be used by medical professionals to enter data on hand hygiene compliance.

Slightly more Big-Brother-ish is the concept behind a pilot study in a medical centre in Alabama, which uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices to record individual health care workers’ interactions with soap dispensers.

New idea: Removing viruses from hands – particularly noroviruses – is an equally important, if not more important, reason to strive for clean hands.

In recent years, norovirus has become the most frequently confirmed food-borne agent in outbreaks of food poisoning, in Australia and also in the USA. The effectiveness of norovirus as a food poisoning agent is partly due to the fact that the infective dose is very low. Human challenge studies show noroviruses to be the most infectious agents ever described. The most common cause of norovirus contamination of food is from infected food handlers not properly washing their hands after using the toilet. While Australian food legislation prohibits food handlers from working when suffering from a food-borne illness, norovirus can be present in workers who have no symptoms. Even those who have recovered from the symptoms can excrete infectious particles for several weeks afterwards. Because virus concentrations in faeces can be very high, it is possible for a single food service worker with dirty hands to infect hundreds of other people. Compared to norovirus, bacteria in low numbers on a food worker’s hands have much less potential to cause a large outbreak of food poisoning.

Old idea: Hand-washing compliance is achieved with training, training, and more training.

New idea: Studies in the health care industry have shown that awareness of the importance of hand washing by personnel such as doctors, does not necessarily lead to more frequent hand washing. Observational studies of behaviour in public toilets and in food preparation environments consistently find low levels of compliance – ranging from 0% to 85% of people washing their hands when they should. The motivation for a person to wash their hands extends far beyond work-place training. Recent research has examined some of the psychological aspects of hand washing behaviour, with interesting results. In fact, having participants in psychological experiments wash their hands causes the subject to feel free from psychological

50

Old idea: Monitoring hand washing means questionnaires and surveys.

Old idea: Hot water washing is better.

New idea: Recent research has found no difference in results for hot water and warm water. For a thermal inactivation of microorganisms, the water would need to be so hot that it would burn skin.

Old idea: Washing and drying hands effectively requires adequate time spent, proper use of soaps, and attention paid to areas between fingers, under finger nails and in wrist creases. In addition, proper facilities; a good sized sink which is conveniently placed and supplied with warm running water are mandatory.

New ideas: Stick with the old ideas on this topic. As more research is done on hand cleanliness, results consistently show that the most important aspect of hand washing is the mechanical removal of oil and dirt aided by the surfactant activity of the soap, and the action of the rinsing water. New technologies such as no-touch taps and dispensers reduce the chance of post-washing contamination. They are even thought to improve compliance, as they reduce the need to touch wet hardware after washing, allowing users to walk away with that ‘still clean’ feeling.

Old idea: Antimicrobial soaps are a must.

New ideas: Antimicrobial soaps contain compounds that inactivate microorganisms. In the food industry, quaternary ammonium compounds and Triclosan are commonly used.

Novel antimicrobials include silver-ion compounds and antimicrobial extracts from honey and eucalyptus. Recent studies have found antimicrobial soaps are marginally more effective at reducing microbial loads on hands than ordinary

soaps. There’s no doubt that the use of antimicrobial soaps provides confidence in high risk food processing applications, however, they don’t increase compliance and they won’t compensate for poor hand-washing techniques.

New generation barrier creams can overcome some of the concerns about skin-drying with antimicrobial soaps.

Barrier creams which offer a residual anti-microbial effect are also available.

Old idea: Alcohol-based no-rinse sanitisers provide effective anti-bacterial and anti-viral activity.

New idea: During the H1N1 pandemic, the use of alcohol-based sanitisers in a medical setting were found to have little effect against the spread of that particular virus. However, other studies have shown that this type of product is very effective against cold viruses. When it comes to noroviruses, however, the virus particles lack ‘envelopes’ which some researchers believe causes them to be relatively insensitive to alcohol compared to viruses which have envelopes. While more work is needed on this topic, there is evidence that alcohol-based hand sanitisers aren’t effective against noroviruses.

Old idea: Wash first, then sanitise.

bottles of waterless sanitiser would increase overall hand cleanliness in food preparation and food service operations.

This new idea isn’t so good. Hands which are soiled cannot be effectively sanitised, even by a thirty second alcohol rub.

In this case, the old idea is definitely the best.

Old idea: Well-washed hands mean clean hands.

New idea: Hands must also be dried properly. The drying step is just as important as washing; damp hands transfer bacteria readily to surfaces, and hands that have been dried using an unhygienic method can become re-contaminated.

In addition, slow drying methods result in poor compliance.

Up until recently single-use towels were the only hygienic option, however the new generation ‘blade’ or ‘jet’ style electric dryers have proved to be an effective means of delivering dry, clean hands.

Hand hygiene has always been important to the food industry. The emerging awareness of the risk of norovirus outbreaks means that hand hygiene is becoming more important than ever. There are plenty of new ideas out there when it comes to hand cleanliness, although in some areas the old ideas are still the best.  www.haccp.com.au

New idea: Because of low compliance rates with hand washing it has been suggested that providing ‘squirt’

Maid for anything!

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51

What’s Lurking

in Your Spabath?

by Marslie Smits, Rubbedin

S

ince the 2nd century BC, baths have been a common method of relaxation. Today they are a million-dollar industry. Spa pools are provided in most fitness centres and resorts; Spabaths (sometimes referred to as whirlpool baths) are found in hotels, homes and healthcare centres. There is no wonder why people are drawn to warm water: the heat opens pores, relieves aches and pains, and provides a sense of comfort for those looking for a temporary escape. But attention spabath users: That water you’re leisurely soaking in could be some of the filthiest and nastiest in the world.

Everyone knows the dangers that may be lurking in a pedicure spa; when it comes to spabaths, you need to be just as careful. Bathing where strangers have bathed before may not be such a restful experience. When you step into a spabath, you are stepping into a pool of potential health hazards, because lurking in the pipes are the remnants of previous bather’s skin cells, body oils, body secretions, hair, dirt and soap scum.

These “materials” make excellent breeding grounds for bacteria, fungus and yeast. What’s frightening is the amount of different bacteria and fungus found in spabaths, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger & Microsporum canis. Some of them can cause serious and even irreversible health problems, such as urinary tract infections, gastro-intestinal infections, septicemia, folliculitis, skin infections & rashes, eye and ear infections, staph, herpes, pneumonia and Legionnaire’s Disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by the legionella bacteria. You don’t have to be in the spabath either; people can be exposed by just being close enough to it to breath in the fine spray created. Newborn babies, people with skin conditions, the elderly, and individuals who are immunocompromised are particularly at risk of infection from bacteria that may be found in spa bath water.

A study by a Texas A&M University microbiologist, Rita B. Moyes, showed that spabaths can be a breeding ground for dozens of types of bacteria, many of them potential pathogens, and such water can be a ground zero for infectious diseases. 43 water samples, from both private and public spabaths, were tested. All 43 had bacterial growth ranging from mild to red-level dangerous. 95% showed the presence of faecal derived bacteria, while 81% had fungi, 56% had Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 36% had Legionella bacteria and 34% contained staphylococcus.

52

To get some idea of how much bacteria are in spabath pipes, Moyes says that “A normal teaspoon of tap water contains an average of about 138 bacteria, with many samples not having any bacteria at all. But the same teaspoon of spabath water contains an average of more than 2.17 million bacteria.”

The main reason that spabaths are a prime breeding ground for potentially harmful bacteria is the lining of the pipes and a lack of a disinfection or filtration system.

Unlike spas and spapools, which have filters and are constantly filled with heated and chemically treated water that kills bacteria, spabaths are used for bathing.

They have no filter and are filled with untreated tap water and drained after each use. Spabaths can have 4 to 8 meters of plumbing lines that can hold stagnant water.

Even though spabaths must be installed according to Australian Standard AS 3861 so that the water drains from the pump when released from the bath, residue remains within the damp and dark circulation system and pipes until the next time someone uses the bath.

This warm stagnant water is full of harmful bacteria and when left sitting in the pipes, the bacteria multiply.

They produce, and become protected by, a biofilm: a slimy protective film that can be resistance to bleach, detergents and in some cases, antibiotics. When the jets are then switched on again, this build-up of biofilm breaks loose and harmful bacteria, soap scum, hair, dead skin, body oil, dirt, and faeces get blown out of the pipes, into the air and the “clean” bathwater where a person is soaking. The person taking the bath is now subject to inhaling and ingesting bacteria, along with immersing themselves in a variety of pathogens that can infect open wounds.

So what can you do to protect your guests?

There have been many cases across the globe, where guests have contracted Legionnaire’s Disease from contaminated water sources. In 2011, after the death of a guest in 2008, a golf and leisure resort near Dundee, Scotland, was fined £120,000 for failing to control the Legionella bacteria in their hot tubs and water systems.

In 2012, 2 guests of a Chicago Hotel died. In 2013, 3 guests in a Spanish hotel died... the list continues and unfortunately all died as a result of contaminated water sources.

With proper maintenance spabaths can be a safe, wonderful way to relax, however they must be cleaned and degreased on a regular basis to prevent cross

infection, and to protect all guests from acquiring a serious or fatal disease. Some State Health Departments recommend that commercial facilities’ spabaths (hotels, bed and breakfasts, beauty salons etc.) should be cleaned and degreased after each use, with a commercially formulated solution to ensure they remain clean and bacteria free.

Unfortunately, many think that you can clean a spabath by using powdered dish washing detergent, disinfectants or even bleach. Not only are they ineffective in removing oily bath and body residue, they are often unable penetrate the biofilm that harbours the dangerous bacteria. There have been multiple studies on chlorine for treating biofilm, all coming to the same conclusion: chlorine cannot penetrate and remove biofilm. Even some antimicrobial products fail to penetrate past the surface layers of biofilm. Some manufacturers do not recommend bleach as it may eventually dry out the internal gaskets.

So what should you use and how do you use it?

Scale, soap scum and body residues aren’t the problem; bacteria and the biofilm are the problem. By removing the

biofilm in the plumbing system, you are also removing the bacteria in the system, making the spabath much cleaner and safer to use. Treating biofilm must be done with a chemical specifically designed to clean & degrease. When used according to the manufacturer’s directions, the product should remove all body fats and debris adhered to the internal piping. Choose a product that also has a sanitising and deodorising action, so that the pipes remain clean and the smell of dirty pipes is removed until the bath is used again. Some spabath cleaners & degreasers are biodegradable, chlorine free and Septic and Grey Water safe, making them a safer option. They are easy to use too: simply added to a filled spabath and run the jets for 5-10 minutes. You may need longer if the bath has not been flushed out for a while. After a short while, brown sludge-like foam will start to accumulate on the surface of the bath water. Once the product has been flushed through the pipe system, turn off the pump, drain the bath, refill and run the jets once more to ensure you have completely flushed all the build-up out. Finish by wiping of the interior of bath with a damp cloth and rinse with the tap running.

To find out more about Health Dept Guidelines on Spabaths, contact your local State Health Dept.

53

2014 Sochi

Winter Olympic Games by liz lycette

What’s a Housekeeping Consultant doing working at the Winter Olympics?

E

ven though Housekeeping Management training is our core business at L&A, I took some time out of the training schedule at the end of 2013 and start of 2014 to get involved in another passion – The Olympics.

The Sochi Russia Winter Olympics is my 5th Olympics and I love it.

54

I took up my role as Silver Programme Manager for Megafon at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in London late November 2013. I spent 2 weeks in London at the iLuka offices coming to grips with the programme while I waited for my Russian visa. Our client Megafon, is one of the largest mobile phone providers in Russia; this was their 2nd sponsorship of the Olympic

Games having first done the summer London Olympics in 2012.

Hospitality programmes for big sporting events are a way for sponsors to offer large groups of their VIPs an exciting hospitality event which includes transfers, flights, staying in a luxury hotel with all F&B along with tickets to Olympic events.

Megafon Showcasing under construction

Mountain venue review

Figure skating with colleague Claire

The Megafon Silver Programme involved the full hospitality for over 3700 guests at 2 hotels over the 3 week period of the Winter Olympic Games in February 2014. One of the huge challenges was the fact the 106 rooms designated to the programme at the Yuzhney 2 Hotel in Sochi were opened the day before all the guests arrived. In fact the whole hotel only became fully operational as the first guests stepped through the front door on February 7th 2014. The programme included all transport, hotel, F&B and

hosted Olympic experiences for a 2-3 day period for each of the 200 VIP Megafon guests. Each group (called a “wave� in Olympic speak) arrived on a charter flight from Moscow early morning with the previous group departing on the same plane, leaving only a 2 hour window between departures and arrivals for all 106 rooms over the 7 wave period of the Winter Games.

I began my role in Sochi in early December 2013 and as the team

was very small at that time we were involved in all aspects of planning and preparation for the programme.

This included diverse duties such as inspecting rooms at the hotel prior to the opening, preparing PowerPoints in English and Russian for training and inputting running orders into Excel.

The final whole team was over 100 strong, with the majority of hosts coming on board only 4 days before the first guests arrived.

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Above: The core team visit Olympic Park in December Right: Management team with lollipops and Mascots

So with our team of Managers including Team and Operations, Hotel and Rooming Manager, Guest Services Manager and Day Programme Manager over 2 hotels, we were basically operating a hotel within a hotel. We had our

BECOME MORE FINANCIALLY SAVVY IN 2014 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ENROL NOW: Finance for Housekeeping Managers – online course Best practice with hands-on tools and tips to control Departmental costs and spending!

Supportive online learning which is interactive, engaging and flexible This self-directed course enables Housekeeping Manager’s to think critically and become more financially savvy. The focus is on practical skills for the workplace, expanding and developing professional confidence. The course is facilitated, clear and simple learning via the internet – scheduled over 8 weeks and over approximately 20 hours: • • • •

downloadable on-the-job tools and templates interactive forums with global peers case studies and practical work exercises assessments evaluated by the facilitator and returned with individual feedback • awards participants with a L&A certificate or within Australia, a Statement of Attainment The next course starts Monday 28 April 2014 To enrol now go to: http://www.lycetteandassociates.com/ housekeeping-courses-training/?finance-for-housekeeping-online Registration is online and payment is made by credit card or electronic funds transfer. Course fees are AUD $590 per person + 10% GST. Course dates for 2014 Course 2: 28 Apr – 22 Jun Course 3: 15 Sep – 09 Nov For additional course information visit our website or contact Liz Lycette: liz@lycetteandassociates.com

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own software system for the Hotel, we coordinated the F&B operations for the lounges and coordinated the rest of F&B. Our staff made up mainly of young university students and graduates, were mainly working as Hosts. They were divided into Hotel hosts and Events hosts. The Hotel hosts were responsible for all guest check ins and checkouts, manning of the desks and lounges along with taking care of all guest enquiries during their stay. Event hosts were responsible for escorting all guests to their ticketed events including bringing them on coaches, passing through Security and into the venues right into their seats and then the full escort back to the Hotel.

This was all coordinated with the Transport team and Ticketing for the whole event.

Developing the relationship with the Hotel and ensuring all operations of the lounge and lobby functioned well.

What we did • Coordinating with airport and transport on the guests smooth arrival at the Hotel.

• Extending a warm welcome on arrival at the hotel including efficient hotel room check in, quick programme registration, fast ticket distribution and effective delivery of gifts to the guests.

• Offer of first class hospitality lounge experiences including 5 star F&B service with tasty, well presented food appropriate to the needs and wishes of the guests.

• Quick and efficient dispatch by the Team & Ops team along with great hosts delivering our goal of “To blow the minds of the Megafon guests”. Speedy transfer back to the Hotel with offer of a warm welcome on arrival.

• During events, best seats available with warm, friendly hosts offering professional service with knowledge of events and athletes, taking a personal interest in their guests welfare.

• A fond farewell on departure with smooth transfer onto their next destination.

In doing all this, we managed a very complex arrival and processing of 200 guests in a 1 hour period including handling all guest communications and check in and check out procedures.

The Hotel team was responsible for preparing all the documentation for arriving guests including programme registration, hotel check in and assistance with Olympic ticket distribution.

When the going gets tough… Get champagne!

Staff uniform training – “On brand/ off brand”

The challenges…

The high points included…

Of course it was really hard not being able to speak the language and dealing with cultural differences. The full on security requirements both at the hotel and at the events was extremely tough and the short training time for the staff – they needed to know all the venues, the operating procedures along with what made the client tick and how to do their job – all in the space of 4 days.

Teaching the Housekeeping team at the Hotel how to be “Las Vegas Strippers” and turn all 100 + rooms in 2 hours.

Seeing the semi final of the women’s figure skating (though I did nod off half way through) and the fun wrap party at the end where we had our own version of mini winter Olympics.

Roll on next Olympics... 

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1. Allianz.

A well-specified cleaning regime can keep a stone or tile surface maintained indefinitely, as demonstrated by this polished basalt floor in a commercial building that was restored more than a year previous.

A great customer experience

starts with a great first impression

by Garry Phillips – Managing Director of Slique, Australasia’s stone and tile-care experts

We all know that first impressions count. For years we’ve heard “you never get a second chance at a first impression”.

I

t’s commonly believed that the first impression comes from a customer’s first interaction with a staff member – a ‘human’ interaction.

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But that’s not truly the first impression the customer makes. They start forming an opinion before they even enter the premises.

This is particularly true in the retail and hospitality industries, where the presentation of a property will

as good as the day that Slique’s Technicians finished the restoration.

Creating a maintenance programme

2. Basalt, floors, Auckland Museum, after.

With any public space or lobby area, the biggest impact often comes from the gleaming mass of floor.

This means stone or tiles must be beautifully-presented to achieve the best possible first impression.

encourage the customer to either walk through the door, or not.

The arrival experience The first things that are visible when arriving at a destination – whether it’s a hotel, restaurant, shop, or even someone’s home – make up the ‘arrival experience’ and form the basis of that crucial first impression.

Often this is the exterior of the building, the view through large glass windows, and the entrance way or lobby. The impression is consolidated by what the customer sees as they physically enter the building, and is usually fully-formed before ever making contact with a staff member.

Cleanliness = confidence If a customer is welcomed by a well-groomed building with shining windows and a gleaming expanse of tiled floor, they feel more confident about giving their custom.

In hotels, the main area of focus is the lobby. Lobbies are vital as they are the central point of the hotel, and the area where guests spend a bit of time on arrival checking in. A run-down lobby will make guests believe that rooms are in the same condition. As lobbies are often a generous size, the flooring is the biggest feature – usually polished stone or tile of some sort – and it must look sleek and pristine.

For restaurants, bars, and retail outlets, the entrance way is the critical area. Restaurants and bars also need to pay particular attention to their bathrooms. A bathroom is really the only area that can change a customer’s overall impression, either positively or negatively!

Achieving a positive first impression Stand back and take an unbiased look. Are there areas that are cluttered, dirty, or damaged? Fix them first.

Stone or tiled floors and service counters are a big item visually – they have a lot of impact on the overall environment. Restoring the tiles in a property will immediately lift the whole presentation level. Stone and tile surfaces are luxury items that will need professional restoration if they’re less than pristine.

Maintain, maintain, maintain Restoration doesn’t have to be an expensive, ongoing process. If the right cleaning programme is put in place immediately after restoration, the finish can be maintained indefinitely.

For example, Slique restored the filled travertine floors at a Sydney commercial premises in mid-2011.

After restoration, the cleaning staff was given a special cleaning regime to maintain the surface effectively without causing any further damage.

18 months later, the floors still look

Creating a proper maintenance programme involves understanding the characteristics of the surface, as well as the environment. For example, marble has different characteristics than granite or porcelain tile; high-traffic areas need difference maintenance than low-traffic areas or kitchen/bathroom areas; and indoor surfaces will weather differently from outdoor surfaces.

When creating a maintenance programme, consider these items: 1. Characteristics of the surface – is it: a. soft/hard b. porous/non-porous c. smooth/textured d. dense/open-pored e. sensitive to any specific chemicals 2. The environment – is it: a. inside/outside b. exposed to water c. exposed to high levels of UV light d. in a kitchen (with risk of oil or grease) e. in a bathroom (with risk of urine and/or harsh cleaning chemicals) 3. Usage – does it: a. get a lot of traffic walking on it b. get exposed to wheels – either rubber, metal, or otherwise

Creating a lasting impression A pristine stone or tile surface can help ensure that first impressions are good impressions, and proper maintenance can make sure that it’s a lasting impression. 

Slique can be contacted: In Australia at www.slique.com.au, email info@slique.com.au or call 1800 754 783 In New Zealand at www.slique.co.nz, email info@slique.co.nz or call 0800 754 783

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Accent on Safety

Draws Multitude of Advanced Products

by Gerry Goldberg, Director Pall Mall Manufacturing Co

I

t was once said that the insurance industry makes exceptional profits because it uses fear as a weapon.

And it is, in many respects true because it is the fear of disaster that drives us to pay those hefty premiums year after year.

It is also true that, while we grumble about the money we pay out in premiums, the last thing we really want is to have to make a claim because disaster struck. I was confronted recently by a colleague who complained to me about the high cost of private health insurance with never a return on his investment, so much so that he wanted to cancel his insurance I offered him the alternative and asked him whether he carried life insurance. When he affirmed that he did, I asked him whether he would prefer a pay-out on that insurance or would rather keep on paying his annual premiums. That ended that debate.

But we are faced, in the management of public buildings, with similar anomalies. We invest in safety features to ensure that there are no accidents and whinge about the cost we are forced to pay for that safety. And, of course, with the cost of accidents, both financially and physically, everincreasingly taking a heavy toll on those managing public buildings, finding ways to improve safety without

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having to spend buckets of money in the process is a dream that is seldom realistic.

In addition, different forms of potential accident are regularly uncovered and every time that happens management is expected to react to cover the potential disaster. And that everincreasing responsibility for accidents means that new products often become available on the back of the new developments.

Was a time when the use of a single inexpensive A-Frame Safety Sign in an entrance lobby was considered sufficient to warn of potential slipfalls in a stone-floor entrance lobby on a wet day or while wet maintenance (mopping and/or machine cleaning) was being carried ut. Today there is a need for far more than that. The area being scrubbed, for instance, needs to be positively cordoned off to prevent access. That means some form of expanding barrier that indicates clearly that entry to the area is not available and that the area is out-ofbounds. Now an A-Frame safety sign may cost only $15 or so but an Expanding Barrier runs into several hundred dollars. Certainly there is no comparison between the

effectiveness of the barrier compared to the A-Frame so the barrier has become an essential and the A-Frame insufficient protection.

This has now even gone a step further. There is still a place for individual A-Frames in specific spots but colourful plastic A-Frames do nothing to enhance the appearance of a prestigious entrance lobby. The result has been the development of very up-market brushed stainless steel A-Frame signs. Sure they cost five times the plastic ones but at least they don’t undermine the tone of the place and so managers pay the extra price.

Recently entering the market based on the dangerous potential of slip-falls on wet floors has been the umbrella bagger. Also based on stainless steel for upmarket appearance, these baggers offer those entering a building with an umbrella, wet from external rain, to immediately and quickly place their umbrella in a water-holding plastic bag that prevents the dangerous practice of dripping water from the umbrella all along the route trough the hotel. The bag is then discarded on leaving the building. Is the price of several hundred dollars for such a piece of equipment worth the cost?

That has to be judged in the light of the cost of a slip-fall and the ensuing claims. Is the gamble worthwhile when the cost of one fall could easily outweigh the total cost of a bagger.

And so we come back to the question of what we end up paying for the insurance we know we have to have.

Even the advent of highly effective entry matting is part of the equation.

The ability of high-density quality

commercial matting to brush water off shoes and prevent that water from moving off the mat and onto a floor can both enhance the appearance of public building entrances while offering protection. Not to be confused with seriously cheap and nasty matting that holds little water and does a poor job of water removal, quality matting may well cost several thousand dollars for a mat of adequate size to do the job of getting both feet on the mat enough times to be effective but the end result can be so worthwhile.

It also needs to be recognised that protection against accidents requires management to show that it is making every practical effort to prevent accidents. That may, in this day and age, mean embarking on more cost than previously considered acceptable but the safety bureaucracy can be swayed to look at an accident situation in a more lenient light than if that single plastic A-Frame is all there is to be seen. ď Ž

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KILLING BED BUGS

WITH STEAM

by Mark Rosenberg, Steam Australia

For a wingless insect Bed Bugs can sure get around. They would have to be the experts on hitch hiking from anywhere in the world to anywhere else in the world and with their main host, humans, can do it faster than any other animal or insect.

B

ed Bugs have now ranged further than our beds and can be found anywhere humans congregate.

Motels, backpackers, B&B’s, cinemas and aircraft are just some of the places they are found. They can change hosts mid transit hopping from clothing and baggage in the search of your blood. There are plenty of clinical reports and information on Bed Bugs including identifying the two main species found in Australia, their preferred habitats, feeding and breeding cycles here.

Bed Bug infestations can be treated either by an expensive pest controller using approved insecticides, mainly synthetic pyrethroids that have a residual activity and they may not be effective and can even repel the bugs without killing them. They simply up stakes and move to an untreated area. Other chemicals used are carbamates and organophosphates that are far more effective but may not be recommended for use on mattresses and in most cases need several follow up treatments to break the breeding cycle.

Some people may not be tolerant to chemicals like asthma and allergy suffers (like myself) and will need a chemical free approach to the problem. I personally clean all my bedding including blankets, pillows and doonas with steam and vacuum on a regular basis. Not only to remove dust and pollens, dead skin and smells but also any bed bugs, fleas and other little nasties I have picked up in my travels. I have found myself more venerable

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than most people as I often pick them up in my course of work and bring them home.

Treating bed bugs with steam is very effective as it only requires temperatures of 55 deg C to kill them, but it requires a complete and detailed approach using the correct accessories.

It is not a job that can be rushed and every conceivable hiding spot must be treated. This includes under bed frames and wardrobes and other furnishings. Gaps around skirting boards and power points should be sealed. Use a steam accessory that will help encapsulate the steam allowing it to penetrate deep within the mattress and bedding as well as the carpet and curtains.

Use a detail nozzle to treat around the piping and handles of the mattress and edges of furnishings and other tight to reach areas. Pet bedding should also be treated in the same manner.

A steam cleaner with a built in vacuum and water filtration system is preferred. Even a small unit will be suitable but the higher the pressure and temperature the deeper the steam can penetrate into the mattress

and achieve a higher and faster kill rate. Adding a small mixture of ‘bio remedial’ to the vacuum waste water tank, made up of eucalyptus and tea tree oil will also be of benefit. On completion, suck a small quantity of hot water through the vacuum hose, flush the contents of the waste bin down the toilet, treat all tools and the waste bin and any foam filters with steam and rinse with hot water.

If you have been travelling do not wait until they appear, as soon as practical treat all your clothes by hot wash and hot drier. Treat your luggage with steam. A pre emptive treatment may help to save you from a early morning Bed Bug attack.

Accommodation operators cannot be blamed for outbreaks of Bedbugs as they easily hitch a lift from anywhere in the world via baggage and clothing.

The arrival of summer usually sees an increase in Bedbug complaints as the warmer temperatures promotes breeding as well as an increase in people travelling. Bedbugs arriving in our winter from the warmer northern hemisphere can after arrival lay dormant until our summer begins.

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Steam is by far the best and most efficient method of treatment to kill bed bugs, hence the recommendation for steam in the bed bug code of practice.

With pest control companies charging up to four hundred dollars for each application, the cost of purchasing a steam unit for in house treatment is easily justified with the purchase price covered in treating several rooms.

STEAM MORE THAN JUST BED BUGS Steam can be used to clean an entire room either by itself or in conjunction with regular cleaning methods.

Some operators may have several rooms that are only cleaned with steam for customers that suffer from Asthma or have other negative chemical reactions.

The high temperature of steam provides a greater degree of sanitation for cleaning areas such as toilets and bathrooms again with little or no chemical use.

Carpets can be vacuumed then treated with steam to remove odours from pets, urine and vomit. Residual smells from tobacco can be removed from all areas including curtains.

Windows and mirrors are quickly cleaned along with fly screens and window tracks. Toilets can be cleaned and sanitised including those hard to get at areas with little personal contact.

Hard floors can be treated with the floor mop attachments eliminating the traditional and so ineffective dirty water, mop and bucket tradition again without the use of harsh chemicals. Users of steam have found an overall cost saving in chemical purchases not to mention the negative short and long term affects on those doing the cleaning health.

Steam quickly cleans all areas in kitchens from ovens, range hoods, racks, trolleys and fridges and this is where steam units fitted with detergent injection can be of great benefit. Harsh cleaning chemicals are replaced with environmentally friendly detergents that with the high temperatures of steam break down the grease and grime and effectively kill all bacteria anywhere in a working kitchen.

But more importantly it is the consumer who demands the highest level of cleanliness and hygiene particularly when your facility becomes their home for the night. ď Ž For More information contact Steam Australia 1300 79 50 50 or visit www.steamaustralia.com.au

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Hotel cleaning

ADVERTORIAL

The benefits of outsourcing housekeeping costs

Empire Hospitality was established in 2001 to cater for the strong demand for highly-trained professional staff in housekeeping within the hospitality industry.

E

mpire Hospitality has built an enviable reputation as a market leader in hospitality cleaning services by providing site-specific delivery to each of its individual clients, understanding the different needs and expectations. The company is currently delivering their services in New South Wales, Victoria, ACT and Queensland and are actively seeking new partnerships in all capital cities in Australia.

Empire Hospitality specialises in providing all levels of highly-trained housekeeping staff to hotels, resorts and serviced apartments. With a team of more than 700 trained housekeeping staff servicing their client’s needs, Empire Hospitality provides professional room attendants, housepersons and public area cleaners, turn down attendants, uniform and linen room attendants, supervisors, assistant executive housekeepers and executive housekeepers.

“At Empire Hospitality, we provide housekeeping staff for the partial or full outsourcing of the entire housekeeping department within your hotel,” said Julben Serrano, business development manager.

“Empire Hospitality’s management is onsite daily to ensure the smooth running of all housekeeping operations.

L-R: Julben Serrano and Darren Sacks.

“This daily interaction between us and our clients ensures that the client’s objectives are always met.”

There are numerous benefits in outsourcing your cleaning and housekeeping operations, including: • Quality of housekeeping is guaranteed – Empire Hospitality provides a housekeeping service which is of a five star standard and prides itself on quality for you and your guests; • The client is able to save on their housekeeping costs by eliminating all of their fixed costs attributable to housekeeping, as well as additional costs that are associated with running the housekeeping department; • The client is able to eliminate all costs associated with payroll: wages leave entitlements, superannuation, worker’s compensation, payroll tax, sick leave, award conditions, annual leave, administration costs, and public liability;

• Costs associated with recruitment and training is eliminated. All staff members are thoroughly trained and experienced in the hospitality industry; • Indirect costs which are difficult to quantify, such as staff maintenance and wellbeing; • The ability to reduce housekeeping costs whilst improving housekeeping quality.

“The client is therefore able to budget better as costs are directly related to occupancy – you only pay for the services you need when you need them,” Serrano continued.

“Our flexibility allows us to manage the housekeeping workload for you during both the busy and quieter times of the year.”

For more information telephone Empire Hospitality on (02) 9571 6811 or email reception@empirehospitality.com.au Information can also be found at www.empirehospitality.com.au

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Angela Attard Interview

Executive Housekeeper at Westin Dragonara Hotel and Resort, Malta

by Liz Lycette

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What is your cultural background?

I am English born of English parents. I married a Maltese and have lived in Malta for 33 years.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up near Dartford in Kent, UK. What has been your career path to date?

I started my career in the UK with 5 years in the Metropolitan Police, following this I then became a store detective and worked for some time in security for retail establishments.

Whilst I was on holiday in Malta in 1981 I met my Maltese husband, I moved to Malta 6 months later and we were married in 1983. As I couldn’t speak the language I started by working in various factories until through a family contact I landed a position to assist a Housekeeper to open a Hotel. After that opening I moved into a larger Hotel and decided to study for more qualifications. Over 9 years I studied part time at the Malta Institute of Hotel studies and got my Diploma. I also studied for a qualification in Distance Learning Accommodation Operations through the HCIMA in UK. I then took up various roles in Housekeeping in Malta, moving every 2 ½ years or so in order to gain experience. My first such move was to Topaz Hotel as Rooms Supervisor and then onto Corinthia St George’s where I was Assistant Housekeeper during the opening. I then moved to a 3* Hotel which has since closed down as Head Housekeeper. I moved to become Executive Housekeeper at the 4 * Waterfront Hotel where I was responsible for all the housekeeping management tasks to open the property including purchasing, setup of all areas and hiring of the team.

My next role was Executive Housekeeper at the Intercontinental and while I was there I also began teaching housekeeping at the Hotel Institute. After many years in Housekeeping I decided to try something different and moved to Guest Relations at the Hilton. It only took me a couple of months to realise that Housekeeping was in my blood and in 2010 I moved back into my current position as Executive Housekeeper at the Westin Dragonara Hotel and Resort.

What was your first role as Executive Housekeeper?

At the Waterfront Hotel in 2000, a 116 room property which I opened.

What challenges did that bring?

This was the smoothest opening of the 4 I have been in charge of. As the opening date was delayed we had time to be really ready. All orders were received and everything was prepared well in advance without rushing.

What is your current position and Hotel? What are your current job responsibilities at your hotel?

I am the Executive Housekeeper at the Westin Dragonara Hotel and Resort in St Julian’s, Malta. The property has 340 hotel rooms including 29 luxury apartments and 2 penthouses.

As Executive Housekeeper, I lead the Westin Dragonara team of professional housekeeping staff to deliver our brand service of excellence and outstanding hospitality. I work with

the team on a daily basis to ensure our guests are provided with an enjoyable, comfortable and safe experience.

How many staff are you responsible for?

In winter we have a small core team of 30, in summer; our high season, we can have over 100 staff including contracted staff.

And what areas are you responsible for?

I am responsible for all the rooms, apartments & public areas both inside & outside the Hotel.

What is your typical day like?

I start at 7.00 – 7.30am and check with the early Supervisor on the room allocation and staffing for the day. I follow this with a walk through all the public areas and check the area’s that I know will be holding a function. I assess the day’s work schedule with my Public Area Supervisor before checking on the VIP arrival list at 8.20am. I conduct my morning Room Attendant briefing at 8.30am and attend the management briefing at 9.00am. My day then varies; I need to be ready to react immediately to any operational issues. I usually walk through the floors and touch base with all the Room Attendants.

I then recheck all the public areas including the entire exterior.

By 11.00am I am back in the office dealing with emails and paperwork. I may have meetings with guests or suppliers and I will also check all VIP rooms before they arrive. At 5.00pm I come down to Housekeeping to see the morning shift off duty and conduct the 5.45pm briefing with the evening shift. I will then re-check the roster and staffing for the next day with the PM shift Supervisor and make sure turndown is well under way at 6.00pm. I usually leave around 6.30 – 7.00pm.

What are your top three challenges this week?

1. We have a huge wedding this week with over 400 guests in an outside area which has been under renovation. It is being re-painted and prepared by the maintenance team who will hopefully finish on Thursday night – the wedding takes place on Saturday morning at 12.00pm so not much time for Housekeeping to spruce it all up!

2. I have some personal deadlines which I need to achieve this week. I have just come back from vacation and I need to re-organise the team to get back on track with our spring cleaning programme including room cleaning, pest control and mattress sanitising.

3. I need to sort out the upcoming busy summer operation by scheduling interviews for new recruits and training so that we are ready and well prepared for the season!

How did you choose those managers under you?

I like my Supervisors and team leaders to have had the experience of working their way up. They need to understand the job and to know what it takes to clean 14 rooms. They must have the right personality and ability to problem solve. They should be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing. They also need to be highly flexible with solid interpersonal skills that allow

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them to work effectively in a diverse working environment.

They must also have a passion for housekeeping.

hard to modify procedures with longer term employees who are resistant to change.

How do you deal with different cultures?

What are your top 3 tips for success in Housekeeping Management?

It is important to be sensitive to different cultures. What is acceptable in one culture might not be so acceptable in another. I believe it is important to treat people as individuals, and to learn what makes them tick. If you find out more about a person and their culture including what makes them happy, you will then get the best out of them.

Communication can be tricky, especially In Housekeeping with staff speaking many languages. I have found the best way is to back up verbal communication with visuals. I also feel it is essential to make staff feel proud of their work and to understand the importance that their job carries. After all they are the Ambassadors of our Hotel.

How does pre-opening work compare with working in an existing property? What are the top 3 challenges in an opening?

I love the challenge and excitement of hotel openings The biggest challenges: 1. Finding the right staff, first time – especially those who can handle the pressure of an opening.

2. Working well in that “last minute” mode efficiently.

3. Taking over an existing hotel also has its challenges – I usually observe the operation of the department for the first 3 months to assess the efficiency of how things work before changing anything and only if it’s needed. It can be Housekeeping Managers Development Programme — Part 2

Wed 11th &Thur 12th June 2014 at Holiday Inn Potts Point Sydney NSW Lycette & Associates in conjunction with PHAN is delighted to announce Part 2 of the Development Programme for Housekeeping Managers, Assistants, Hotel Engineers & Rooms Division colleagues.

The 2-day Development Programme Part 2 will be held at a venue to be confirmed in Sydney from 9.00am - 5.30pm daily. The programme is suitable for Executive Housekeepers, their Assistants, Senior Supervisors, Hotel Engineers and interested colleagues from Rooms Division.

Day 1: Environmental Sustainability, Engineering & Project Management Environmental Sustainability – a clear understanding of current environmental global best practice.

Working with Engineering – setting up winning preventative maintenance programmes and working effectively with Engineering.

Project Management – including running a small project.

Day 2: Public Areas, Health & Safety, working with contractors & presentation skills Public Area Operations – back to basics; reviewing all areas of public areas, time and motion studies.

Working with Contractors – Setting up successful contracts and maintaining quality with external Contractors.

Presentation Skills/Reading and understanding your Manager – Tools to assist in gaining self-confidence. Planning and preparing a winning report then make a convincing presentation to Management.

End of Day 2 update of trends and innovations by Liz with an open invitation for all interested parties to attend.

For enquires or to register interest, register online at: http://www.lycetteandassociates.com/housekeeping-coursestraining/ ?development-programme-forhousekeeping-managers-part-2 Payment of $460 (+10% GST) for PHAN hotels and $560 (+ 10% GST) for NON PHAN hotels is via the L&A website either through TT, direct debit, Moneybookers or by credit card.

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1. Being able to work in a fast-paced environment, make sound decisions and utilise good judgment.

2. You need to be able to multi-task, establish priorities and communicate well with others. Be organised and have good leadership skills.

3. Be passionate and stay updated in terms of industry trends and changes.

If you had to do it all over again what would you do differently?

I would have gone to Hotel School earlier, when I was younger.

What advice would you give someone starting out in housekeeping?

The work is hard and very physical. At times it can become a bit repetitive however it can also be very rewarding.

You get to meet many different people from around the world and make many friends. It is also one of the easiest departments to grow and advance in.

How about your personal life? How do you balance work and home life?

You must have an understanding partner. This is essential when working 10-12 hour days. We both share the house work and cooking duties and try to spend our free time together. As we have both always worked throughout our marriage we have learned to balance things together.

What do you do for fun?

I love reading, gardening, we enjoy picnics with our friends.

We also love travelling.

How do you think housekeeping management has changed since you started?

It has changed a lot. We are now witnessing true globalisation. The world has shrunk as it has become much easier and more affordable for people to travel.

Computer technology has now given people access to products and services worldwide at the click of a button.

Today, Housekeepers are becoming more than just a Department Head. We are very much in the frontline with more interaction with our guests, so we need guest relation skills and the ability to remember the special needs of our regular guest’s. We have to be creative problem solvers often having to make on the spot decisions to enhance the guest experience. We have to be good leaders along with team motivators along with having to control purchasing, hiring and dismissal of staff The Housekeeper has become the wearer of many hats.

She is mother, priest, psychologist, friend and counsellor.

Where do you think it is heading?

It is hard to say, but a lot of Hotels are using outsourced contract cleaning companies. This has both advantages and disadvantages. To keep the continuity in management of the operation, I believe that the Executive Housekeeper should remain as part of the key management team. 

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Product NEWS Weatherdon hot products!

Weatherdon recently amplified its product range with three 46L / 70L / 115L Bar Fridges.

These fridges are ideal for hotels, apartments and offices.

They are a cleverly designed, compact and highly functional unit. 115L fridge has adjustable glass shelving, an inbuilt freezer and a crisper box. The door compartments have sufficient height for storing bottles. It is designed to fit neatly under benches or table-tops. The Nero bar fridges are a practical, reliable and affordable choice for office, apartments and hotel guest room. And for added convenience, the door is reversible so you can customise your fridge to suit your preferences.

FEATURES for 46L Code 744046: • Compressor style with a 40L fridge and 6L freezer • Temperature range 0°C to +10°C

New Nero 46L/70L/115L Bar Fridges

• Reversible door • Slide-out wire shelf • One half width door rack & one full width door rack • Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish • Recessed handle • Item Size: 440(W) x 470(D) x 510mm(H)

FEATURES for 70L Code 744070: • Compressor style with a 64L fridge and 6L freezer • Temperature range 0°C to +10°C • Reversible door • Two slide-out wire shelves • One half width door rack & two full width door racks • Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish • Recessed handle • With key lock • Item Size: 440(W) x 510(D) x 640mm(H)

FEATURES for 115L Code 744115: • Compressor style with a 100L fridge and 15L freezer • Temperature range 0°C to +10°C • Mechanical temp control • Direct cooling freezer with removable drip tray underneath • Inside door shelf will hold up to four bottles of wine • Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish

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New Nero 46L/70L/115L Bar Fridges From Weatherdon

• Interior light & removable plastic top • 2 shelves (adjustable) & crisper • With key lock • Box Size: 520(W) x 600(D) x 880mm(H) • Item Size: 490(W) x 560(D) x 840mm(H) • Carton weight: 27kg Carton Quantity: 1 For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au or send an email to sales@weatherdon.com.au

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