Essential workers, not just 'Housekeepers

The St Peters Indooroopilly Housekeeping Team are considered an ‘essential service’, not just by staff, students and boarders but, now, by the Australian Government.

CASSIE TWEMLOW

publications officer When the COVID-19 pandemic changed our ways of living, working and studying, the College’s Corporate Services also had to adjust their routines. Upskilling became a top priority—as was the case with our students and teachers, the pandemic called for an increased engagement with technology. This call extended to the St Peters Housekeeping team. Faced with a new routine, the team began to engage with online LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda). The aim, as we were told by Housekeeping Manager, Sharon Flynn, was to gain new skills and, potentially, further careers.

The task was easier for some than it was for others. Not only did team members have to sit at a computer, create and login to a LinkedIn account (not something they're used to), but sometimes their English language proficiency was tested. Sharon saw this as a two-fold opportunity for her team—a chance for them to learn new skills and improve their English (for those to whom it was a second language).

Sharon eased her team into the training, using the opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the Housekeeping staff.

“The first learning we did as a team was an 11-minute course on time management. The second was about teams and who you think you are in the team—the quiet one; the outspoken one; the lazy one…it was interesting.” Sharon says this particular course has been the most interactive and embraced so far.

“It gave me the opportunity to talk to each team member individually after they had done the course, and it helped everyone identify who they thought they were in the team. It was intriguing that everyone saw themselves as the one who has the ideas but doesn’t speak out.”

Following these one-on-one meetings with her team, Sharon was then able to assist team members to ‘wear the hat’, so to speak.

“It made me realise that sometimes you have to change the aspect and also the size of the groups,” Sharon went on to explain.

Once Sharon and her team had figured out the different roles that people play in a team, groups seemed to work more fluidly, with over half the team changing their mind about the training and realising that what they were doing was enjoyable and valuable.

Danielle Dobson, Laundry Supervisor, agreed, saying the team workplace and environment training was very beneficial.

“People spoke up and said things like ‘I think I’m this person, but I want to become this person’. The COVID training around hygiene and infection control was essential and gave us all a real understanding of cleaning, disinfecting, sanitising and the difference between them.”

Tyson Lingbawan, also in Sharon’s team, is originally from the Philippines. He said he’s benefited from the learning indirectly.

“In my culture, we’re taught to listen to older people so, if you’re working with someone older than you, then you listen. The [teams] training helped me to express how I was feeling and working with someone to improve our working environment. It’s given me more confidence. I’ve also done some managerial-type courses to help with leadership and enhance my self-awareness,” Tyson went on to explain.

Pictured: (left) Housekeeping team attainment certificates; (above) Danielle Dobson and Wendy Higgins standing proudly in front of the training board.

It’s been really valuable and it’s " good that we can choose different courses that we think could further our career.”

Prior to commencing their online learning and training, Sharon used to provide the Housekeeping Team with training via handwritten sheets of paper. Now, she is able to find LinkedIn courses and fine-tune them to meet the learning needs of her team.

“They complete different training once a month,” Sharon said. “This month the team are in the process of learning about Positivity at Work.” When COVID hit the College, Infection Control was a big part of the learning curve. Sharon says that, at the end of the day, it’s been a real confidence boost for most members of the team.

“The team are really enjoying the new skills they’re gaining.”

As well as team and group courses, the Housekeeping staff are also able to participate in personal development. Once team members complete any training, their certificate is hung on the wall for everyone to acknowledge—and not just others in the Housekeeping Team, but staff from all over the College! “It’s been really rewarding and it’s good that we can choose different courses that we think could further our career,” Danielle said.

Coupled with Scott Morrison talking about cleaners and doctors as ‘essential services’ in the same breath, I think we can all agree that the St Peters Housekeeping department should never be overlooked.