The answer to career progression and growth, say executive housekeepers, is being vocal about what you want to learn, and where you want to go within the hotel
During the Hotelier Middle East Executive Housekeeper Forum, a panel discussed how housekeeping staff can be helped to progress and achieve their goals.
The panel discussed options for staff who wish to move across or up the ladder at hotels. One recurring theme in the conversation was that, at whatever level staff find themselves, they need to vocalise their goals to their seniors in order to help facilitate change or growth.
“Don’t expect things to come to you, be vocal about it. We are not sitting with a crystal ball, people have to come to us and tell us what they need,” said Pamini Hemaprabha, Emirates Palace executive housekeeper, regional rooms specialist and master trainer, who moderated the panel discussion “Empowering Your Housekeeping Team to Shine.”
Radisson Blu Residence Dubai Marina room division manager Anushya Paramasivam gave the example of one employee under her remit: “He was night auditor for five years, and said, I want to be a guest service manager. I told him, if you think you are really capable of doing this, let me put you on training. He faced challenges, but I told him, he needs time, and then he will develop in the role.”
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On the subject of deputy housekeepers, the panel also suggested that a deputy ought to be vocal about what training they want to experience in order to close the gap between the deputy and executive level skill set: “Number twos should show their hunger to the number one,” Hemaprabha advised the delegates.
The panel agreed that it was important to provide some level of training, for example regarding budgets, while still at number two level. “I take the number two with me to morning briefings,” said Paramasivam “I don’t expect too much, but I coach him and give continuous feedback.”
Hilton Dubai The Walk executive housekeeper Kishore Kumar Pemmasani added: “For the number three and number two position, we have a very fair way of selecting those who have the ability to deliver in the job. We look for 50% current competency, and 50% competency for the next position.”
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