This Dubai hotel outsources all its housekeeping

Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach director of housekeeping Indira Priyadharsini said that outsourcing all aspects of housekeeping to a third-party company is a formula that works like a charm for her property.

She said: “Managing outsourcing (in housekeeping) is a hot topic in the Middle East and a growing industry as well. We outsource everything, we outsource for different purposes – public areas, glass cleaners, marble cleaners, laundry and not to forget rooms."

Priyadharsini shared what the property has to do, in order to manage the staff.

“We need to include them, and make them feel like one of our full-time employees.”

“Some of the tools that are required in managing outsourcing is relationship, it is personal. You need to build trust, honesty is important and it requires time. Seeking the mix of being formal and informal while managing them can be quite the challenge. And obviously the best way to manage them is to be informal, as they are then more productive."

“It’s crucial to have a representative from that company who can make decisions on the ground.”

Review, however, is the most important aspect for Priyadharsini.

“In my experience review is the most important aspect while managing outsourcing. It allows you to see what they have done in the last six months to one year. And moving forward, [it is important] to see what are the best practices that can be implemented to improve their productivity.”