Introduction
Good hotel maintenance is essential to happy customers, which impacts 5-star ratings and higher occupancy rates. However, the worldwide travel and tourism industry is projected to lose 62 million jobs by 2022. This has made it more difficult for hoteliers to find qualified candidates (Codling et al., 2022). The employment difficulties that existed prior to the pandemic worsened, impeding recovery. Even though the industry is almost back to its levels in 2019, there are several shortages and retention. The necessity of upholding superior housekeeping standards endures, underscoring the ongoing obstacles in a sector aiming for pre-pandemic operating efficiency in the face of a volatile labor market (Dwesini, 2019). In this regard, exploring this menace in the hotel industry and explaining essential strategies for curbing the issue is worthwhile.
Many hotels need help hiring and retaining housekeeping staff. Identify three reasons you believe contribute to this difficulty. What could the general manager of a hotel do to help overcome these obstacles?
The inability of hotels to attract and retain personnel has negatively impacted the industry. The fundamental reasons for this menace are poor Relationships, limited growth opportunities, job insecurity, and inadequate Compensation and benefits.
Poor Relationships and limited growth opportunities.
Due to problems with lousy Relationships at work, the hotel needs help finding and keeping housekeeping employees. One of the leading causes of excessive employee turnover is a need for more positive working connections, especially with supervisors and coworkers (Dwesini, 2019). In addition, a culture of unhappiness with the promotion process and a lack of options for career advancement makes workers feel pressured to look for other jobs at companies with better prospects.
Job Insecurity
Moreover, one common problem affecting hotel housekeeping personnel is job uncertainty. Concerns about job security, especially during seasonal variations, increase workers’ already high-stress levels (Codling et al., 2022). Mistrust is fostered by a need for more communication inside the company, particularly regarding possible personnel reductions. This mistrust can result in higher turnover rates. In addition to adversely affecting worker well-being, job instability also raises absenteeism, which lowers productivity and increases employee turnover.
Inadequate Compensation and benefits
A deficiency of appealing benefits and incentives coupled with inadequate compensation packages makes hiring and retaining housekeeping personnel challenging. Benefits, incentives, and higher pay are essential pull factors that draw workers to different companies (Dwesini, 2019). Retaining competent cleaning workers is difficult when hotels do not offer competitive wage packages and enticing incentives, which raises the turnover rates. However, there are various strategies that managers can employ to ensure that the employee turnover rate is kept at the bare minimum. Such strategies include:
Creating a positive work environment
Encouraging work environments is critical to maintaining and satisfying a workforce. A culture that values open communication, teamwork, and respect for one another increases employees’ likelihood of feeling appreciated. According to Codling et al. (2022), creating avenues for employee input, such as suggestion boxes, questionnaires, or frequent meetings, shows a dedication to resolving issues and enhancing the work environment. A motivated and engaged staff also results from investing in training and development opportunities, which improve skills and indicate a clear route for professional advancement.
Conducting Regular Compensation Reviews
Regular compensation assessments are necessary to maintain a competitive edge in luring and keeping top-talent personnel. Packages can be benchmarked against industry standards to identify and rectify discrepancies quickly. Besides, putting performance-based reward plans connected to important metrics promotes a culture of gratitude and acknowledgment (Codling et al., 2022). To improve total job satisfaction, employers can consider offering non-cash incentives such as wellness programs, flexible work hours, and chances for professional growth in addition to monetary Compensation. This will make the workplace more welcoming and holistic for workers.
In the ordinary course of their jobs, housekeeping employees often recover abandoned property. Assume that your team is the supervisory staff of a housekeeping department, and your general manager has asked you to draft a hotel policy regarding finding cash. In your policy, detail what will happen when cash is found, how long it will be held, and what will happen after the holding period has ended.
Housekeeping staff members who find cash notify their immediate supervisors immediately per our hotel’s policy on recovered cash. The money will be safely kept and tracked, with information like the location and discovery date recorded (Dwesini, 2019). Ninety days will be the holding period for the recovered cash to give guests ample time to redeem their misplaced belongings. We will work hard to find a valid owner during this time, which may involve looking through visitor logs and contacting recently moved-in guests. Following the hotel’s established protocols and any applicable local laws, if the money is still unclaimed after ninety-nine days, it will either be contributed to a charitable organization or moved to the general fund of the establishment.
Conclusion
The hotel sector needs help recruiting and keeping housekeeping employees, primarily caused by relationship problems, job security, and inadequate pay. A complete strategy is needed to overcome these challenges, one that involves developing happy work environments, reviewing Compensation regularly, and putting professional development plans into action. Besides, putting explicit standards like the one for managing recovered cash shows a dedication to openness and moral behavior. For the hotel industry to succeed generally and to maintain high housekeeping standards, it is imperative to navigate these obstacles effectively.
Reference
Codling, S., Pinnock, J., Barrett, E., Gayle, S., Stephenson, N., Sibblies, N., & Sinclair-Maragh, G. (2022). Factors Contributing to Staff Turnover in the Hotel Industry: A Literature Review. People Management-Highlighting Futures. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107025
Dwesini, N. F. (2019). Causes and prevention of high employee turnover within the hospitality industry: A literature review. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 8(3), 1-15.
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