Week-2 EHK’s position in the organization Chart Being appointed as the Executive Housekeeper of an ongoing hotel operation has its challenges. After a brief introduction and orientation the new manager would normally be expected to bring about changes in the department operations. But, being involved in a “soon to open” hotel operation in which department planning hasn’t been done yet, gives a manager the opportunity to influence how a department will be set up.

Involvement in such an experience is both rewarding and enlightening and once experienced can prepare managers to bring about changes in an ongoing operation systematically and efficiently. In such an operation, planning is essential, moreover we can say that: “Good results without planning is only good luck, not good management!”

The EHK’s position within the organization In some hotels, the Executive Housekeeper is in the position of a department head. In some organizations, they are below department head level whereas in some organizations they may rank even higher levels.

For example in the hotels having no Resident Manager, or Rooms Division Manager, Executive Housekeepers report to Assistant General Manager, or directly to the Generale Manager. At following figure, we see only below part of Rooms Division Manager within the organization chart of a large hotel.

Early Priority Activities One of the earliest activities and conceptions of the Executive Housekeeper is “organizing and staffing” the department. At the very beginning of the work, there is a need to recruit the Executive Housekeeper’s two principal assistants as soon as possible. They are: The Housekeeping Manager / Assistant Executive Housekeeper and Loundry Manager

Untill these two managers are present the entire planning, organizing and staffing function rests on the shoulders of the Executive Housekeeper. Thus we see the immediate need to specify the qualifications of these two managers to the Human Resources department in order that advertisements may be placed and recruitment begun.

Area Responsibility Plans After the “Division of Work Document” is completed by the EHK and presented to the executive committee for review. Once it has been given to executive committee “The Area Responsibility Plans” could be drawn up by the same committee. This plan is an assignment of responsibility of the various areas mentioned in the Division of Work Document and it shows various cleaning area boundaries on a copy of a floor plan blueprint. Such boundary lines are important to ensure that no space is left unassigned and that no overlaps occur.

Organization chart of housekeeping dep. of a large hotel.