When working in a high end or boutique hotel, the skills and quality of your housekeeping staff can make or break the experience for your guests.
Having a solid team that works seamlessly together, with the highest quality of housekeeping skills training and the best eye for detail, is vital for the running of the hotel and maintaining the highest standards possible. Providing regular, specific housekeeping training for hotel staff, will catch problems early, keep teamwork strong and stay on top of developments in the industry.
There are several different ways of training and further educating your housekeeping staff. One option is sending people to a pre-organised group course. There are many different types of group housekeeping training for hotel staff available, however, do consider if that is the right set-up for you and the hotel. Training providers should also offer private training for just your team, in situ if needed, so do consider what might be most suited.
Location of Training
Students will learn the most when then can immediately apply their skills in a real life environment. If a group class is being taught in an office space or classroom, you already know it will not be suitable. Practice is key, so the right props and attributes need to be available for the students to practise on.
Students will learn the most when then can immediately apply their skills in a real life environment. Click To TweetIf possible, it is always recommended to hold the housekeeping training for hotel staff in situ. If your staff can receive their housekeeping skills training whilst on the premises, they will actually be executing the work so will be of great value. They will learn to use all the equipment correctly, and can physically practise the way things need to be done, to the highest standard and as efficiently as possible.
Group Size
Secondly, if you are considering a group course, do check how large the size of the group is. If there are more than 8-10 people in the course, it’s unlikely you will be able to learn much due to not getting enough attention from the trainer. If you’re looking at getting a private trainer in and it is a group larger than 8-10 people, it would be worth getting a second trainer to maintain high standards. This will enable the opportunity for every student to learn from the housekeeping skills training provided.
Types of Housekeeping Training for Hotel Staff
With housekeeping especially, it’s vital that parts, if not most of the course, consist of practical training and assessments. It’s all fine and well talking about how to polish silver, care for shoes or clean a bathroom, but if you do not physically do this, you will not learn properly. The housekeeping skills training venue should provide a location that will enable the students to practise the skills, make a bed, iron to perfection, pack a suitcase, etc.
Also, ask about the assessments during and at the end of the course. Some training providers would only ask for a written assessment or none at all. Although you would not want to put your team under exam stress, it is important to have some form of assessment so they can review mistakes and get constructive criticism to develop and learn from. And especially with housekeeping, practical assessments should be part of the housekeeping skills training course. Having to make a bed in front of the trainer might sound stressful but it is the best way to learn, uncover mistakes at this early stage, and correct before they will have to do this for real guests.
After all, practice makes perfect, and for your hotel or establishment, you should demand nothing less.
What Modules to Choose
Housekeeping training for hotel staff is different for every person, every team and every establishment. Many things should be taken into account when choosing modules for housekeeping skills training.
Firstly, have a look at core housekeeping skills and try to keep notes over a period of time before booking the training. What kind of things has been going wrong, perhaps even little things? Secondly, look at future developments. Where would you like this team or certain members of this team to be in several years time? Perhaps some of the team could be potential management material, so you could take that into account when providing housekeeping training for hotel staff.
Depending on requirements and specific focus your team requires, the modules taught and subjects covered on a training course can be completely varied. But on a good housekeeping skills training course, you should expect to see a variation of the following modules and subjects.
As a minimum:
- Housekeeping Tools, techniques and areas of the house
- Special Surface Care
- Care of Fine Art
- Care of Antiques
- Finishing touches
- Flower Arranging
- Turndown Service
- Laundry
- Care of fine garments – Silk, Wool & Lace
- Ironing
- Folding
- Pressing
- Steaming
- Mending of Clothes
- Shoe Polishing
- Shoe Care, Maintenance and Storage
- Valet
- Wardrobe Management
- Packing and unpacking
- Window Care
- Pet Care
- Dry Cleaning
- Cleaning Technology (Computers, Speakers, TV)
At Polo & Tweed, we are proud to offer housekeeping skills training courses of the highest standard. All tailor made exactly to your needs and requirements. Our trainers can travel to locations all over the world to provide training for you and your housekeeping team of any size.
If you’d like to know more about this then please do have a look here, or drop us a line. Tell us what your needs are, and we will be delighted to advise you on the steps to get the right housekeeping skills training for you and your housekeeping team, to get them providing a 7* level housekeeping service.