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Executive Housekeeper - Working conditions

Kaiwhakatika Whare Noho

Working Conditions

Executive housekeepers usually work in an office environment, but may also spend time in guest or function rooms, which can sometimes be untidy or dirty. They may also help staff in the laundry, which is often hot and cramped.

Teina looking at a folder to check product numbers

Executive hosuekeepers spend most of their time working in the office

Lorraine Betty pulling washing out of a machine.

Conditions in the laundry can be hot and cramped

Equipment

Equipment executive housekeepers may use includes:

computers and computer programmes, such as budgeting and rostering programmes
general office equipment
cleaning equipment and tools such as mops and vacuum cleaners
cleaning chemicals such as commercial carpet cleaners
laundry equipment such as commercial ironing machines.

Teina John guiding a sheet through the commercial iron

Teina John using the commercial iron in the hotel laundry

Hours

Executive housekeepers in the hotel industry usually work 40 hours a week, and rarely work weekends. They usually start about 7am, so that they are around when guests check out.

In other establishments, such as hospitals, their work is more likely to include shift work and weekends.

"The shift work worked in well with my family. When the children were younger, my husband looked after them and I went out to work, and when they were at school I started doing daytime shifts."

Jill Quinn - Assistant Executive Housekeeper

Contact with people

Executive housekeepers have contact with:

the public
managers and other heads of department
staff in their own team, and staff from other departments such as maintenance and front office
product suppliers, including furniture salespeople and chemical supply companies
tradespeople such as carpet cleaners and painters.

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Updated May 2009

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