DRMumbai: At the International Housekeepers’ Week (September 9-15), Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL) paid homage to all the housekeepers who work tirelessly behind the curtains to keep their respective hotels in prim and proper condition, by organising the first ever Housekeeping Olympiad at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. The event brought together the teams from Taj Hotels Mumbai (Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Wellington Mews, Taj President, Taj Lands End and Taj Santacruz) and Ginger Hotels in Mumbai and Pune. Tajinder Singh, Area Director, Taj Hotels Mumbai opened the Housekeeping Olympiad.
It takes hard work to make brass planters shine, marble and granite to sparkle and create memorable experiences for guests. Housekeepers are the unsung heroes of what we have come to call ‘guest experience’. At Taj it is called Tajness, the legendary hospitality that the brand is revered for.
Numerous sessions and activities were conducted along the themes of Trust, Awareness and Joy (TAJ) across two days for the 150-odd participants comprising room attendants, housekeeping associates, supervisors and managers, and executive housekeepers. General Managers of all the participating hotels attended along with their L&D teams as well as the latest batch of Management Trainees.
“Knowledge building and skill development are our focus areas while also having some fun,” explained Anmol Ahluwalia, General Manager, Taj Wellington Mews. Ahluwalia started his career as a housekeeping professional and served in various capacities before growing into the GM role. “While F&B managers may progress to become GMs, traditionally executive housekeepers do not graduate into GM roles. Taj is challenging the status quo and making it more of an achievable goal than an exception.”
Various interactive sessions highlighting the nuances of housekeeping were conducted. One session delved on the concept called PURE – pathogen-free rooms perfect for post-operative patients, those with asthma or even neo-natal care; the presentation on flower arrangements explained ‘less is more’ – using less flowers yet creating stunning arrangements; demonstration of how nano-technology can be used to clean glasses, mirrors and metals; a session on modern horticulture layouts, indoor and outdoor plants; and latest housekeeping gear spanning floor care, carpet care and linen care mechanisms.
On day two the participants indulged in numerous competitions like ‘spot the error’; experiential set-ups; and bed-making to implement learning from day one.
“The Olympiad also had numerous displays of what other leading hotels are doing in the area of housekeeping including their best practices. This served as a perfect learning opportunity,” added Ahluwalia. IHCL has instituted a rolling trophy for the best hotel. Housekeeping Olympiad has also been scheduled in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. IHCL intends to take it across India.
