Page 1 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 540
Hotels Housekeeping Innovative Trends and Modern
Practices- An overview
Amrik Singh,
Assistant Professor, Lovely Professional University, Punjab.
Email; amrik.singh@lpu.co.in/ amrikmhm@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Hotel housekeeping need to meet
leading challenges, trends and best
practices as eco-friendly practices,
outsourcing, IT savvy housekeeping,
training, retention of employees, payroll
performance and Ergonomics
techniques. If the hotels implement these
trends in an organised manner, it can
lead to hotel growth opportunities and
long term
profitability(Singh,2014).Today,
housekeeping is no more a back-of-the- house department; most of the reputed
hotel chains have chosen to raise their
housekeepers as front runners and
encourage them to interact with the
guests. With advancements in
technology and modernization, face of
housekeeping has changed as per the
latest trends in the hotel industry This
paper has reviewed the academics and
popular hotel housekeeping trends.
Hotel housekeeping need to meet
leading challenges, trends and best
practices as eco-friendly practices,
outsourcing, IT savvy housekeeping,
training, retention of employees, payroll
performance and Ergonomics
techniques. If the hotels implement these
trends in an organised manner, it can
lead to hotel growth opportunities and
long term profitability. This paper
augments new urgency to develop new
trends in hotel housekeeping domain
specific for manifold benefits.
Keywords- Housekeeping, Trends,
Hospitality industry, Hotels
INTRODUCTION
Housekeeping in present era is not only
about to clean, maintain and aesthetic
upkeep of an area but much more beyond
that. After the campaign of Swachh Bharat
promoted through our PMO has given
multiplier impact on our countrymen or
citizen of India.
Swachh Bharat Campaign
“I take this pledge that I will remain
committed towards cleanliness and devote
time for this. I will devote 100 hours per
year — that is two hours per week — to
voluntary work for cleanliness. I will neither
Page 2 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 541
litter nor let others litter.
I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with
myself, my family, my locality, my village
and my work place. I believe that the
countries of the world that appear clean are
so because their citizens don’t indulge in
littering nor do they allow it to happen. With
this firm belief, I will propagate the message
of Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and
towns. I will encourage 100 other persons to
take this pledge which I am taking today. I
will endeavour to make them devote their
100 hours for cleanliness. I am confident
that every step I take towards cleanliness
will help in making my country clean.The
hospitality industry is service oriented, the
hotels are face tough competition to operate
their business profitably. Various changes
and improvements made by the hotel
management to increase occupancy and
customer satisfaction, the most important is
the housekeeping function. In India, travel
and tourism accounts for 5.9 per cent of the
GDP and 9.2 per cent of the total
employment. The total number of jobs
(direct and indirect), in the tourism sector in
2010 was 53 million and 49.8 million in
2009, followed by 13.1 million in
automotive and 10.2 million only in the IT
sector, in 2009. Our sector estimates around
77.5 million jobs by 2016.Housekeeping has
undergone a sea change, especially since the
mid-90s. The use of technology has changed
the style and functioning of the department
in a large way. This has changed the
prevalent mind set and has increased
professionalism. In modern world
professional housekeepers are striving to get
housekeeping its due recognition in the
hospitality industry. This department is
responsible for bringing in the largest share
of profit to an accommodation operation, but
this fact is hardly acknowledged and
veterans of the industry too often must
consider it a thankless job. Housekeeping
operations are increasingly becoming
scientific and mechanized. Efficiently
managed Housekeeping departments ensure
the cleanliness, safeguarding and aesthetic
entreat of the hotel. The tasks performed by
Housekeeping department are pivotal to the
horizontal daily operation of any hotel. In
the present stringent competitive scenario
maintaining hotel is very tough and
satisfying guest is even tougher. With
advancements in technology and
modernization, face of housekeeping has
changed as per the latest trends in the hotel
industry. Several companies like SealedAir,
Ecolab, 3M have been exploring the
opportunities of creating and custom
designing the equipment softwares much to
the relief of housekeepers to make cleaning
operations convenient. This not only
improves the overall efficiency of the
department but also boosts the morale of
cleaning associates. Foreign tourist arrivals
in the country have increased substantially
during the past decade motivated by both,
business and leisure needs and are further
expected to grow at a CAGR of around 8%
during 2010-2014, as per our new research
Page 3 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 03
April 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 542
report “Indian Tourism Industry Analysis”.
India currently has over 200,000 hotel
rooms swell across hotel categories and
guest houses and still facing a short fall of
over 100,000 rooms (FHRAI). For every
room constructed, 3-4 jobs are created, the
world Travel and Tourism council has
estimated 8 percent annual escalation in jobs
in India. According to a report –The Indian
Hotel Industry Report 2011 Edition by
CYGNUS business Consulting and Research
Firm, In next two years, a total investment
of INR 545.2 billion is expected that will
add over 20 New international brands in the
hospitality sector as the hospitality industry
grows it will face lots of challenges which
leads to increase in latest trends in diverse
sections of hospitality. Hotels are generating
optimum revenue by major operating
departments like Housekeeping which deals
with the schedule operations of Hotels.
The modern day hotel executive
housekeeper is faced with challenges
which entail a high degree of
professionalism. Hotel housekeeping is
shifting hastily, earlier, the
responsibility of the housekeeping
department was to prepare clean
guestrooms on a timely basis but now
enormous changes have been made in
Hotel Housekeeping. This highly
fuelled and fast growing industry needs
new trends and technology to
strengthen hotel operations. After all,
housekeeping department is responsible
for bringing in the largest share of
profit to the hotel. So this study
examines the trends of housekeeping in
hotel industry. This article has its focal
point on the latest trends that hotels can
use to expand revenue from
accommodation operations.
With the progression in time the Hotel
Industry must follow the trends of the
times, develop unique commodity
value or service mode in order to keep
the dominance in the intense
competition. The main product of hotel
is room sale which expected clean,
comfortable and home environment for
the guest. In order to compete with
challenges hotel housekeeping
department must adopt these latest
trends in the industry.
Eco practices in housekeeping
(HRANI,2013) With the focus
progressively on responsible tourism
and green practices, there is much more
to being ecologically friendly than
reusing sheets and towels.
Environmentally-friendly properties
whose managers are eager to institute
programmes that save water, save
energy and reduce solid waste—while
saving money.” Eco practices are one of
the most spectacular emerging trends in
hotel housekeeping. “Going green” is a
trend of the day and environment sound
policies increases the monetary health of
a property. There is an increasing
awareness to use eco-friendly amenities,
commodities and practices.
Housekeepers are developing and
adopting new ways to conserve water
and energy. According to American
Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA)
