Various housekeeper supervisor jobs include overseeing cleaning or laundry crews in hotels, hospitals or virtually any business that requires cleaning or linen services. Specific duties of the job vary with the needs of a particular business and the size of its cleaning crew. If the staff is small, housekeeper supervisors might be expected to work alongside the cleaning crews.
The main duties of housekeeper supervisors are managing a department and supervising a staff. Housekeeping supervisors oversee other cleaning staff members to ensure that the work is being done correctly, safely and efficiently. This can be done while working with the cleaning staff or by checking the staff members' work after it has been completed.
One of the most common housekeeping supervisor jobs is working for a hotel. In this role, the supervisor is usually responsible for inspecting guest rooms and resolving any guest complaints. Guest complaints can arise if rooms are not adequately cleaned or stocked. For example, the housekeeping supervisor would likely handle the complaint if there are no clean towels in a bathroom.
Housekeeping supervisor jobs at hospitals might also involve some contact with clients. Cleaning at hospitals and other healthcare facilities sometimes happens while patients are resting in their rooms. For this reason, it is necessary for the cleaners to cause as little disruption as possible.
The housekeeping supervisor’s role in a hospital setting consists mainly of scheduling and managing the cleaning crew. It is also important to ensure that all procedures and safety precautions are followed. Healthcare facilities have strict requirements for cleanliness, because directly impact a patient’s recovery and comfort.
Some housekeeping supervisor jobs focus more on laundry than on cleaning. In these positions, the supervisor will make sure that the workers are properly cleaning and sorting the laundry. In smaller businessesses, a housekeeper supervisor might oversee both cleaning and laundry functions.
Other responsibilities related to housekeeping supervisor jobs include reviewing employment applications and interviewing and hiring staff members. Supervisors can also be responsible for training new cleaning staff members. This includes showing trainees everything that must be completed every day. A housekeeping supervisor might also write evaluations and counsel employees on how to make improvements in their work performance, if needed.
Housekeeping supervisor jobs can require some cleaning and supervisory experience. It is possible, however, for a cleaner to get experience and then move up into a supervisory position. The job usually requires at least a high school diploma. In some cases, additional training or a degree is required.
Employers tend to fill housekeeping supervisor jobs with healthy, dependable and hard-working people. An ability to lead others is a necessity. Good communication and interpersonal skills are also desirable for supervisors who have a lot of interaction with other staff members or clients.