Where would we be….
Where would we be without Robotic Co-Workers?
EC – Hotel Management Consultant
The world of housekeepers in hospitality changed likely forever over the past three years. Many hotels closed during Covid to then reopen with a modified housekeeping model.
Prompted by a shortage of people to physically perform the cleaning and a desire from guests to avoid unnecessary contact hotels made in-room housekeeping optional. The cleaning of common areas became more focused, detailed and expensive. Some hotels implemented hourly cleaning of touch points in elevators, check-in counters and door handles. Hand sanitizer stations and wipes appeared everywhere. Other venues chose to make check-in “touchless” or enclosed their staff behind plexiglass while also having their housekeepers wear masks, gloves and some even went to having them wear disposable gowns while in the guest rooms.
Today, three years later the masks are gone, some plexiglass remains, elevator buttons are never cleaned and rooms are only cleaned “upon request”. The explanation is there is still a shortage of staff available. But in reality did we really need our rooms cleaned daily? Perhaps not, but we surely do need the common areas cleaned at the same frequency and level of care as was provided during Covid-19. The fact is Covid is not going away, flu season comes every year and yes Virginia there is a risk of Legionella in every large building.
The good that comes out of this revolution in hotel cleaning is we save laundry chemicals and water, reduce labour costs, eliminate some positions entirely and likely a side benefit is the guests don’t complain. It feels normal to have to make your own bed.
The down side is some hotels have come to recognize the huge savings of not actually doing a regular cleaning, only clean where it is absolutely necessary and obvious. The trouble is we loose site of what is necessary and obvious. We recently heard tell of a major hotel not having done a full carpet cleaning of the halls in three years. When it was finally completed the vacuums were full and clogged every 10 minutes. Let’s not even mention the indoor air quality.
Where would we be heading in hotel cleaning?
Robotic co-workers are now a common practice in many hotels. Robot vacuum cleaners, robotic hard surface floor scrubbers, robotic “bell hops” and even robotic food delivery service. No more need to worry about an employee calling in sick or not showing up for a shift. No more pension contributions, workplace injury claims and even the lunch and coffee breaks are gone.
Are these “replacement workers” taking the place of humans, yes. But let’s consider what these robots can not do and what our reduced staff levels can now do because they have the time. Remember the elevator buttons, the door handles and the indoor air quality. That is part of the cleaning protocol we are now again missing. Also take a look at the new, improved equipment that is available to do cleaning. The original Hoover dumped as much dirt back into the air as it picked off the floor. Actually it made things worse. It removed the large particles that couldn’t get into our lungs and made airborne the small particles that could get into our lungs.
Lots to think about and even more to be done to keep our hotels, convention centres, shopping malls and schools clean. Let’s not stop cleaning, let’s not stop demanding a new level of awareness surrounding indoor air quality.
Where would we be without having gone through a pandemic?
