Reaction Paper from Enderun College student on Liz’s Presentation

Following Liz’ presentation to students at Enderun College Manila, the following paper was submitted by Edrenalyn V. Jarilla

The most interactive talk we’ve had for the whole semester is probably the one of Ms. Liz Lycette of Lycette and Associates, discussing and sharing with us the Housekeeping trends and innovations in the industry. Meeting her previously at 101 honestly got me hooked and excited to hear what she has to share in class on the 12th of March.

With so much enthusiasm and confidence in her field, I believe anyone who’s passionate about pursuing a career in the hospitality industry, would give the Housekeeping Department, another three looks. Had I not been set for F&B at the Peninsula, I would’ve begged to work for and with her. From discussing the new trends of using iPods, microfiber, bed lifting frame system and environmental-friendly solutions, to the inclusion of a debate to keep us engaged, and a couple of take-away insights at the end, I’ll dub it as the best and most organized talk, that is worth recommending to everyone in the field.

What I agree most was when she said how “You can bring a horse to the water, but you can’t force him to drink.” She elaborated on the importance of management as motivating people, and not just about planning, organising, leading and controlling – or the traditional management functions we all know of. I can only spot a few leaders and managers who experts in motivating their team, that often leads to a positive working environment, more productive workforce, and high standard results.

She further convinced us more by showing numerous successful housekeepers, far from what people perceive as housekeepers. I mean, let’s accept it. Most of the students aren’t as interested in Housekeeping as to Front Office, or Sales, or whichever department they’d want to go to. I believe it’s the department that is most looked down on. A great part of the population would think of housekeepers as those who are only cleaning the rooms, the public areas, or, as they, all the dirty work, and menial jobs. But that perception is just so crooked and far-fetched, that it is obviously from those who haven’t given the job a shot. I’m not saying that it’s the best job in the world, but it is something that takes more than just cleaning skills or hard labour as people would put it. I think it’s the most challenging job that only the courageous and wise would be successful at. I was fortunate enough to have tried working in the Housekeeping Department of Le Meridien during my internship. I started as room attendant, working on beds and toilet for a week, helping another room attendant finish the room assignments for that week. Those were the days when I would always find myself lying dead in bed every after shift, but would still have excitement to go to work the following day. I think it’s the staff and bosses that make the department rewarding and worthwhile. It’s all about the morning briefing when bosses would give compliments to the staff, and would give encouraging lines, making it easier for everyone to share their thoughts to improve the department. Being a Floor Supervisor the following week, making all the roster and room assignments for the staff, I realized how complicated it was, and how the process really takes into consideration not just the needs of the hotel but the health and welfare of the workers. It takes more than just checking if they’re doing things right in the rooms, but more like looking after them, checking if they’re still okay or if they need help already.

That said, I believe Housekeeping is all about being a family and team. It’s about taking care and looking after the struggles of one another, for the benefit of everyone. As they say, guests can only sleep in a dirty room once. And what makes guests stay is the cleanliness of the room, made possible by Housekeeping.