What does a housekeeper do?
Housekeepers are employed by commercial or private individuals and work in hotels, motels or private residences. Their duties will differ depending on the type of employer .
In hotels and similar establishments, a housekeeper is responsible for cleaning guest rooms and ensuring they are sanitary. Duties include emptying bins and restocking toiletries, as well as making beds and ensuring towels and linen are clean.
Housekeepers working in private homes may also need to care for pets, run errands for their employer , iron clothes and wash dishes. Some light cooking duties may also be required.
Housekeeper skills and qualifications
To perform their role well, a successful housekeeper should have the following skills and aptitudes:
- Attention to detail
- Knowledge of cleaning methods
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Good organisational and time management skills
- An appropriate level of physical stamina
- Customer service focus and good interpersonal skills
- Ability to follow directions
Housekeeper experience requirements
Some employers offer practical on-the-job training, while others prefer housekeepers with some degree of professional experience. It is generally expected that a housekeeper will be familiar with detergents and cleaning equipment and have some awareness of cleaning and laundry methods.
With increased experience, a housekeeper will be able to fine-tune their time management skills and, in commercial settings, be able to quickly recreate the same result over and over again in each guest room.
Housekeeper education and training requirements
Housekeepers don’t need to meet any formal education requirements to work in Australia. However, budding housekeepers may benefit from completing a short course leading to the nationally recognised Statement of Attainment in Food Handling.
Other relevant but optional certificates an employer may want their housekeepers to have are the Certificate II in Cleaning or the Certificate III in Hospitality, both offered by TAFE and other registered training organisations.
Housekeeper salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a housekeeper is $30.53 per hour. Housekeeper salaries are largely consistent across various cities in all states and territories, although some hospitality companies pay the housekeepers on their books rates that are slightly above the national average.
Job description samples for similar positions
There are several roles that are similar to that of a housekeeper. Read the descriptions to decide if you need to hire one of these professionals in addition to or instead of a housekeeper:
Housekeeper job description FAQs
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions employers have asked about the housekeeper role:
What makes a great housekeeper?
A great housekeeper is able to work independently and on their own initiative. They will be trustworthy and hard working and have pronounced attention to detail. For example, good housekeepers will be able to spot dust in tricky places that are easy to miss.
What’s more, a successful housekeeper has a proactive attitude and is keen to go the extra mile for their employer or hotel guests. In addition, honesty and trustworthiness are a matter of course for good housekeepers and will ensure their employers can rely on them at all times.
In private households, employers will appreciate a housekeeper who is friendly and polite and gets on well with children and animals if these are present in the home.
Is housekeeper a physically demanding role?
Housekeepers are usually on their feet throughout their shifts and continually perform physical duties such as dusting and cleaning. Folding laundry and making beds are also physically demanding tasks. In addition, some lifting of items and moving of furniture may be required. A housekeeper, therefore, needs to have a reasonable degree of physical fitness and stamina in order to be able to perform their duties throughout their scheduled working hours.
Additionally, housekeepers routinely use cleaning agents and detergents, which may require them to wear gloves or other protective equipment to safeguard their health.
What are the typical working hours of a housekeeper?
The working hours of a housekeeper can vary depending on the type of employer . At hotels and commercial establishments, housekeepers typically work in shifts according to fixed rotas. These housekeepers may work part-time or full-time up to 40 hours per week.
Housekeepers in private households, on the other hand, may be asked to work more flexible schedules and be available on evenings or weekends if required.
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