To mark Housekeeping Appreciation Week (September 8-14, 2024), HM spoke to some of the top performers in this critical hotel department to find out a bit more about their role.
Name: Irina Rynne
Hotel: Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas
Role: Executive Housekeeper
Tenure: 16 years
Tell us a bit about your career journey.
My journey began 16 years ago, when I first joined as a cleaner in the villas. Before that, I had been a teacher at a prestigious school back home, but none of my qualifications transferred over when I moved to Australia. Still, I was grateful for the opportunity, and before long, I was promoted to team leader, followed by a supervisor role at the hotel. Over the years, I built strong relationships with the Housekeeping Managers and Assistant Managers, and eventually, I was given the opportunity to step into the role of Housekeeping Assistant Manager. From there, I worked my way up to Executive Housekeeper.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I love most is how varied my role is – I’m deeply involved in everything, from working alongside our team to planning rosters for over a hundred associates, managing budgets, forecasting expenses, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. The best part of my job is that no two days are ever the same. Every day brings new challenges, fresh faces, and new energy to the department. It keeps things exciting and dynamic.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your work?
Working in such a remote location means we constantly face worker shortages, and the cost of labour is always something we have to keep an eye on. On top of that, ensuring we maintain our brand standards remains a top priority.
How is technology impacting how you do your job?
Technology has been a great help. We rely heavily on online tools like SharePoint, GXP, Opera, and, of course, good old spreadsheets to help keep everything on track.
What is one thing that would make your job easier?
One thing that could make a world of difference is offering sponsorship for outstanding overseas workers in senior roles, securing them for a longer term – say, three to five years. This would help us save on training costs, and by rewarding these team members, we’d foster a greater sense of loyalty towards the company and department. As Bill Marriott famously said, ‘Putting people first always pays off’.