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Retaining housekeeping staff has become one of the top pain points in the vacation rental industry. It's no surprise that 47% of managers feel that staffing teams has become more and more challenging in the past two years and 25% feel that filing these shortages is the biggest risk to their business. Operators are bridging the gap by implementing new solutions to ensure their housekeeping staff's hard work is recognized, appreciated, and rewarded. Utilizing internal data client intel, Breezeway has put together 5 Tips to Incentivize and Maintain Housekeeping Staff.
1) Recognize & reward your employees
One of the best (and inexpensive!) incentives is recognition. It is extremely important to recognize your housekeeping staff and reward them to ensure their hard work doesn't go unnoticed. Everyone thrives on being told they are doing a great job, and it boosts productivity, engagement, and overall spirits. Start by implementing a daily affirmation for you staff or creating a program for an employee of the month. Once you have recognized an employee who continuously exceeds your expectations, you will see that thoughtful gestures - no matter the size - go a long way in retaining quality staff.
2) Provide career growth opportunities
Everyone strives to work in an environment where they can learn and grow as their career progresses. Set the tone with your staff by asking them, “Where do you see yourself in the next five years?” This question opens the door to set realistic career growth opportunities as you scale your business. Taking the time out to personally establish career goals with your housekeeping staff shows you truly value their hard work, and how you see them being a part of your company's growth and success.
3) Stop micro-managing
It’s no secret that employees who feel micromanaged show a drastic decline in performance. At times, this overwhelming behavior raises a red flag in the eyes of your staff which then leads to distrust and resentment. Instead, build a foundation of trust with your housekeepers to ensure high quality completion of tasks. Putting employees under unnecessary pressure paves the way for unintentional mistakes. As a manager, building a culture of trust is vital for employees to view you as a mentor that they can confide in as issues arise.
4) Provide flexible schedules
While scheduling housekeepers during peak season can be overwhelming, it’s crucial to be as flexible as possible. Employees who have unique circumstances should be taken into consideration when scheduling. Start by staggering out shifts so your employees can have a healthy work life balance. In the long run, being as flexible as possible will benefit your business when it comes to employee retention.
5) Create a fun atmosphere
Encourage a healthy balance of fun in the workplace for your hardworking housekeepers! In these busy times, company culture for housekeepers can often get swept under the rug (no pun intended!). A great start to keep employee spirits high is with team building activities, friendly work competitions, and monthly team lunches. Planning fun moments like this will immediately boost company culture and most importantly, make your employees look forward to coming into work.
Good News!
Breezeway's property care and operations platform can help retain employees. With tools for intelligent task scheduling, quality assurance, real-time work coordination, guest messaging, supplies management, owner reporting, and more, Breezeway is elevating the experience at every property.
Book a demo to get started!