Imagine your upcoming summer vacation….A nice hotel room…time to relax. No bed-making, dusting, or bathroom-cleaning….Ahhh.
Now…plan to ease the lives of the people who make your stay so pleasant, the hotel workers. Their job-injuries occur twice as often as for others in the service industry and are far more serious. They must meet a room quota, despite faulty equipment and under-stocked supplies. Already understaffed, they don’t get more time to tend to luxuries like in-room exercise equipment or a pillowtop mattress (100+ pounds) and its linens (16 pounds). Most injuries come from strong cleaning agents and repetitive motions. Because these people need their jobs—and are very proud of their profession—the industry takes advantage.
Next vacation, keep their heavy workload in mind and don’t be a slob just because you can. Be patient about when your room is cleaned and get out of their way while they’re there. When leaving, pile used towels in the shower and toss garbage items into the trash can rather than the tables and floors. These little things, which take no time or real effort from you, save the cleaning staff substantial time and work when spread over the large number of rooms they’re expected to clean in a shift. And it’s only basic consideration for others.
Oh yes, one more thing: when you see the person who cleaned your room, show your appreciation for making your vacation more pleasant by giving them a smile and a warm “thank you.”