The 'new rules of engagement'
Government restrictions and ‘stay at home’ measures have stopped people from leaving their homes. In the wake of these unprecedented changes, hoteliers need to look ahead to how people will restart travelling once the coronavirus outbreak is behind us.
As the travel restrictions now in force gradually ease, there will first be a number of individuals who will travel for business and humanitarian purposes. Staycations i.e. drive-to traffic and some leisure business may be the next segments to return to hotels. Group business which was the first to cancel would be the last to come back.
Hoteliers therefore will have a duty to ensure that they offer a clean and virus-free environment to those who seek accommodation and/or meals in their hotels. Doing less and something that can raise the risks of spreading the coronavirus during such times would be irresponsible, unethical and highly damaging to the business.
Less on staff, high on sanitisation
Whilst hotels will operate with less staff and low occupancy, they will be expected to demonstrate a high level of sanitization to help regain travelers’ trust after the pandemic abates. This would require putting in motion countless moving pieces to overcome certain barriers and to get the hotel up and running in a post-coronavirus world.
Those reporting for work must properly wash their hands with hot water and antibacterial soap. Employees must be required to wash their hands hourly and use a 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
Running with less staff can be daunting. This is where accurate ‘demand forecasting’ can greatly enhance a hotel’s labour scheduling during low occupancy. Unlike in the pre - coronavirus period, limited flexibility in transportation and enhanced risk tolerance awareness, travelers will make plans including booking accommodations, definitively early, and stick to them. Hence demand forecasting can be near accurate.
The number of guests staying in the hotel will establish housekeeping needs, patterns of check-ins / check-outs can influence the number of staff needed at the front desk and the number of diners in the restaurant including the service delivery will determine the number of servers. Even the menu in the restaurant can be decisive in terms of the number of cooks in the kitchen.
All of the above can be considered ‘key’ staffing numbers, whereas, there are others such as accounts staff who may be permitted to ‘work from home’ – thereby further reducing payroll related and operational costs. Cutting down on food purchasing according to the predicted number of bookings or covers and the staff on site will further help control inventory and avoid wastage.
Spread out guests, staff and occupied rooms
Assigning rooms to guests will have to follow a pattern of social distancing. Assign rooms at least two guestrooms away from another room that is occupied. Avoid checking -in a guest into a room that had been previously occupied within the past 5 days. Doctors’ estimate that the incubation period before a COVID-19 infected person begins to exhibit symptoms is around 5 days.
For this reason, it may be prudent to use maximum room inventory rather than closing a section of the hotel and using a cluster of rooms or a floor - it can be counterproductive to all other ‘distancing’ protocols the hotel enforces
Stick to ‘Rules of Engagement’
Minimise meetings (consider teleconferencing), cancel internal social gatherings, remind staff to wear face masks, to use sneeze guards, to avoid touching own face, touching guests food, to regularly wash hands and properly, maintain social distancing – even amongst each other.
Stagger work shifts to prevent simultaneous arrival and departures of large groups of employees. Avoid ‘start-of-shift’ briefings; Instead handout written copies of daily briefings. The goal is to minimise staff interaction during the shift. The ideal situation is when staff interacts with only one other employee – the immediate superior.
While in the past working while sick was heroic in certain workspaces, now people realise such actions challenge the sustainability of a business and human health. Staff must not report to work if feeling sick and should immediately report feeling sick when at work.
The above are but a few of many actions based on fact that hotels can diligently follow. They show care and compassion, placing people first, both internally and externally.
Ilzaf Keefahs – writes on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike.
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