Executive Housekeeping Today - February 2008 - (Page 15) feature Since your staff is the best form of marketing for your facility, it’s important for your housekeepers to learn English in order to communicate with other employees and guests that visit the facility. the different ESL learning levels until they meet the departmental comprehension and speaking criteria. When this criteria is met, the staff member is then graduated and mentored by the ESL educator for further referrals and if they need help with citizenship,” says McGee. ESL Workplace Solutions LLC, an ESL training company located in Henderson, NV, is just one of the many companies that offers classes for housekeeping departments such as McGee’s. Workplace ESL Solutions has taught English to thousands of housekeepers over the past 14 years from countries such as Bosnia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Bulgaria, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, West Africa, Vietnam, Cuba, and the Philippines. The company also offers a “train-thetrainer” program to help teach staff to hold ESL classes in-house. “Offering workplace ESL training to housekeepers helps everyone do their jobs better, as the employees learn specific English that allows them to more effectively communicate with co-workers, customers, supervisors, and guests,” says Ronna Timpa, President of Workplace ESL Solutions LLC. While ESL classes are one way to aid in training and communicating with foreign-born staff, another way to train anyone at a facility is through the buddy system method. “All of our training at my facility is done using the buddy system. The buddy is someone who has been chosen because they are a role model and have therefore been on an in-house training program where they have learned the skills of training a new hire,” says article Claire Reynard, of the JW Marriott Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Reynard says that since Dubai is a multi-cultural city, all the staff in the housekeeping department are from countries outside the United Arab Emirates, due to the fact that the Emirati population is so small compared to the workforce required in the country. Currently, approximately 80% of the population in the UAE are expatriates and 20% are Emirati. There are 14 different nationalities in the housekeeping department at the JW Marriott Dubai, including staff members from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, China, Kenya, Vietnam, Poland, Spain, Canada, and Lebanon; therefore a couple of different methods are used in order to break the language barri(continued on next page) “I’m sick of being grilled about replacing my carts.” MOD carts still deliver after 20 years of punishing service. And our newest 90PSL bulk linen truck works triple-duty — round trip, one-way and as a guest supply cart. It features: • Ferocious disposition – withstands over-the-road abuses • Stunning, luxurious design – smooth in the lobby and on the floor • Built-in security – lockable doors stop thieves • Hinged split top – opens for access, seals for clean transport • Repositionable shelves for soiled return • 100% polyethylene base and body – strong, wipes clean • Rainbow of color choices – coordinates with your facility’s decor Call now for a quote or free brochure. Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. 8 0 0 . 8 2 9 . 4 5 3 5 • w w w. M O D L a u n d r y. c o m February 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 5 http://www.MODLaundry.com http://www.MODLaundry.com
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