Lodging Engineer
make the effort, it will pay off in the long those involved in the process as well. the very penny how many thousands of
run and make you a valuable asset to
There will be times you will be instructed
dollars less they would earn each year on
management. As a department manager
to implement polices in your department
a 37-hour work week instead of 40. The
or supervisor it is important that you train
that are contrary to local or industry
potential to lose the entire crew to the sur-
the staff on what they need to know and
standards. Once a Chief told me during
rounding properties abruptly brought this
show your support by making resources
better economic times when good main-
policy to an end. Dealing with situations
within reach so they can take care of
tenance personnel were very hard to re-
such as this have a positive side, because
things without hesitation. After it becomes
cruit and his pay scale was average for
someday you may be asked to step up to
exhausting with non-productive staff, it
his comp set, he was asked to eliminate
the next level and the mistakes that you
is time to set a time line for evaluation to
all overtime. His overtime issue had oc-
have seen from newly promoted bosses
prevent further damage and preserve the
curred that week due to emergency guest
that so frustrated you in the past have
strength of the department. We all want
room issues during a full house on the
actually become part of your own expe-
to do our best and try our best, but only
last day of the pay week. So to prevent
rience and you will not be making those
the best in all of us will help us succeed in
all overtime, he was instructed to follow
same mistakes.
every department. Wish you all the best
a new policy for every line employee in So this leads us into how to hire good
in success and continue to go beyond ex-
his department, the implementation of a personnel in the hospitality industry. We
pectations, we in management see it as
37-hour workweek (the same as the front should never let a flashy a resume be-
well as our guests. Link in the team. All
desk). At that time all of the competing guile us. Just remember a guy who has
of us know as leaders of our own depart-
hotels in the area were running 40-hour worked, as the steadfast Assistant Chief
ments that the greatest tool for success
schedules in their maintenance depart- in Kalamazoo, MI or Normal, IL for seven
is the guidance we provide to those that
ments. His crew’s reaction was, “Great years may be a better bet than someone
we supervise. When you are involved
we will be home a half hour early every who went here and there. Maybe spend-
in creating a plan with the team let your
day.” However, the next day his shop ing three months in LA and ten minutes at
expertise shine through. Whether it is a
was nearly a repeat of the scene in the a big casino in Vegas and then on and on
monthly action plan or a five year Rock-
original Frankenstein movie, when the to flashier and flashier locations doesn’t
efeller style plan, as those blank areas on
villagers stormed the castle with torches always mean the person is a good candi-
the page are filled in with things that you
and pitchforks. After speaking with their date for employment or will perform well
have contributed, know that you are also
spouses the night before every member for you. Until next issue. null
involved in building the knowledge of all
of the maintenance department knew to
PAGE 11 | Winter 2009 / 2010 | Lodging Engineer
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