Are your housekeepers safe?
A spokeswoman for the Housekeeper Equality Initiative stated, “These working women are afraid if they complain about a guest they won’t be heard, they will be ignored, they will be shamed.” This statement upset me, as I could not envision an organization that would treat any employee’s claim with such lack of seriousness, especially in the litigious world we live in today.
My personal experience has been working for companies that protect the rights of employees and ensure the safety of guests and employees alike. Guests, regardless of the rate they are paying or how much money they make, need to be upheld to the same moral standards and behavior set by society. We also need to ensure that claims by any employee (regardless of level, department or status) are taken very seriously.
I recently watched a movie called “Takers” in which a robbery took place in a bank. The teller, of course, slid on the floor and found the red panic button to press under the desk. Why couldn’t wireless electronic buttons be placed in pockets or hung around necks, like the information commercials for First Alert-related products? I also read that there are companies that are looking into providing these types of devices for their housekeepers should any dangerous situations arise.
What are you doing to ensure that your housekeepers (and other employees) are safe? What is your process when people make claims that they feel unsafe? Please share your thoughts by providing a comment below.