How Hotel Housekeeping is a Wonderful Job for People with an Intellectual Disability

Camilla Yang • April 29, 2024

At ahs hospitality, people are at the heart of everything we do. We champion diversity and employ wonderful hard-working people regardless of their disability, background or circumstance.


Recently we hired our first candidate, Yuwie, from Barkuma, a specialist Disability Employment Service provider that operates in Adelaide and works with people with a disability – including Intellectual Disability, Learning Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome, to support them in finding and securing long term work.

We had a chat with Devi, our Housekeeping Manager from one of our contracted hotels in South Australia to learn about ahs hospitality’s involvement with Barkuma, the importance of diverse hiring within hospitality and how ahs hospitality creates a positive and safe environment for people like Yuwie to be happy and successful in their roles. 

ahs hospitality: What inspired ahs hospitality’s partnership with Barkuma?


Devi: This project is a result of a government grant to Flinders University here in Adelaide where the university created a diversity employment pathways program for people with intellectual disabilities to have the opportunity to work in the hospitality and retail space. They partnered with many disability providers like Barkuma to provide work opportunities.


I, along with selected other hospitality and retail senior managers in Adelaide were approached to participate in the program. I thought it was a fantastic opportunity and another way for our business to highlight that we champion our diverse hiring so I asked our Managing Director, Leanne Graham, if the business would participate. With approval to proceed, I have since been highly active in taking the lead in ahs hospitality’s participation within the program by developing housekeeping roles that a person with an intellectual disability will feel supported, comfortable and thrive in. These discussions begun in 2023 where we were initially identifying a task that someone with an intellectual disability could perform systematically.


ahs hospitality: ahs hospitality champions diverse hiring. How important do you believe is it to provide employment opportunities in the hotel hospitality industry for people with disability?


Devi: It’s fantastic that at ahs hospitality, everyone receives an equal employment opportunity. I believe that every team should have at least 2 diverse workers - they bring so much harmony to the team and become a good example for other team members. These workers do every task with care and passion and are appreciative of having a job.


ahs hospitality: We have recently employed our first candidate through Barkuma – what was that like and how well have they settled into the job and within the housekeeping team?


Devi: Yuwie joined the team last month after completing two successful trial shifts and he was assisted by a support person at Barkuma, along with myself. I am happy to report that he is incredibly happy, settling in well and is enjoying his regular morning shifts as a linen runner where he works closely with the Houseman 3 days a week. His tasks are to empty the linen cages, take them up to the floors and then tidy the shelves. Yuwie completes this task as outlined within his scope of works, and he absolutely loves it.  


What makes him happy is his new routine, he can finish the task and that he loves the workplace and people. Other workers, including the hotel General Manager at the hotel are very welcoming and supportive of him and comment on his happy and positive energy. He is affectionately known as the ‘happy chap’ at the hotel - we all think he is the happiest linen runner in Australia!


ahs hospitality: What do you think makes hotel housekeeping a great and rewarding job for people with disability?


Devi: In housekeeping there are tasks that are systematic and routine which is good for people with intellectual disability. And in the hospitality space you often see a diverse workforce where you can learn from each other. In hotel housekeeping we are all about that as well as always looking for loyal appreciative workers who want to learn new skills and contribute to something bigger.


ahs hospitality: What makes ahs hospitality a supportive employer for people with disability?


Devi: At ahs hospitality we work with many job service providers to give people regardless of their disability, background, or circumstance housekeeping opportunities. We will identify or create a role that they will thrive in as well as complements the team in achieving our goals and targets. We love creating a positive culture where everyone feels like they belong in the team.


ahs hospitality: Are we looking into employing more candidates through Barkuma?


Devi: Yes we are! I am currently looking at other tasks that people with intellectual disabilities can do where they can confidently execute quality work and productivity such as cleaning pantries and vacuuming floors. Yuwie’s excellent work is a great example of someone with an intellectual disability who is working really well with our housekeeping team at our hotel in Adelaide – he is a great asset, and we love having him on the team!

ahs hospitality Commits to Workplace Safety and Prevention of Sexual Harassment

By Camilla Yang • 9 May 2025
At ahs hospitality, the safety and well-being of our people come first. As part of our ongoing commitment to building respectful, inclusive, and harassment-free environments across Australia and New Zealand, we are proud to share our strengthened Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan. This initiative is about more than compliance, it’s about culture. We want every employee to feel safe, supported, and empowered, no matter where they work. That means taking proactive, meaningful steps to identify risk, educate teams, and foster environments built on trust and mutual respect. Why It Matters? Sexual harassment is unlawful and unacceptable under any circumstances. It refers to unreasonable, uninvited, or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that makes someone feel offended, humiliated, or threatened. Importantly, it does not need to be directed at a specific individual or intended to cause harm to be considered harassment. Sexual harassment can occur between any individuals, regardless of gender, and can take place both in and outside the workplace, including on-site, online, or at work-related events. We understand that power imbalances and fear of retaliation can make it difficult for individuals to speak up. That’s why we’re building a workplace culture where reporting is safe, respected, and supported—and where prevention is a shared responsibility. What We’ve Reviewed To strengthen our prevention plan, we began by thoroughly reviewing our existing policies, training, and risk controls to ensure alignment with current laws and best practices. Through internal consultations and risk assessments, we confirmed strong foundational practices already in place, including: A comprehensive Respect at Work policy Equal Employment & Anti-Discrimination policy Anti-Bullying & Victimisation policy Workplace Mental Health policy Health & Safety Commitments Statement Behaviour in the Workplace training Anonymous reporting hotline Regular site risk assessments and inspections

Housekeeping Secrets: Create a Spa-Like Retreat at Home with Hotel-Inspired Cleaning

By Camilla Yang • 11 April 2025
April has arrived, and with it comes school holidays, Easter celebrations, and a well-earned chance to relax. If you're not heading away, why not turn your home into the ultimate staycation spot? At ahs hospitality, we know a thing or two about creating fresh, inviting spaces. Now we're sharing our favourite tips to help you bring that hotel-level luxury into your everyday — because you deserve a little self-care this holiday season. 1. Clear the Clutter The first step to creating a peaceful, spa-like atmosphere at home is simplicity. Hotels and Spas achieve that calming effect with clean surfaces, neatly folded towels, and minimal visual clutter. Start by doing a quick reset in your bedroom or bathroom — clear the countertops, fold blankets, and put things back in their place. A tidy space instantly feels more luxurious and inviting.

Adapting to New Zealand’s Shoulder Season: Effective Strategies for Managing Housekeeping Labour Fluctuations

By Camilla Yang • 18 March 2025
As New Zealand transitions from the bustling summer months into autumn’s shoulder season, the hospitality industry faces fluctuating occupancy rates that directly impact housekeeping operations. With fewer guests checking in, but an ongoing need to maintain high cleanliness standards, hotels need to adjust staffing levels and workflows to match demand while keeping efficiency high. Here are a range of tips to help you resolve the cleaning staff fluctuations. Understanding the Shoulder Season Shift The shoulder season is the transition between peak and off-peak travel, presenting both challenges and opportunities for hotels. With lower occupancy rates, this period offers the perfect chance to shift focus toward deep cleaning and facility maintenance in preparation for the next busy season. Staffing adjustments also become essential, ensuring a balance between operational efficiency and labour costs. Instead of seeing this time as a slowdown, hotels can leverage it as a strategic window to refine operations and optimise workforce management, ultimately setting the stage for long-term success.

5 Easy Tips to Keep Your Workspace Clean and Refreshing

By Camilla Yang • 16 February 2025
We get it—between back-to-back meetings and endless emails, keeping your workspace clean often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. But a tidy office not only boosts productivity but also creates a positive impression for clients and employees. At ahs hospitality, we believe a clean workspace leads to sharper minds and happier teams. Ready to refresh your workspace? Here are some easy and practical cleaning tips to help you maintain a clean workspace (and yes, we’ll help you keep it spotless too!). 

Housekeeping 2025: Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality

By Camilla Yang • 22 January 2025
Housekeeping 2025: Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality As we step into 2025, the world of housekeeping is evolving rapidly, driven by new technology, sustainable practices, and innovative workforce solutions. In this blog, we’ll uncover the must-know trends in housekeeping, revealing how they empower businesses to stay ahead in this dynamic landscape. Let’s dive in!
Auckland Skyline

Where To Stay and Play In New Zealand

By ahs hospitality • 18 October 2024
As New Zealand’s leading provider of outsourced housekeeping, we have the pleasure of working with some of the top hotels across the stunning North and South Islands, all placed near the country’s most iconic tourist destinations. Whether you're gearing up for a quick business trip and want to maximise your downtime or planning a well-deserved weekend getaway, we’ve gathered the best places to stay in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown - along with must-see attractions and experiences that are guaranteed to provide the ultimate New Zealand adventure.

How ahs hospitality can support your cleaning needs in New Zealand

By Camilla Yang • 3 October 2024
Whether you manage a hotel, student accommodation site, or commercial property, our goal is to provide professional cleaning services that complement your business operations and ensure your property looks its very best.

5 Signs Your Hotel Should Consider Outsourcing Housekeeping Services

By ahs hospitality • 21 August 2024
As the New Zealand hotel industry faces ongoing challenges, many hoteliers across the country are rethinking how they manage their hotel operations. With the housekeeping department a critical component in delivering guest satisfaction, outsourcing your hotel housekeeping services can provide your hotel with significant advantages. Whether your hotel is dealing with staff shortages, cost efficiencies, difficulty finding skilled workers, or the growing demand from guests for sustainable practices, outsourcing your housekeeping department could be the solution you need. Here are five signs that your hotel should consider outsourcing housekeeping services. 1. Your housekeeping department is experiencing staff shortages or high turn over If your internal housekeeping department regularly faces staff shortages or a high turnover, consider partnering with an outsourced housekeeping company that offers a labour hire solution . As a hotelier, not only does this alleviate your need to recruit and train new housekeepers, but it also means that you have access to trained and experienced hotel housekeepers when you require them. This flexibility is also beneficial when your hotel is experiencing an unexpected high occupancy period, or when your housekeeping staff call sick. With experienced hotel housekeepers only a phone call away, engaging with an outsourced housekeeping company who offers a labour hire service will help your hotel maintains its consistent service standards. At ahs hospitality, hoteliers can engage our trained housekeeping workforce at an hourly rate for minimum 4-hour shift. 2. Your hotel is experiencing cost pressures and rising operational costs With inflation and rising commodity prices driving up the costs of operations for many hotels, it is important to review and manage operational costs without compromising the quality of your hotel’s hospitality service. Outsourcing areas of a hotel’s operations like the housekeeping department is often a cost-effective solution as it means you can budget for the service delivery, with the outsourced housekeeping company taking ownership of the recruitment, labour, equipment and other housekeeping operational costs, as well as management of operational performance. At ahs hospitality, we have the expertise to manage hotel housekeeping teams effectively and efficiently so hotels can concentrate on their other business operations. 3. Your hotel is finding is difficult to find skilled workers Finding skilled and experienced hotel housekeepers is often a difficult task. By engaging with an outsourced housekeeping company, who specialise in recruiting, training and developing housekeepers to work in hotels, you no longer need to worry about searching for skilled housekeepers yourself! At ahs hospitality, we have dedicated quality and training managers who will support our housekeepers in striving for continuous improvement in delivering quality cleaning services for your hotel. 4. Your hotel guests are demanding sustainable hotel practices Today’s hotel guests expect hotels to adopt sustainable practices and to partner with outsourced housekeeping companies that prioritise environmental responsibility. At ahs hospitality we have reviewed our supply chain and as part of our housekeeping practices, we now use sustainable equipment and chemicals . We encourage hoteliers to contact us to learn more about how we are continuing to take the more environmentally friendly approach to housekeeping that does not compromise on the delivery of service. 5. Your hotel is experiencing inconsistent housekeeping services If you are noticing inconsistencies in the cleaning services of your current housekeeping department, it may be an indication that your internal housekeeping processes are not working effectively. By partnering with an outsourced housekeeping company, you are working with a team with specialised knowledge and experience in managing housekeeping for hotels. At ahs hospitality we have strong standard operating procedures (SOPs) designed to ensure consistent service delivery for our clients so you can expect high cleanliness results every time.

Outsourced Housekeeping and More at AHICE Aotearoa 2024

By Camilla Yang • 9 August 2024
ahs hospitality is pleased to announce its Teal Sponsorship and attendance at AHICE Aotearoa, hosted by HM Magazine.
Hotel Housekeeper cleaning a room and bringing fresh towels

8 Top Benefits of Partnering with a Professional Housekeeping Company for Hotels

By Camilla Yang • 15 July 2024
In today’s highly competitive hotel accommodation industry, reducing operational costs whilst maintaining a clean and inviting environment is crucial to maintain a healthy stream of return guests. For hotels in Australia and New Zealand, partnering with a professional outsourced housekeeping company can provide numerous financial and operational benefits, as well as a strong peace of mind. Here, we explore the top eight benefits of partnering with a professional housekeeping company like ahs hospitality. 1. Access to Specialised Expertise Professional housekeeping companies like ahs hospitality have specialised knowledge , experience and expertise in how to run a housekeeping department effectively and efficiently. As an outsourced housekeeping company, we know how to maintain high standards of cleanliness in hotels of all sizes. We train our housekeepers in the best cleaning techniques, provide them with safe and eco-friendly products, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. 2. Cost Efficiency Outsourcing housekeeping services through professional housekeeping companies can be more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house team. Hotels can save on expenses related to recruitment, training, salaries, benefits, and equipment. At ahs hospitality, we will take care of recruitment, training, insurance, work cover, salaries, and housekeeping equipment. We have our own dedicated Human Resources, Marketing, Legal, Safety and Performance teams ready to provide a comprehensive support network for each of our hotel partners. Additionally, hotels can opt for hybrid or labour hire solutions during peak seasons, or high occupancy periods, ensuring flexibility and efficient resource management. 3. Flexibility and Scalability To Suit Demand One of the significant advantages of partnering with a professional housekeeping company like ahs hospitality is the flexibility in services we offer. By working with an outsourced housekeeping company, hotels can scale their housekeeping services up or down based on occupancy rates and seasonal demand. For instance, during peak seasons or special events, hotels can hire additional staff through labour hire solutions . Conversely, during quieter periods, they can reduce the number of housekeeping staff, optimising operational efficiency. 4. Improved Staff Management Managing an in-house housekeeping team can be challenging and time-consuming. Outsourcing this function allows hotel management to focus on core activities such as guest relations and strategic planning. Professional housekeeping companies handle all aspects of staff management, pay roll and administration that involves their housekeepers. This ensures a consistently high standard of service that will have a positive flow on effect to high guest satisfaction. 5. Consistency and Reliability Professional housekeeping companies are committed to providing a consistent and reliable professional cleaning service. They have established protocols and quality control measures to ensure that every cleaning task meets the highest cleanliness standards. This reliability is crucial for ensuring that guests have a consistently pleasant experience during their stay. Hotels can count on these companies like ahs hospitality to deliver the same level of service every time. Remember outsourced housekeeping companies are single handedly experts in keeping your hotel clean and tidy! 6. Access to Advanced Cleaning Equipment Professional housekeeping companies invest in the right cleaning equipment and products. By partnering with these companies, hotels can benefit from advanced cleaning technologies without the need for sourcing these themselves. This includes specialised equipment for deep cleaning, and eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Access to such resources ensures that the hotel is thoroughly cleaned and maintained to the highest standards. 7. Risk Management and Compliance Compliance with health and safety regulations is critical in the hospitality industry. Professional housekeeping companies are well-versed in these regulations and ensure that all cleaning practices adhere to the required standards. This reduces the risk of non-compliance and potential legal issues. Additionally, these companies often carry insurance to cover any injuries, accidents, or damages that may occur, providing an added layer of protection for hotel owners and managers. 8. Enhanced Guest Experience A clean, inviting and well-maintained hotel directly impacts guest satisfaction. Professional housekeeping companies like ahs hospitality bring expertise and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every room and public area is looking its very best. This high standard of cleanliness can significantly enhance the guest experience , leading to positive reviews, higher ratings, and increased bookings. In a region where tourism is a vital industry, such as Australia or New Zealand, maintaining positive guest reviews is essential for success. Indeed, partnering with a professional housekeeping company like ahs hospitality offers numerous benefits for hotels in Australia and New Zealand. From enhancing guest experience and cost efficiency, to providing flexibility and specialised expertise, these partnerships can significantly improve the overall operation and reputation of a hotel. In a competitive industry outsourcing housekeeping services is a strategic move that can provide substantial operational and financial rewards. Explore all of ahs hospitality’s housekeeping services here . Looking to partner your hotel with ahs hospitality, get in touch with us here .
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