Quick answer: A housekeeping organisation chart shows who reports to whom in the housekeeping department. In a large hotel it runs from the Executive Housekeeper to a Deputy or Assistant Housekeeper, then to supervisors for floors, public areas, linen and uniform room, night shift and desk control, and finally to room attendants, house persons, linen keepers and tailors. Mid-sized hotels merge some posts, and small hotels may run with one housekeeper and a few attendants.
These notes cover BHA105 (Foundation Course in Rooms Division, NCHMCT B.Sc. HHA, Semester 1), Unit 2 "Housekeeping department", including the attributes of housekeeping personnel in keeping with the organisation chart. They follow the NCHMCT syllabus topic and are written as revision notes for IHM students. They are not official NCHMCT study material, so also use your institute's handouts.
Table of contents
- What is a housekeeping organisation chart?
- Housekeeping organisation chart of a large hotel
- Housekeeping organisation chart of a medium-sized hotel
- Housekeeping organisation chart of a small hotel
- Key roles in the housekeeping organisation chart
- Attributes of housekeeping personnel
- Exam tips and likely questions
- Careers: climbing the housekeeping organisation chart
- FAQ: housekeeping organisation chart
What is a housekeeping organisation chart?
An organisation chart is a diagram of the positions in a department and the lines of authority between them. A housekeeping organisation chart tells every staff member three things: who their boss is, who they supervise, and which area they are responsible for. It also helps management plan manpower, write job descriptions and avoid gaps or overlaps in duties.
The shape of the chart depends mainly on the size of the hotel, the number of rooms and public areas, whether the laundry is in-house or outsourced, and how much of the work is contracted out. Before you learn the charts, quickly revise the areas the department looks after in our notes on areas of responsibility of housekeeping.
Why the organisation chart matters
- Clear chain of command: each person reports to one supervisor (unity of command).
- Span of control: shows how many people each supervisor handles.
- Manpower planning: helps calculate how many attendants and supervisors are needed.
- Communication: instructions flow down and reports flow up through the right channel.
- Career map: staff can see the path from attendant to Executive Housekeeper.
Housekeeping organisation chart of a large hotel
Large hotels, such as five-star city hotels and big resorts with several hundred rooms, have the most detailed housekeeping organisation chart. Responsibilities are divided by area and by shift.
| Level | Positions |
|---|---|
| Head of department | Executive Housekeeper (Director of Housekeeping in some chains) |
| Assistant management | Deputy Housekeeper, Assistant Housekeepers |
| Supervisory | Floor Supervisors, Public Area Supervisor, Linen and Uniform Room Supervisor, Night Supervisor, Desk Control Supervisor, Laundry Manager |
| Operative | Room Attendants, House Persons, Public Area Attendants, Linen and Uniform Attendants, Tailors, Night Attendants, Desk Control Assistant |
| Specialists (in-house or contracted) | Florist, Horticulturist, Upholsterer, Pest Control staff |
Remember the line: Executive Housekeeper → Deputy Housekeeper → Assistant Housekeepers → Supervisors → Attendants. In the exam, draw the chart in boxes, keep it neat and label every level.
Housekeeping organisation chart of a medium-sized hotel
Medium hotels, such as many three- and four-star business hotels, keep the same idea but combine posts. There is usually no Deputy Housekeeper, and one supervisor may look after both public areas and linen.
- Executive Housekeeper (or Housekeeping Manager) heads the department.
- Assistant Housekeeper runs daily operations and covers when the head is off.
- Floor Supervisors each check a group of floors.
- Public Area Supervisor may also manage the linen and uniform room.
- Room Attendants, House Persons and Linen Attendants do the operative work.
- Laundry is often outsourced, so there may be no laundry manager.
Housekeeping organisation chart of a small hotel
Small hotels, guest houses and many limited service properties have a very flat housekeeping organisation chart. One Housekeeper or Housekeeping Supervisor may report straight to the General Manager or Front Office Manager.
- Housekeeper / Housekeeping Supervisor: plans, supervises, inspects rooms and controls linen.
- Room Attendants: clean rooms and, in quiet periods, help in public areas.
- House Person: heavy cleaning, carrying linen and supplies.
- Laundry, pest control and deep cleaning are usually handled by outside contractors.
The difference between full service and limited service hotels explains why charts shrink; compare them in our front office notes on hotel chains and brand types.
Quick comparison of the three charts
| Point | Large hotel | Medium hotel | Small hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levels | 4-5 | 3-4 | 2-3 |
| Deputy Housekeeper | Yes | Usually no | No |
| Separate linen and uniform room | Yes, with supervisor | Combined with another supervisor | Managed by the housekeeper |
| Night shift supervisor | Yes | Sometimes | Rare |
| In-house laundry | Often | Sometimes | Rarely |
| Reports to | GM or Rooms Division Manager | Rooms Division Manager or GM | GM or Front Office Manager |
Key roles in the housekeeping organisation chart
Executive Housekeeper
Heads the department. Plans budgets and manpower, sets standards and SOPs, controls inventory of linen, supplies and equipment, trains and appraises staff, and coordinates with front office, engineering and F&B. Our article on planning and organising the housekeeping department explains these management duties in more depth.
Deputy and Assistant Housekeepers
Run daily operations: prepare duty rosters and work allocation, handle VIP rooms and complaints, check reports and stand in for the Executive Housekeeper.
Floor Supervisor
Allocates rooms to attendants, inspects cleaned rooms, updates room status with the front office, reports maintenance problems and guides new attendants.
Public Area Supervisor
Looks after the lobby, restaurants (after hours), corridors, washrooms, offices and back areas, and plans their cleaning schedules.
Linen and Uniform Room Supervisor
Controls the issue and exchange of linen and staff uniforms, stock-taking, par levels and repairs by tailors.
Desk Control Supervisor
Runs the housekeeping control desk: takes guest requests, keeps keys and lost-and-found records, and passes room status to the front office.
Room Attendant and House Person
Room attendants clean and service guest rooms to standard; house persons do heavy cleaning and move supplies. See the full task list in room attendant duties and responsibilities.
Attributes of housekeeping personnel
The syllabus asks for the attributes of housekeeping personnel "in keeping with the organisation chart". That means general qualities every staff member needs, plus extra qualities for each level.
Attributes every housekeeping employee needs
- Honesty and integrity: staff enter guest rooms and handle guests' belongings.
- Attention to detail: a single hair on a pillow can spoil a stay.
- Physical fitness and stamina: the job involves bending, lifting and walking.
- Good grooming and personal hygiene.
- Discretion and respect for privacy: never discuss guests or their rooms.
- Courtesy and a helpful attitude when meeting guests in corridors.
- Punctuality, reliability and teamwork.
- Safety awareness: correct use of chemicals, equipment and lifting techniques.
Extra attributes by level
| Level | Key attributes |
|---|---|
| Executive Housekeeper | Leadership, planning, budgeting, decision-making, people management, knowledge of fabrics, chemicals and interiors |
| Assistant Housekeeper | Organising ability, problem solving, report writing, guest-handling skills |
| Supervisors | Sharp inspection eye, fairness, training skills, communication with front office and engineering |
| Attendants | Speed with quality, following SOPs, honesty, stamina, willingness to learn |
Leadership qualities are covered further in our notes on teamwork and leadership in housekeeping.
Exam tips and likely questions
- Draw at least one housekeeping organisation chart neatly with boxes and lines; use a ruler.
- Say clearly which size of hotel your chart is for: large, medium or small.
- Write two or three duties under each main post.
- For attributes, give general qualities first, then level-wise qualities in a table.
Likely questions (BHA105, Semester 1):
- Draw the housekeeping organisation chart of a large hotel. (10 marks)
- How does the housekeeping organisation chart of a small hotel differ from a large hotel? (5 marks)
- List the attributes of housekeeping staff. (5 marks)
- Write the duties of an Executive Housekeeper. (5 marks)
- Short note: Desk control supervisor. (3 marks)
Careers: climbing the housekeeping organisation chart
The housekeeping organisation chart is also your career ladder. Most freshers start as housekeeping trainees or room attendants, move to floor supervisor, then assistant housekeeper and eventually Executive Housekeeper. Hospitals, malls, airports and cruise ships hire the same skills, as explained in our notes on housekeeping careers from room attendant to executive housekeeper.
- Entry roles: housekeeping trainee, room attendant, public area attendant, linen room attendant.
- Typical pay ranges (indicative only): entry-level housekeeping roles in India often start roughly between ₹10,000 and ₹20,000 a month, and Gulf hotels often add accommodation and meals; pay varies widely by city, hotel and experience.
Browse the latest housekeeping jobs in India, the Gulf and Europe. When you are ready to apply, register free on Hospitality Vacancy so hotels can see your profile.
For official information on hotel management courses and the B.Sc. HHA programme, visit the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology website.
More notes from our study blogs: guest cycle in front office, Indian concept of hospitality (F&B Service) and kitchen brigade system (Food Production).
FAQ: housekeeping organisation chart
Who heads the housekeeping department in a hotel?
The Executive Housekeeper heads the department. Some international chains call the post Director of Housekeeping, and small hotels may simply have a Housekeeper or Housekeeping Supervisor.
Why does a small hotel have a smaller housekeeping organisation chart?
A small hotel has fewer rooms and public areas, so it needs fewer people. Posts are combined and services such as laundry and pest control are usually outsourced.
What does a desk control supervisor do?
The desk control supervisor runs the housekeeping control desk, handles guest requests and complaints, keeps key and lost-and-found records and shares room status with the front office.
What are the most important attributes of housekeeping staff?
Honesty, attention to detail, physical fitness, good grooming, discretion and teamwork are the core attributes. Supervisors and managers also need leadership, planning and training skills.
To whom does the Executive Housekeeper report?
In large hotels the Executive Housekeeper usually reports to the Rooms Division Manager or directly to the General Manager, depending on the hotel's structure.
Read next
- Manpower Planning of Housekeeping
- Role of Housekeeping in Hospitality
- Housekeeping Beyond Hotels: Hospitals, Malls, Cruises (BHA105)
Hospitality Vacancy 👋 The job site built for the Hotel Industry
Looking for your next hotel job, or hiring hotel staff? 🏨
✅ The latest hotel jobs in India, the Gulf and Europe
✅ Hire skilled hospitality candidates fast
✅ 100% free to register
About the author: Sumit Manwal
Sumit Manwal is the founder of Hospitality Vacancy, the job site built for the hotel industry. He is passionate about helping hotel management students and hospitality professionals build successful careers, and connects talented people with hotel jobs across India, the Gulf and Europe. Through these notes he shares practical, easy-to-follow hospitality knowledge so every reader can learn, grow and get hired.
