Room Attendant Description
Room attendants are service workers who assist with the operation and maintenance of an assigned room area. Room attendants work in hospitals, hotels, restaurants, country clubs, cruise ships and other communal facilities. While job duties vary by job category and designated room area, room attendants generally are responsible for maintaining a clean workplace, servicing staff and guests and providing information about the room area.
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Room Attendant Profiles
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Locker room attendants work at country clubs and health and wellness facilities. They clean lavatories, shower stalls and lockers, vacuum carpets and launder towels. Coat room attendants provide coat check services at restaurants and during conventions, trade shows and other events. Game room attendants monitor and supervise game room activities at universities, community centers and other community play facilities. Linen room attendants deal with a facility's soiled linens, process them for cleaning and distribute clean linens to the departments that need them.
Work Environment
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The work hours of room attendants vary by job type and the needs of the facility. The physical demands of the job are sometimes physically strenuous. Room attendants spend a significant amount of time on their feet and occasionally lift and carry heavy equipment. Housekeeping and linen room attendant jobs are higher risk for injuries from cuts, bruises and burns from machines and cleaning chemicals. Certain room attendant duties are also unpleasant, such as cleaning bathrooms, toilets and soiled linens.
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Education and Experience
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Most room attendants do not need any formal education and typically learn their skills through on-the-job training provided by their employers. Room attendants with management or supervisory career aspirations should have a high school diploma and preferably some college experience. Some employers may require specialized industry knowledge. A linen room attendant, for example, may require knowledge of the procedures for the proper handling of dry cleaning chemicals and heavy equipment.
Job Outlook
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Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show slower-than-average employment growth for room attendant occupations. Job openings are available because of workers who leave the service industry and move on to other careers. Employment of housekeeping and linen room attendants are expected to grow by six percent from 2008 to 2018.
Compensation
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According to CareerBuilder.com, room attendants in the United States, who are employed full-time with year-round work schedules, average median annual earnings of $25,810, as of June 2010. The median expected salary for a room attendant in the United States ranges from $20,967 to $36,625.
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References
- Photo Credit customer service image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
