People First. Safety First.
At Heart of the House, putting people first is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why the health and safety of our associates and clients has been—and always will be—our number-one priority.
The pandemic has created extra challenges for all of us. And as states and businesses begin to reopen, we are taking extraordinary steps to ensure safe and compliant work environments for everyone we serve.
The first, and most important step, is the development of our People First | Safety First initiative.
This plan, designed with a single focus—safety—is accomplishing two goals:
- Educating and protecting our associates so they can safely get back to work
- Supporting and protecting our clients so they can safely get back to business
Here’s how People First | Safety First is helping the hospitality and healthcare industries move forward:
Leadership
The coronavirus has put us all in uncharted waters. Navigating through it requires leadership, responsiveness, and collaboration.
We created a COVID-19 Consortium to chart our company’s course and to provide guidance to clients and associates. The team, composed of Heart of the House Executives, industry experts, and strategic consultants, collaborates daily to analyze real-time information from the CDC and WHO, take decisive action, and deliver clear communications on what our associates and clients need to do to stay safe and healthy as business resumes.
Associate Education and Training
Today, the best defense we have against coronavirus spread is knowledge. Our Safety-First Certification Program trains, tests and certifies all associates in COVID-19 awareness and safety.
Certification requires that the associate take and pass our COVID-19 Awareness and Prevention and COVID-19 Cleaning & Disinfection Certification Courses. These courses teach:
- Proper use and disposal of PPEs
- Social distancing and self-isolation rules
- Hand washing and respiratory etiquette
- Symptom awareness and reporting
- Using disinfectants according to manufacturer instructions
- How to clean and disinfect high-touch surface areas
In addition, we are working directly with clients to develop custom training that meets the safety and compliance requirements of their hotels and facilities. Specialized training programs include housekeeping, food and beverage, and janitorial.
Client Education and Training
Instilling trust in guests and staff is more important than ever. While some hotels and medical facilities we support have defined a COVID-19 action plan, others have turned to us for expertise and guidance as they create their own.
Heart of the House has a team of Safety Certified Trust Ambassadors who are helping hotels and medical facilities construct plans to resume operations safely. We work with everyone from executive leadership to managers and staff, and help them develop COVID-19 safety procedures and cleaning guidelines including:
- Proper use and disposal of PPEs
- Work arrival and departure safety procedures
- COVID-19 pre-screening and symptom reporting
- Cleaning and disinfection best practices for guest rooms and public spaces
- Contact tracing
For businesses who already have COVID-19 safety and cleaning policies in place, our Trust Ambassadors make sure all associates working at the property or facility are trained on the policies and adhere to them.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
COVID-19 safety requires knowing what personal protective equipment to use and making sure that equipment is readily available. Heart of the House provides our associates with the following PPEs whenever necessary. These items include, but are not limited to:
- Face masks
- Gloves
- Hand sanitizer
- Thermometers
- 6 Feet Apart Pins
- Clear sealable bags for personal items
Some clients prefer to provide their own PPEs. When that is the case, Heart of the House checks to make sure each PPE meets our requirements for associate safety.
Continuous Communication
While signs of stability are promising, the coronavirus pandemic is an ever-changing landscape. Heart of the House is committed to listening to leading health authorities and acting on their guidance. We will continue to communicate with our clients and associates—to give them the guidance and support they need, and to ask for their feedback on what we can do to improve.
People First | Safety First. Together, we can build trust, ensure safety, and keep the hospitality and healthcare industries on the right path to recovery. We appreciate your loyalty and thank you for your partnership as we take on the challenges ahead.