Day Porter Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a day porter. Feel free to use our day porter job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a day porter.
Who is a Day Porter?
A day porter is responsible for maintaining order and cleanliness in public spaces. This personnel is often responsible for keeping public areas such as malls, hotels, and offices clean and tidy. Day porters are usually assigned to areas that see a lot of traffic and where most people expect to see dirt and debris. The porter works discretely to make these areas attractive and clean for all who use them or pass through them. This position can have many tasks, including cleaning bathrooms and replenishing paper supplies. They also need to keep hallways and lobbies spotless, maintain exterior buildings and make sure that high-traffic areas are safe.
The specific duties of a day porter will vary depending on his employer’s preferences and needs. He is usually given a list of cleaning tasks and a schedule to follow. This title can be used to maintain high-traffic areas inside and outside buildings, depending on his employer.
This job may require that a person be assigned to a specific area of a building or complex of buildings. He is responsible for keeping the area neat and attractive. He may be responsible for cleaning the restrooms and maintaining the counters and sinks. He is often responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the mirrors and floors, as well as emptying the trash.
A day porter may also be required to clean and keep glass doors and windows free from fingerprints, smudges, and dirt. In this role, he may also be responsible for ensuring safety in public places. He may also be responsible for removing any obstacles that could lead to tripping and fall accidents.
A person can become a day porter without any specific educational requirements. However, employers may prefer individuals with high school diplomas or equivalents, as well as the ability read and follow directions. A person who has worked in janitorial positions may be more likely to get hired. A lot of companies will offer on-the-job training to newly hired porters.
The duties of the Day Porter vary depending on the facility they are servicing. As an integral part of a fully managed facility service, the Day Porter works with the Night Cleaning Team.
Day porters are not only valuable team members who clean the facility, but also contribute to its image and make sure that tenants, employees, and customers are happy. As a Facility Manager, your day porter is an invaluable resource. They keep your facility clean and tidy by helping you to tick off tasks that could quickly become overwhelming.
Day Porter Job Description
Below are the day porter job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a day porter job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a day porter include the following:
- Ensuring that the building is orderly and clean by doing housekeeping tasks like vacuuming floors, changing sheets on beds, and washing windows.
- Making sure to clean up after yourself.
- Collecting rent payments from tenants and other income sources for the building owner
- Providing concierge services such as answering phones and greeting guests.
- Cleaning common areas such as stairwells and lobbies, toilets, and other areas in a building
- Notifying landlords about maintenance problems, such as broken windows or leaks in ceilings, is important.
- Stocking supply cabinets with soap, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.
- Opening the doors to guests and welcoming them at reception
- Maintaining security by watching for possible intrusions and patrolling the hallways.
- Maintaining cleanliness in the hotel lobby, amenities, and other public areas
- Assisting guests with their luggage and greeting them at the hotel’s entrance.
- Assisting passengers in loading and unloading their bags at airports and onboard cruise ships
- Performing and completing minor repairs and maintenance such as changing light bulbs or fastening loose bolts
- Communicating with the building management regarding the maintenance team’s supply needs
- Serving guests who are in dire need of custodial assistance
- Cleaning, servicing, and monitoring washrooms.
- Responding to major spillages or other cleaning emergencies.
- Taking out all rubbish and litter from the main rooms.
- Ordering supplies needed for the maintenance of the facility
Day Porters are responsible for cleaning places like:
- Parking lots
Day porters are responsible for maintaining clean parking lots. To remove debris, they sweep the lot daily. The parking lot is also cleaned by porters monthly.
The day porter should notify his supervisor if there is a problem with the parking lot, such as cracks and potholes. Property management can then be contacted directly to make repairs as quickly as possible.
- Foyer and reception area
The reception area is often the first thing a visitor sees when they enter your building. The reception area is a reflection of your company’s image. Day porters must keep the place spotless.
- Kitchen, pantry, and lounge
These are the places where employees often hang out. They can make coffee, make food, and even smoke. Rodents and cockroaches can be attracted to leftovers and crumbs. Overnight, rotten food can cause a foul odor. These areas have to be monitored by a day porter who will ensure that everything is in order.
- Cleaning Sidewalks and Emptying Garbage
Commercial buildings’ sidewalks and walkways accumulate trash and other debris. They must be regularly cleaned to keep the building’s exterior looking clean. Day porters clear out dumpster areas and remove trash can liners.
Porters also empty ashtrays and change sand as necessary. The porters also clean the sidewalk, including newspaper dispensers and benches.
- Tending Flower Beds
Extensive flower beds add color and visual appeal to outdoor commercial spaces. Day porters ensure that flower beds are well-tended. The day porter also water flowers and clears flower beds. They also place pine straw or mulch around plants. Regularly, the plants in the flower beds must be replaced.
Day porters work with property management to identify the best replacement plants and then change the plants. Dead plants are properly disposed of.
- Toilets
The germ-laden environment of office bathrooms is a breeding ground for germs. Employees can get sick from dirty toilets and sinks, which can lead to a negative image of your company.
Your scheduled maintenance should not be interrupted if you need to clean your restrooms daily. Day porters have a vital duty to clean the sinks, toilets, and lavatory fixtures as well as cubicle partitions and walls.
Day porters are also responsible for:
- Dusting
if dust is allowed to settle on desks, it can cause allergic reactions. It can also cause damage to sensitive electronics in the server rooms. Day porters clean the ceiling of cobwebs and dust from fans, light fixtures, and chandeliers.
- Vacuuming
Blinds, curtains, and drapes are excellent at trapping dirt and dust. They can be kept clean and healthy by vacuuming them every day.
- Flooring
The floor is one of the most used parts of an office building. As they move about high-traffic areas, people leave the soil, dirt, mud, and even water. Sludge and grime can lead to permanent damage if they aren’t removed.
- Cleaning windows
What do people see when they pass your building? Clear, shiny windows or dirty glass panes? Clean windows make a great impression on potential clients. For a healthier and more pleasant work environment, clean windows let in more sunlight.
- Water and light fixtures
Every day, hundreds of people touch the sink faucets and light switches. It is crucial to disinfect the fixtures after cleaning. These fixtures shouldn’t spread germs from one person to another and cause illness to your staff members.
Qualifications
Education
Employers prefer candidates with a minimum high school diploma or equivalent. However, no formal education is necessary. Employers may prefer candidates with a bachelor’s or higher education, although porters do not need to have any formal education.
Training
Most porters receive on-the-job training between one and three months to help them understand their environment. They might learn how to use certain equipment, offer services to customers or guests, and be familiar with cleaning procedures and safety standards. Porters with prior experience in customer service and maintenance may be able to integrate more quickly into their job.
Certification
Porters may be required to obtain certifications. However, this is not a requirement.
- Green Cleaning Certification (GCC).
The International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association offers this certification. It assesses the professional’s knowledge and ability to use eco-friendly cleaning techniques. To earn their certification, interested professionals can complete the five-hour training and take the one-hour exam.
- Customer Service Certification (CSC).
This certification is also offered by IJCSA. It trains maintenance professionals to provide quality customer service in a variety of hospitality settings. To earn credentials, interested professionals must pass a 30-minute exam.
- CHC Certified Hotel Concierge
This guest services certification is offered by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. It helps to evaluate a professional’s ability in a variety of hospitality settings to provide a wide range of customer service. This certification is available to a porter who works in a resort or hotel. It can also be used to advance your career in hospitality.
Essential Skills
- Physical stamina
Many of the responsibilities of day porters involve lifting, carrying, and standing for extended periods. A porter can move around the luggage of guests or do maintenance work for a whole shift. To this, the day porter must be physically fit.
- Customer service skills
Day porters are often present with guests when they unload and load their luggage. They may also be approached during their duties to assist with maintenance or custodial issues. A porter can provide the best customer service and attitude when dealing with guests.
- Mechanical skills
Day porters are often needed to perform basic maintenance and repair tasks at their workplace. These tasks can be completed by mechanically-skilled porters who can work independently and quickly fix small problems. These professionals can also identify larger problems that require more skilled maintenance staff.
- Organization skills
Day porters spend a lot of time making sure their workplace is clean, regardless of the number of visitors or guests who visit. A well-organized porter will know how to efficiently handle multiple custodial tasks, and how to complete them quickly.
- Flexibility
Day porters may have to shift between different tasks in a short period. They must also be able to adapt to new responsibilities. Flexible porters might find it easier to transit between custodial work, maintenance work, and luggage work.
How to Become a Day Porter
Some requirements are needed if you want to become a day porter. Employers prefer applicants who speak English fluently and have a High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED). To further your career, you may be able to take courses in cleaning. Because this job can be physically demanding, you should be healthy and fit. It is also important to have excellent interpersonal skills. You may be required to do various maintenance and cleaning tasks as a day porter. Knowing how to use different cleaning products and devices can help you in this type of job.
Day porters are required to speak fluent English by most businesses and companies. However, this can vary depending on where you live. A good rule of thumb for day porters is fluency in the local language. This will allow you to understand the instructions of your employer and make it easier for you to write down your duties as they are performed.
Day porters usually do not need to have any formal education. Employers prefer candidates who have completed high school. It could be an advantage to have a GED or high school diploma.
There may be opportunities for you to earn a qualification while working, depending on where you live. To help your career, you can complete National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), levels in the UK. These courses can be done while you work so they won’t interfere with your daily life. It’s a good idea to get some qualifications if you are interested in becoming a supervisor.
You must be healthy and also be in good physical condition if you wish to be a day porter. You may be required to lift or carry objects and use mops and brushes for extended periods. It is also important that you can stand for significant periods.
Day porters need to have good interpersonal and communication skills. You may need to communicate with your supervisor and with the general public depending on your work environment. This line of work requires you to be able to understand and communicate clearly.
Where to Work
Day porters are employed primarily in service and hospitality businesses, such as hotels, resorts, and airports.
Day Porter Salary Scale
The average national salary for Day Porters is $29,319 in the United States.