Duty of care. Do you care?
Employee Safety: In Australian law, duty of care is ‘a legal duty to take reasonable care not to cause harm to another person that could be reasonably foreseen.’ A duty of care is even breached when a person is injured because of the inaction, of another person. Employers not only have a moral duty of care for their employees, but they also have a legal duty of care, under workplace health and safety laws.
EMPLOYEE SAFETY: 8 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE BOOKING ACCOMMODATION
So, how might this apply to an employer’s choice of accommodation for an assignee? They should ask themselves a few important questions:
1. Is the building secure?
Does it have security personnel or a concierge, or as a minimum, electronic swipe access? These are all features Convido offers. Our selection process ensures properties are in secure locations with compliant security procedures. Properties are also procured from ethical sources.
2. Is the building compliant?
A building’s cladding and sprinkler protection should be considered when choosing properties. Does it meet local fire safety regulations? All Convido properties meet local fire safety regulations and are also compliant with emergency procedures through residential building management.
3. Are there processes in place to keep guests safe?
Are guests met on arrival? What procedures are in place if things go wrong? Convido proudly offers a personal ‘meet and greet’ service 24/7 – guests will never be left to find a key lock box exterior to the building. Aside from allowing us to provide a warm welcome, this service also enables us to personally show guests around their new home and provide advice on nearby food and entertainment options. Our customer care lines also operate 24/7 and our Guest Services teams are always on hand, to manage maintenance, or deal with emergency issues and relocate guests to alternative accommodation if required.
4. Are suppliers compliant with health regulations?
Is there a standard linen and cleaning suppliers must meet? Convido’s suppliers are carefully chosen based on hygiene criteria; linen and cleaning services are of commercial quality, following professional cleaning processes.
5. Is the accommodation experience consistent?
Will guests experience the same level of comfort and service across projects? Convido is proud of its global standards and procedures. The familiarity of our processes and high-quality standard of accommodation, inventory and service also make it easy for repeat guests to settle in quickly and get to work quickly on the project at hand.
6. Is client and guest data being protected?
How is your information being handled? Is your accommodation provider complying with data protection laws? Convido has processes in place to protect client and guest data, and policies on how personal information is collected, accessed, used and disclosed across the organisation.
7. Does the accommodation supplier have public liability insurance?
What level of cover does the operator have? We recognise the peace of mind that public liability insurance offers employers. Our public liability cover is up to $20,000,000.
8. Has the service provider been certified by relevant industry bodies?
Sometimes quality has to be seen to be believed – but respected third party accreditation is generally a good sign the accommodation you are booking will meet the standards you require. Convido clients can take comfort and reassurance from the fact that Convido is certified by an independent organisation, the UK-based, global certification body, ISAAP. ISAAP has certified Convido accommodation in both Australia and the Philippines as being compliant with local regulations and meeting stringent service requirements. Convido is proud to be certified by the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers and is a Corporate Housing Providers Association member too.
KNOW THE RISKS
If you are looking for value and professionalism in your corporate accommodation supplier, the above questions offer a form of checklist. While on one end of the corporate accommodation industry you will find widespread adherence to local laws and regulations, on the other you will find a varied approach to ‘duty of care’ – particularly when it comes to short-term operators – even the major well-known brands. One major short-term accommodation provider in the UK has 42,000 listings on its website that state that they are not compliant with fire regulations. Others with low security standards, both in Australia and abroad, have been made infamous via the media due to intruder scandals that have left guests seriously harmed and, sadly, in some instances, dead. At Convido, we carefully select our buildings and apartments to meet the policy requirements of our corporate clients, while at the same time going over and above to provide comfort, safety, security and amenity for the guest. If you are considering booking corporate accommodation for an upcoming assignment, why not get in touch.
