Uniforms, uniforms, uniforms: - I still don't have answers to my uniform questions: does a uniform represent job security?  health benefits? a pension? encourage employee loyalty?  I am starting to make a list of all the uniforms that the staff in our hotel complex have.  The inside chaps (front desk and butler services and housekeeping) have beautiful long  neutral brown colour linen tunics over linen trousers and very smart, but comfortable looking, leather clog/sandals.  The head butler also gets a Nehru waistcoat over the top (poor chap, he has to perspire more for the privilege).  It is an extraordinarily flattering outfit for even the 'healthier' staff (of whom there are few).  Anyone wearing this uniform has considerable or excellent mastery of English.  Then there are the restaurant staff and they have long white linen tunics over the neutral coloured linen trousers (a notch less flattering) - also great English.  The outside garden staff have white cotton or linen long smocks over black trousers (must check on their footwear).  The engineers and their assistants who have an army brown short jacket/shirt and trousers and provide their own black shoes, 'good morning, Ma'am' vocabulary.  The window washing chaps just have white shirts and black trousers.  The security guards are different again and the drivers also have their own outfits.  Lounge waiters have lovely red and white striped shirts in black trousers and long, long, Italian white aprons. :)  Ladies' spa personnel have white mid length tunics over white trousers and the gym attendants and trainers as well as the poolside attendants have a sporty linen blend training suit.  I am sure I've missed some. 

There is definitely some connection between uniform and role and hierarchy.  A couple of weeks ago Bert and I were in one of the coffee places when the young waiter lost his balance and poured one of our cold drinks over Bert and our table.  Young chap was clearly embarrassed but made no move to help us, clean us up, or clean up the area.  Bert and I shifted to another table using napkins to clean up the worst and wondered how things would unfold.  It was a busy afternoon, customers were looking for places to sit, yet it was fully five minutes before a young man appeared (not in a waiter's uniform) with mop and bucket.  Our young waiter reappeared with a replacement drink for Bert, but there was no further mention of the event or any suggestion that we get the replacement free. :)

The exercise instructor is paid to give instruction so he stands on ceremony when the room hasn't been set up and finds people to order about causing our sessions start 10 minutes later, rather than doing the minor preparations himself.

The head butler (with Nehru jacket) was the first on the scene when our careless young mouse attached himself to the nasty sticky trap.  It would have been easy for him to remove the unpleasant spectacle, but instead he called up a regular housekeeping staff member (without Nehru jacket) so that he could watch someone else complete the task and we enjoyed the mouse just a bit longer.

My western sensibilities would prefer the customer to come ahead of the rigorous protocol. :)