HR Corner The ultimate hotel experience by Charles Mak Due to open in July this year, a new luxury hotel is already preparing its recruitment and training programmes The market for luxury hotels remains highly competitive in Hong Kong and that means the demands placed on staff are no less intense. Service standards must never slip and, therefore, special attention must be given to the recruitment and grooming of personnel. "At present, many hotels are looking to increase their workforce and that makes selecting the best people the ultimate challenge," says Cynthia Leong, director of human resources for The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, which will be the only deluxe boutique hotel in Hong Kong catering to high-end customers. "Maintaining a stable, high-quality workforce is of the utmost importance," she says, adding that this is essential in order to maintain the group's international reputation for excellence. This will be the first genuine spa hotel in Asia. "We have a 20,000 square feet area that will offer our guests a truly holistic spa experience," Ms Leong says. "The bar and restaurant are specially designed to have a contemporary feel, so it will certainly become the place to see and be seen. For these reasons, it will be a fascinating and prestigious place to work." Best in town As part of a group which is regarded as one of the best employers in the industry, job applicants are expected to have the required "service mindset" and to understand the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by guests. This attitude is regarded as even more important than having specific work experience. To ensure a smooth launch, Ms Leong and her team will familiarise staff with the mission and service guidelines and then create structured training programmes for individual needs. These will be overseen by professional trainers and will allow sufficient time to learn and do trial runs. The focus will be on key job skills and behaviour appropriate to the hotel environment. After initial orientation, each new recruit will attend social skills workshops and be taken through the functional guidelines applicable to their department and job duties – a programme worked out in collaboration with RMIT University. "Experienced professors from RMIT have helped devise assessment tools; the hotel then trains its own internal assessors to make sure all staff meet expectations," Ms Leong explains. Those successfully completing the training programme will receive a certificate as recognition from the hotel and from the university, a particular mark of distinction. As part of a long-term plan for staff development, a frontline management programme is already in place. "We believe in education and expect staff to expand their horizons," Ms Leong notes. Therefore, selected employees will take the two-stage management programme run by RMIT. The first part focuses on leadership, setting goals and counselling, with group assignments and presentations, while the second section involves more general business topics ranging beyond the hospitality industry. Senior executives can also take a part-time MBA sponsored by the group, reflecting the overall investment in the workforce. Some surprises A special recruitment day has been arranged for March 20 with the aim of taking on over 100 frontline staff. The event is intended to be innovative and creative, being held at the hip and trendy Dragon-i. "We purposely want the recruitment day to take place in an unconventional venue, where non-traditional methods of interviewing will be adopted," discloses Ms Leong. "The format of the interview sessions is going to be a surprise for candidates, but they are encouraged to be themselves and to show their real personalities. We can't really test skill-sets during a first screening, but mindsets, personal presentation and flexibility will definitely show through. "As an employer, we treat our employees very well because we believe in the principle that happy staff will mean satisfied guests. Therefore, the orientation for recruits focuses on corporate culture and management style, and the departmental induction will make sure they have everything needed to do their jobs well." In Ms Leong's view, positive feelings and behaviour are usually established during the first few days in a new job. During that period, employees decide whether they feel good about themselves and the departments they are in. "Good communication channels therefore have to be established, so that people can learn, build self-confidence and feel comfortable working here," she says. For those looking to join the Mandarin Oriental family, Ms Leong advises that a positive approach is the key. "Skills can be acquired through training," she says, "but we value positive attitudes." Potential frontline staff are also expected to possess sincerity, commitment and friendliness. "What guests notice before anything else is the attitude of staff, so it is vital to make the right first impression, be it on the job or during an interview." Salient points Selecting the right people is a major responsibility in the hotel industry Good service depends on having a stable, high-quality workforce New staff should be made familiar with the hotel's mission and service standards Structured training should be tailored to individual needs Having a positive attitude is the key qualification for working in the sector Taken from Career Times 4 March 2005, p. 16 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]