Great Workforce, Great Workplace


Dubai, 30 August, 2003. JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa focused on training rather than retrenchment during the recent turbulent period when world events severely impacted the hospitality industry.  It was one of very few properties that did not retrench permanent staff. 
 
Marriott International places great emphasis on training, together with its basic core philosophy of taking care of associates in order that they will take care of the guests.  Associates are treated as internal guests which is one of the aspects that makes them a preferred employer. 
 
Turning Tragic into Magic
 
During the recent downturn in travel during SARS and the Iraq War,  JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa held a large scale event over two days to show thanks to associates for their outstanding effort and hard work throughout the year.  The event consisted of a variety of fun filled activities as well as serious side with a focused training, teambuilding and brainstorming session for all employees, with an international facilitator.  The event theme was “turning tragic moments into magic moments” in view of the recent world events at that time that impacted the tourism industry.   These sessions encouraged and enabled cross communications, new ideas, feedback and input from the entire resort team. 
 
“Especially in turbulent times, training and appreciation become even more important. Many companies have an appreciation event for clients, but few hold a similar event for their staff, who are, after all, their biggest asset.  Our emphasis on attracting, recruiting, training and retaining the best employees pays off in reduced cost of turnover, improved morale and higher guest satisfaction which also means financial success so it’s a win win situation,” said Kevin Beauvais, Country Manager for Thailand and General Manager for JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa
 
Every Marriott manager is required to attend forty hours of training, and every associate to attend twenty hours, each year.  Such training inspires pro-active and continuous change by effective planning and communications, to achieve the highest level of a guest and associate satisfaction. 
 
Training
 
In addition to internal training on hotel specific subjects for each department, the resort funds other courses for its associates including Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, encouraging their people to reach their highest potential both personally and professionally.  Other courses include environmental training in collaboration with WWF and local turtle protection organizations as part of the resort’s Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation which won the Pacific Asia Travel Association Grand Award for Best Environmental Education Program, 2003.
 
Promotions follow
 
A perfect example is the 11 associates who were promoted and transferred from the JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok to the newly opened Mayfair Executive Apartments, including the most senior position of General Manager.   Similarly, when JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa opened, 30 associates from JW Marriott Bangkok were  relocated to the Phuket property and were able to teach the special Marriott culture to our newly hired family members.
 
“We really invest in our people.  The majority of our associates at JW Marriott Bangkok have been with us since we opened six years ago”, said Regan Taikitsadaporn, Area Director of Human Resources for Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.
 
When selecting associates during the pre-opening phase of the property, preference was not necessarily given to hiring people with previous experience; in fact many of the staff had never worked in a hotel before.  With the right attitude and intense training for their specific roles, together with training on the Marriott culture, the resort was able to present a first rate team of dedicated, caring associates when it opened its doors. 
 
High morale, effective communication, motivation and knowing they are highly valued are all critical factors for a strong and contented workforce.  It is from this strong foundation of selecting, training and taking genuine care of its people, that JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa has built a strong foundation for its success since opening in December 2001.
 
The resort has a current annual Guest Satisfaction Survey Score  of  93% throughout the entire company.
 
-Ends-
 
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading worldwide hospitality company with over 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 68 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., has approximately 128,000 employees, and was ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE®. For more information or reservations, please visit the web site at www.marriott.com.
 
For further information, please contact:
Naamat Baradhy/Deborah Cleary
Bates PanGulf PR,
Phone 04 2214161, Fax 04 2247839,
E-mail: publicrelations@batespangulf.com
 

© Press Release 2003