It's not easy being an employer of choice

James R Wilson, general manager, Dusit Thani Dubai says that the hotel is exploring the next stage of accreditation by IIP

When things go well, we often forget to stop, pause for a moment, and review how we got to where we are and reflect on the trials and tribulations which have delivered us to where we stand today.

Two years have passed since Investors in People (IIP) conducted its early diagnostic assessment at Dusit Thani Dubai, and we have since undergone numerous developments, including developing succession plans, building a more structured learning and development framework, and creating colleague committees to discuss developments. All of these have set us well en route towards our next certification, but it has not all been plain sailing.

They say the starting block is the hardest stage of any journey, and for us it was no different. While the hotel had strong foundations in terms of colleague support and development, working towards the initial accreditation highlighted some areas which needed a little more attention.

One of these areas was with our departmental trainers. Since working with IIP we have developed their own training, enabling them to more effectively deliver within their teams.

Our HR department worked hard in fine tuning policies concerning colleague succession plans, personal development reviews and benefits, and we are now in a stronger position than where we were.

The whole process has been an education for us all. Not only has my executive team developed their leadership and their own department’s wellbeing through open discussions and team building exercises, but all colleagues are now more empowered with their career path and their personal development.

Being affiliated with an organisation such as IIP has enhanced the working environment tenfold, and I am very proud of what every member of our hotel has contributed in us achieving such success.

So, where do we go from here? While we have come a long way from where we stood 24 months ago, there is still more we can do as an employer. The past few months have seen our IIP committee working on a strategy in which we can achieve the next accreditation, bronze, and we are optimistic.