Keeping it clean

Thankfully the majority of our current team has been with us for several years and we try to focus on training and development opportunities as much as possible to ensure the team feels appreciated and focused. We also arrange small get togethers throughout the year where we can have fun "off the job" and this helps to keep our staff motivated and happy to stay with us.

Dizon: The way you treat your staff is the key. We have some staff members who have been working here for 22 years. We work hard but also have fun together to make us feel happy and comfortable. Our newest staff member joined us last year but the others have been working here for more than 15 years.

 

Bakhsh: It is certainly a challenging task to retain experienced staff, not only in the laundry department but also in all areas of the hotel, especially in this period when there are lots of new hotels coming up in the region.

However, at Marriott Hotels, by giving training to our staff from the day we hire them, we are taking care of our staff in their personal needs. We motivate our staff by giving them a proper career plan to move forward in their career and thus our percentage of retention is satisfactory.

What measures do you have in place to aid team building and encourage staff loyalty to the property?

Gnanaprajasam: In our hotel, we celebrate success and recognise our associates play a major role in keeping the Sheraton Dubai Creek family spirit alive. We have regular celebrations within the hotel and within individual departments for special occasions. In addition, the hotel also organises many inter-departmental games and sports to enhance team bonding.

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Kapoor: We have a system in place where everybody can express his or her views and thoughts. We empower associates and give them proper training, keeping in mind their future career growth.

We have to focus all the time and encourage them to deliver their best, otherwise, as Mr Marriott says, the company has gone astray when it has lost sight of its basic purpose.

Barretto: We focus on developing our people's skills by having regular training sessions and whenever possible, rotating them around the various sections. We also have daily briefings and monthly communication meetings for all of them to share their ideas or voice their concerns if they have any.

This helps them to feel empowered and a part of the decision making process which is a great motivator and really helps them as a team.

Dizon: I make sure all my staff are multi-skilled in order to fill in other roles in the laundry in the event someone being ill or away on vacation. We also have a lot of recreational activities such as picnics, bowling, basketball and other games.

Bakhsh: We continue to support and recognize any staff efforts by focusing on their talents with total team spirit to enhance their loyalty in building a team. Marriott has many programmes in place under the name of ‘Spirit to Serve'.

Above all, with a strong field presence of Marriott - with its brands growing in the region - associates are interested in working with Marriott.

What are the primary challenges in the industry at the moment?

Mohammed: The primary challenge around the world that is faced by the laundry industry is the quality of the water that is used, as this is the most important chemical in the washing process. The quality of the water varies, and its alkalinity and degree of hardness can affect the washing result to a great extent. If the water is hard it will not clean as effectively as soft water.

Gnanaprajasam: It's becoming more and more challenging to recruit talented associates, especially in the laundry department as a certain amount of skill and experience is necessary to work the machines. And the know-how can only come from experience, as there is no specific education on usage of laundry machines in general.

Barretto: Like housekeeping a few years back, I feel that the laundry department is, sery, chemicals and how they interact with each other, and fabrics.

Laundry operation is a real science and I wish some of our co-workers would realise it'sometimes, under-rated and therefore under-appreciated. A professional laundry manager needs to have a vast knowledge of things like water quality, machin not as easy as just throwing a tablecloth in the washing machine for five minutes and [then getting it returned clean].

Bakhsh: Definitely it is about manpower, finding the right people to do the right job and retaining them.

Kapoor: To get the right professionals for the right areas. Even if you don't have modern technology equipment, they know how to get work done within a given timeframe.

What plans do you have in place to combat these issues?

Mohammed: One of the steps that can be taken is to install water treatments and softener plans to the laundry main water supply. This will reduce the hardness and alkalinity of the water, and with regular water test analysis, the water will become softer and the results of the laundry would be better.

Gnanaprajasam: In a booming industry like ours, it is a constant challenge to retain associates. There is no guarantee that your employees will not leave you, but there are always opportunities to persuade or convince them to stay with a company.

Personally, I feel that it's very important to let our associates know what they mean to the hotel and management. To show care and to respect them are essential basics.

In our hotel, we constantly strive to involve them in new projects - engaging them and asking them for their opinions on how to do things better.

These brainstorming and feedback sessions are excellent as they provide the platform for our associates to voice their opinion and thus be a part of the system.

This way, they feel that they are more than just employees - they are part of a family and thus have a personal commitment to take care of that family.

Barretto: We need to "beat our own drum" more often, in all honesty, to get people to understand the complexities of our role.