HONG KONG, October 12, 2008
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is not just the only hotel group winner this year but the only Asia-based hotel group winner in the BEST Awards history.
The BEST Awards was launched in 2003 to recognise organisations worldwide - small and large; private, public and not-for-profit -- which demonstrate success as a result of employee learning and development. Award winners have proven that they are the best in Building talent, Enterprise-wide, Supported by organisation leaders, fostering a Thorough learning culture.
"Great hotels are made by great employees, not by crystal chandeliers or expensive carpets. This strongly held belief at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts translates to a firm commitment to employee training and development," said Tan Eng Leong, group director of human resources.
Shangri-La's workforce is anticipated to grow from 30,000 to 50,000 over the next two years. To support the expanding workforce, the group opened the Shangri-La Academy, China in 2004 -- a centralised employee training centre offering a number of programmes open to both existing Shangri-La employees and the public.
Shangri-La's recruitment process begins with careful selection -- staff are "hired for attitude, trained for skills" -- providing a fertile foundation for the Shangri-La philosophies to be embraced. Shangri-La then invests heavily in training -- with up to four per cent of payroll spent on employee training and development -- with intensive, ongoing coaching for all staff at the group's 56 hotels and resorts.
Every new staff member undergoes the four-module "Shangri-La Care" training programme within six months of joining the group. The programme is designed to develop a consistent Shangri-La style of service to deliver a superior guest experience and build brand loyalty.
The group recently revamped the first module of "Shangri-La Care" --"Hospitality from Caring People" -- to ensure cross cultural compatibility of customers and employees. New training material and updated mode of delivery makes the learning experience more relevant to younger and culturally diversified "generation Y" employees.
In preparation for the group's Western expansion, Shangri-La launched the Tigers Programme in February 2006 -- an innovative human resource initiative. Talented young hospitality professionals from around the world were placed in Shangri-La properties throughout Asia. They were to observe, absorb the service culture and be part of the service delivery within their host hotels, and ultimately bring that expertise back to Shangri-La's North American and European properties currently under development in Vancouver, Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Miami, Paris, Vienna and Toronto.
Shangri-La retains its high calibre staff by providing a path whereby employees may achieve their personal and career goals through different leadership development platforms. There is an 18-month Talent Development Programme; a 10-week full-time residential advanced hospitality programme at the Shangri-La Academy; and self-paced online professional and executive development certificate courses in hospitality management from Cornell University. Compared to the industry in Asia Pacific, Shangri-La has one of the lowest staff turnover ratios and 65 per cent of vacancies in management positions are filled by internal transfers and promotions.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, currently owns and/or manages 56 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 28,000. The group has over 50 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Japan, Macau, Maldives, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at http://www.shangri-la.com.
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