Hotel & Motel Management - February 4, 2008 - (Page 16)

16 Training Trends IN THE details Deal with staff diversity Attitude complicates situation Understand cultural barriers Increase staff interaction H&MM February 4, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Awareness training bridges cultural gaps hen people of different cultures are thrown together in the workplace without a common language or cultural understanding, it can take a toll on a hotel’s productivity and service. But thanks to multicultural awareness training that bridges the gaps between cultures, a diverse work force can learn not W By Norma Brown H&MM Columnist only to communicate better but also to work together to deliver excellent guest service. When the labor market dried up around the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort in St. Simons Island, Ga., the resort increased its hiring from the rapidly growing Hispanic immigrant community. Many did not speak English. Complicating the situation was an attitude among some longtime English-speaking associates that the onus was entirely on the new entrants to learn the culture, language and job-speciﬁc skills. But the immigrants initially were not interested in blending in. Their mindset was to work and go through whatever was necessary to earn money to send back to their E Every AmericInn n is built solid. W We believe every franchise partnership should be the same. ® AmericInn is looking for a select group of owners. We’re a strong brand with all the building blocks in place for growth— from site planning to construction to operations to marketing and more. Every AmericInn is constructed using our exclusive AmericInn SoundGuard™ construction. We use masonry blocks and other noise reducing materials between every room for the best noise control in our category. Quiet rooms are just part of our story. AmericInn also stands for its welcoming lobby, slightly oversized guest rooms appointed with the amenities guests want and our fresh, bountiful breakfast offering. If you are committed to a solid partnership, call 800-680-2491 or email franchisedev@americinn.com. families. The language barrier made hiring, training and supervising a problem. New hires didn’t feel comfortable learning or doing their jobs without getting direction in their own language, and Spanish-speaking associates with some English literacy were unwilling to become supervisors. We knew that teaching new associates to be friendly and responsive to guests and associates was a problem bigger than we could solve with our own training. We called in Spanglish Unlimited, a Raleigh, N.C., consulting company that recommended and provided bilingual job aids for the housekeeping and food-and-beverage departments and a Spanish and English cultural awareness workshop. In the workshop, Spanglish’s president, Hugh Avera, described our Hispanic associates’ lives before coming to America, mentioning how they lacked basic things we take for granted, like telephones and transportation, fueling their primary aspirations to help their families at home ﬁnancially. As our faces softened showing understanding, I could see the Hispanic associates become empowered. Their expressions were saying, “Now you understand. It’s not that we’re resistant, it’s just that we don’t know.” A similar workshop, presented entirely in Spanish, helped them understand our culture better as well. The King and Prince is shining now. Productivity and service have improved. The resort has won several hotel industry awards. Would that have happened without multicultural training? Perhaps, but I think not. As a trainer, I believe that guests don’t go back to places where there is a lack of positive interaction among staff. So we must treat each other the way we treat our guests. hmm@questex.com Norma Brown is corporate director of training and recruitment for MMI Hotel Group, which is based in Flowood, Miss., and has 18 properties. She can be reached at (601) 936-3666. americinn.com CIRCLE NO. 106 http://www.HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.americinn.com

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Hotel & Motel Management - February 4, 2008 Contents Murray, Keltner to Keynote Atlanta Event ABVI Approves Per-room Fee Hike Growth, Guest Loyalty on Lexington’s Plate Perspective Legally Speaking AAHOA Update Marketing Matters Consultant’s Corner On Finance Training Trends HotelWorld Update Trends & Stats Outdoor Furniture Limited-service-hotel-chain Report Energy-management System Provides Link to Savings Upgraded Bedding Program Cost Comes Due Less Hot Water Equals Less-costly Bills Events Learn to Take Advantage of Lower Insurance Costs Brokers Will Remain Unscathed in 2008 Transactions Ad/Edit Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - February 4, 2008

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