Beware of poachers
DUBAI – The war for talent in the UAE is intensifying with one luxury hotel group warning that poaching of staff is rife.
Executive chairman of the Jumeirah Group, Gerald Lawless, warned that poaching of staff could develop into a major issue as more hotels opened up in Dubai and around the region.
“Jumeirah is a target for new operators who want trained staff,†he said.
“Headhunting is rife and it is important for us to deliver as an employer of choice and this will become easier as we expand since we will be able to offer an international career path, where we could not in the past.â€
Lawless suggested that one solution to ease the shortage of quality hospitality staff would be to attract more nationals and Arab speakers to the employment pool:
“Guests like to interact with locals and many expect it.”
Lawless said that initiatives such as the US$10bn fund for education in the Arab world recently announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, were a great step forward in preparing the region for the huge growth in the hospitality sector and its attendant staffing requirements.
“It is in our interests to develop vocational institutes and training facilities here in the region, at all levels of the industry – and there is potential to invest in satellite facilities in source labour countries too,†he said.
This approach was endorsed by Accor chief operating officer and Sofitel CEO, Yann Carriere, who said the group had established 15 Accord academies worldwide to fulfil its staffing needs as it expands globally.
“In Morocco, for example, where we have 25 hotels, we train staff locally then send them overseas for experience before returning them to Morocco.
“In this way, we can be perceived as a ‘local’ operator – where 23 out of the 25 general managers are Moroccan nationals,†he said.
Ian Jarrett
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