Mandarin Oriental’s HR team is committed to the employee experience and innovation. They have won countless awards, including Best Employer Awards, and recognition for their fair and progressive employment practices.
HR also managed to maintain high employee engagement – 93% according to a 2018 survey – through several initiatives. This includes a health and wellness program that caters to a diverse workforce, a total rewards program extended to family and friends, as well as a special budget to promote team bonding.
They also relaunched the hotel’s vision and mission as well as service culture through fun and engaging events. Their initiatives ensured they achieved the Singapore Quality Star 2018 and prestigious Forbes Five-Star award for the 8th consecutive year, an industry recognition that showcases the hotel’s elite standards.
HR offers a hassle-free experience for employees to reach out to them at critical touchpoints. A QR code system is in place for easy access to HR information and quick polls. There are also multiple communication channels available for employees, such as a WhatsApp chatline and hotline. Additionally, the team has regular targeted face-to-face sessions to offer employees a listening ear as well as receive feedback.
The team is also driving transformation across the organisation and focused on adopting best practices, such as the Lean Hotel initiative to boost productivity. They are a strong proponent of upskilling and encourages experienced employees to embark on digital skills training sessions.
Furthermore, HR worked with Mercer on a jobs redesign campaign for its engineering, rooms and F&B departments. Mandarin Oriental is also dedicated to cultivating life-long learning culture through internal programs as well as SkillsFuture.
To sustain a harmonious and inclusive workplace, HR enforces their code of conduct policies and provides a hotline to ensure employees work in an environment free from harassment and discrimination. They have also adopted Singapore’s Tripartite Standards for Age-Friendly Workplace to ensure an inclusive culture.
On the talent management front, the team has created multi-skilled, fast-track positions to attract top talent. Only highly qualified hiring managers conduct job interviews and make hiring decisions. HiPo employees are enrolled into an “Up and Coming” talent pool and put through a targeted leadership development program. To groom future talent, Mandarin Oriental also has work experience and internship programs for local polytechnics and secondary schools.