Team building through CSR

Ibis Styles Jumeira’s continued programmes on team building through CSR activities have given them an edge over others in the market, says Hotel Manager Muhammad Haider.

TT Bureau

As a young property in the market, Ibis Styles Jumeira is on a steady growth trajectory having been able to maintain 79 per cent occupancy level throughout the past year. Locals and Emirati clientele top their list, followed by India, KSA, the UK, France and Turkey. Recently they have been penetrating new markets such as Spain, Brazil, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, Latin America, etc.

Every market has its own requirements and the past year has worked out very well for the property ensuring guests around the year. Haider states, “Long-term relationships play an important role in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector. We need to work very closely with DMCs, OLTA’s, Tour Operators, travel agents, corporate companies and other partners to ensure the continuity of the business at the property. At the end of the day, it is good relationship that would secure us the business we require.”

Guest experience plays a pivotal role and at Ibis Styles Jumeira, under the leadership of Haider, new plans have been made to ensure that guests stay are made memorable. A hotel manager today is expected to interact both with guests and staff members to ensure continued output and productivity. Among the many steps taken by Haider, the first and most important is the appointment of a quality assurance team which consists of team members from various different departments such as talent & culture, housekeeping, engineering, sales, etc. Their role is to interact with the guests every morning at breakfast/ afternoon and evening times to obtain information /feedback from them about their stay and if there are any requirements to ensure they are rectified faster or forward to the relevant departments and ensure prompt action is taken. This team is special as it has become the heart and soul of the property responsible in researching CSR programs and ensuring that skills are shared among every staff member of the property. Relationships are very important either internally or externally. Haider’s second Programme along with his departmental is to identify hidden skill set in associates and to capitalise it by giving them incentive on multi-tasking in each department.

Haider states, “Skills can be transferred to other teams. Sometimes even HODs can be educated on various aspects unknown such as the plantation project we carried out. The junior staff provided the information and important details for the seniors to carry out the Programme. We make sure 80 per cent of junior staff and 20 per cent of HODs attend the CSR initiatives to ensure the opportunity for everyone to be a part of the Programme.”