How many staff members hired from overseas are surprised by changes to their assigned venue or department after joining a hotel during the pre-opening phase?
The answer is “Many”!
Here are some reasons and consequences, as well as an answer regarding whether the hotel’s management has the right to do this!
Starting by the reasons :
During the pre-opening stage, the hotel recruitment team collaborates with various recruitment agencies in different countries to compile a list of potential locations for recruitment trips. Some Heads of Departments (HODs) may be sent to these countries to assist with the recruitment process. Although they may be interviewing candidates for positions outside their own departments or areas of expertise, they will use a checklist to help identify the most suitable staff members for the various venues and restaurants.
Here comes the fun—and sad—part: the Heads of Departments (HODs) are trusted to make hiring decisions, but the staff typically joins just a month or so before the hotel opening date. When the new staff arrives, the Food and Beverage Manager, along with other managers, begins assessing the suitability of each hired member. They conduct a series of interviews to evaluate whether each member is best suited for their designated venue.
Is it fair? Maybe not. Is it right? Absolutely, yes!
What happens next is that a team member, who was initially promised a position in a fine dining restaurant, is reassigned to banquets, room service, or other venues. The reasons for this change could include communication skills or appearance. An F&B Manager is well aware of the type of staff that is best suited for each respective venue and possesses a strong understanding of the client profile likely to patronize a specific restaurant. Their goal is to ensure that the right staff is working in each venue.
The difficulties that arise during the interview process are not the staff’s fault, as they are often not informed about such situations. Do staff members have the right to appeal? Yes, they do. However, this may not be beneficial for them, as most contracts contain a clause allowing hotel management to change assigned venues based on business needs. Consequently, while appealing may not have legal weight for staff, some managers might listen and consider giving a staff member a chance during the appeal process.
Recruitment trips typically occur three months before the hotel’s opening date. At this stage, the Head of Department (HOD) and the venue managers may not yet be hired. This gap is a primary reason for the situation occurring.
Do the Heads of Departments (HODs) who conducted the interviews during the recruitment trips make wrong judgments and decisions? Yes, they do!
Let me share a funny story that happened at one of the hotels where I worked during the pre-opening stage. An HOD traveled to another country to conduct interviews and hire staff members for various departments. However, when the new staff arrived two months later, some surprises surfaced. For instance, a very attractive girl was hired as a swimming lifeguard, but the only problem was that she didn’t know how to swim! It turned out this HOD was hiring based on personal preference rather than following the proper checklists and job descriptions.
Consequences?
A high turnover rate during the pre-opening and opening stages can be problematic. Staff members who are unhappy with management changes may choose to leave. If they are required to pay recruitment fees, they might perform poorly in their roles to get fired, allowing them to return home without having to pay any fees.
Solutions ?
HOD should prepare a detailed list of interview questions, job descriptions, and specific traits to assess in each candidate during the interview process.
Whenever it is possible, respective managers with F&B experience/background should conduct the interviews as they know best how to select and approve the most suitable staff members to join each respective venue.
Be transparent with the staff during the interview and inform them about possible changes, if necessary, and have them sign it.
Cafe de Vie 