5-Star Luxury Hotel HR Manager on "Human Resources"
Summary
TLDRIn this HTMI Hospitality TV interview, Natalie Odell, HR Manager of Jukes Hotel in London, shares insights into the HR and leadership aspects of the luxury hotel industry. She emphasizes the importance of standing out in resumes, having correct contact details, and researching the hotel before interviews. Odell discusses the significance of passion, commitment, and teamwork in hospitality, as well as the challenges of maintaining high service standards and the role of effective communication in staff motivation and management.
Takeaways
- ๐ The importance of standing out on a resume by going beyond the expected, showcasing initiative, organizational skills, and leadership.
- ๐ The necessity of having correct contact details on a resume, as incorrect information can signal a lack of attention to detail.
- ๐จ The value of researching a hotel before a job interview, including understanding its size, services, and management to impress potential employers.
- ๐ The benefit of using online resources like LinkedIn and Google to learn about a hotel and its staff, which can give candidates an advantage in interviews.
- ๐ The significance of Swiss Hotel School graduates maintaining the reputation of their institution by excelling in interviews and work performance.
- ๐ฅ The need for passion in the hospitality industry, as it is not a standard 9-to-5 job and requires dedication and hard work.
- ๐ค The emphasis on teamwork and communication skills as essential qualities for success in the hospitality industry.
- ๐ The challenge of maintaining high service standards after winning awards, which requires continuous effort from the entire staff.
- ๐ ๏ธ The focus on training and retraining staff to ensure they can provide top-notch service and deal with various guest situations effectively.
- ๐ฅ The role of senior management in setting an example and maintaining service quality by leading with high standards and expectations.
- ๐ The strategy of differentiating a hotel through its team culture and hiring passionate and service-oriented individuals.
Q & A
What are the two main topics discussed in the interview with Mrs. Natalie Odell?
-The two main topics discussed are Human Resources (HR) related aspects and leadership in the hospitality industry.
What does Mrs. Odell emphasize as important in a resume for HR managers to notice?
-Mrs. Odell emphasizes that HR managers look for candidates who stand out from the crowd by doing more than what is expected of them, showing initiative, passion, and leadership.
Why is having correct contact information on a resume crucial according to Mrs. Odell?
-Correct contact information is crucial because it shows attention to detail and care, which are important qualities in the hospitality industry. Incorrect information can lead to missed opportunities for interviews.
What advice does Mrs. Odell give to candidates about researching a hotel before a job interview?
-She advises candidates to visit the hotel's website to understand its size, facilities, and style. Additionally, researching the hotel's management and general manager can provide insights that can help candidates stand out during interviews.
What does Mrs. Odell believe is the Swiss Hotel School's reputation in the UK?
-Mrs. Odell believes that Swiss Hotel Schools are seen as the best in the UK, and the graduates from these schools can make or break the reputation of the school.
What personal qualities does Mrs. Odell think are necessary for success in the hospitality industry?
-Mrs. Odell believes that passion, commitment, hard work, dedication, and determination are essential personal qualities for success in the hospitality industry.
What percentage of Jukes Hotel's guests are repeat customers, according to Mrs. Odell?
-Mrs. Odell mentions that Jukes Hotel has a high percentage of repeat customers, with some returning up to 400 times.
How does Jukes Hotel maintain the quality of service for its repeat customers?
-Jukes Hotel maintains service quality by recognizing and catering to the individual needs of its regular guests, ensuring they feel known and valued.
What is the importance of training and retraining staff at Jukes Hotel, as per Mrs. Odell?
-Training and retraining are important to ensure staff are equipped with the necessary skills to provide excellent service, deal with challenging guests, and develop into future leaders.
How does Mrs. Odell describe the HR process from hiring to maintaining service excellence at Jukes Hotel?
-The HR process involves advertising, recruitment, interviews, probation, and ongoing training and development. It focuses on team fit, willingness, and ability to perform the job, as well as continuous improvement.
What does Mrs. Odell believe differentiates Jukes Hotel from other five-star luxury hotels in London?
-Mrs. Odell believes that the special team, the formula they've developed over the years, and the passion for hospitality among the staff are what differentiate Jukes Hotel from others.
Outlines
๐ HR Insights from Jukes Hotel's HR Manager
In this segment, Mrs. Natalie Odell, the HR manager of Jukes hotel in London, discusses the importance of standing out on a resume and the additional activities and achievements that can set a candidate apart. She emphasizes the significance of correct contact details and the value of researching the hotel and its management before an interview. Natalie also highlights the importance of Swiss Hotel School graduates making good use of their education and reputation, as well as the personal qualities necessary for success in the hospitality industry, such as passion, commitment, and hard work.
๐ Maintaining Excellence and Repeat Customer Strategies
This paragraph delves into the strategies of Jukes hotel for maintaining high service standards and the challenges of sustaining the quality that won them numerous international awards. Natalie explains the importance of recognizing and catering to the needs of repeat customers, ensuring they feel valued and well-attended to. She also discusses the role of senior management in leading by example and the emphasis on training and retraining staff to uphold service excellence. The summary of this paragraph also touches on the hotel's approach to maintaining their five-star status and the collective effort required from all staff members.
๐ Differentiating Jukes Hotel and the Importance of Teamwork
In this segment, the conversation focuses on what sets Jukes hotel apart from other luxury hotels in London. Natalie attributes the hotel's success to its special team and the culture of employing passionate and service-oriented individuals. She stresses the importance of teamwork, communication, and the 'no job too small' mentality, where everyone is willing to assist regardless of their position. The summary also includes the hotel's philosophy of leading by example and the significance of personal pride in work for maintaining high standards.
๐ Natalie Odell's Career Path and HR Processes
This paragraph outlines Mrs. Odell's personal career journey from her initial aspiration to become a receptionist, through various roles, to her current position as HR manager. She discusses the value of her diverse experience in understanding the challenges faced by hotel staff. Natalie also details the HR process at Jukes hotel, from recruitment and hiring to training and maintaining service excellence. The summary explains the importance of team fit, willingness, and ongoing development for all staff members, from housekeepers to managers.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กHR manager
๐กProfessional grooming
๐กResume
๐กLeadership
๐กContact details
๐กResearch
๐กHospitality
๐กRepeat customers
๐กTraining
๐กAwards
๐กTeamwork
Highlights
Natalie Odell, HR manager of Jukes hotel, emphasizes the importance of standing out in resumes by showcasing achievements beyond academic qualifications.
HR managers look for candidates who demonstrate initiative, organizational skills, and leadership through extracurricular activities.
Correct contact details on resumes are crucial for initial candidate selection, reflecting attention to detail and professionalism.
Researching the hotel and its management before an interview can significantly impact a candidate's appeal and preparedness.
Swiss Hotel School graduates are held to high standards, expected to leverage their education and avoid common interview mistakes.
Passion for the hospitality industry is essential for success, with a commitment to hard work and providing excellent service.
Jukes hotel values repeat customers, with a focus on personalized service to maintain customer loyalty.
Leadership at Jukes hotel involves leading by example and maintaining high service standards through continuous improvement.
Training and retraining are key components of staff development, focusing on upselling, customer service, and handling challenging situations.
Jukes hotel's awards and accolades present a challenge to maintain high service standards and continuous excellence.
The HR process at Jukes includes a thorough recruitment process, with an emphasis on team fit and willingness to work.
Natalie Odell's diverse experience in the hospitality industry has informed her empathetic approach to HR management.
Teamwork and communication skills are highly valued at Jukes hotel, with a culture of collective responsibility and support.
Jukes hotel's hiring process includes a probationary period to ensure a good fit with the company culture and expectations.
Natalie's career path from receptionist to HR manager has equipped her with a deep understanding of various hotel roles and their demands.
The importance of pride in one's work and the role of management in fostering a culture of excellence at Jukes hotel.
Differentiating Jukes hotel through its special team, culture, and the hiring of passionate hospitality professionals.
Transcripts
[Music]
good day and welcome to HTMI Hospitality
TV today we have the pleasure of
speaking with Mrs Natalie Odell HR
manager of the five-star Boutique Hotel
Jukes hotel in London Natalie welcome to
HTMI thank you it's lovely to be here
it's great to have you uh the last time
we met was uh in London mhm just before
the Olympic Games and we had a great
opportunity to chat and you showed me
fantastic Hospitality at Jes hotel and
I'm very happy that you know finally we
managed uh that you could travel here to
Switzerland where we can show you in our
hotel School our f-star Hospitality it's
been fantastic thank you so much um
today I would like to talk to you about
two main topics um starting off with HR
related um aspects and later going into
leadership today you've spent a very
busy day um doing various seminars with
our students where you focused on
various HR topics uh the importance of
professional grooming uh professional
resumรฉs interview questions and so on
and my first question um is regarding um
resumรฉs of course you mentioned to all
the students you know the necessary
information is required contact details
your experience your education MH um
what would like to ask you is what other
important information do HR managers
look for on a
resume I always look for somebody that
stands out from the crowd what have they
done over and above what's expected of
them so yes and the students come here
and they study and they study very hard
and they obtain their degree but what
else have they obtained during their
time at the ihmi what else have they
done have they been a class Captain have
they got involved in a charity event
what have they have done over and above
what's expected of them to shine stand
out from the crowd and what is that
information say about a potential
candidate shows me that they want to go
the extra mile shows me that they've got
passion determination Drive perhaps
they're a leader um but it shows
somebody that really wants to go the
extra mile and that translates into the
workplace as showing initiative
organizational skills planning teamwork
and perhaps managing a team as well you
also mentioned the importance of correct
contact
details vital absolutely vital um if you
like me are receiving 30 40 CVS a day
you need to be able to get hold of
candidates that you'd quite like to
interview if the telephone number is
wrong that says to me lack of care and
attention to detail and that does not
translation of festar Hotel again with
email addresses I have had occasion
where the email address has been wrong
it's very irritating um and it's
frustrating it's a simple thing for the
applicant to get right and it's
essential that the applicant does get it
right right I I agree with that point
you know
100% you were also talking um regarding
finding out a lot of information about
the hotel before a potential candidate
comes for the job interview yeah what
specific information should a candidate
be looking for on a hotel I think go to
the hotels we website first off there's
lots of information on every Hotel
website so find out the basic facts and
figures how big is the hotel in terms of
room size how many restaurants does it
have what's its bar called what kind of
drinks do they serve what's the style of
the bar um what's the star rating is it
part of a chain is it an independent
Hotel um and find out a little bit about
the company and the individual Hotel
over and above that what's going to
impress if you start googling some of
the manager name names uh for example
our general manager at Jukes Hotel um if
you Google her name there are lots and
lots of hits on the internet about um
achievements that she's had in the
industry interviews she's done so if
somebody were to come to the hotel
interview and say I know that Dukes is a
five-star hotel I know it's got 90
bedrooms you're part of small luxury
hotels but what really interested me as
well was the fact that you're general
manager e duer she didn't into on
Surface and actually that really
appealed to me her service philosophy
that to me would be somebody standing
out from the crowd I mean last year
before I interviewed yourself and I also
had the privilege of interviewing debor
duger your Journal manager I did spent a
lot of time researching uh especially
going to your LinkedIn profiles you know
because I found even though we may not
be connected uh there is a ton of
information you know about previous
experience you've had you know and
finding out other information yes there
there really is there is so much on the
internet these days there really is no
excuse if you're not in the same country
and you don't have the benefit of being
able to visit the property you can do so
much research on the Instagram you said
something very interesting in the one of
the seminars today uh you said to them
you're the elite you are Swiss Hotel
school
graduates what how what advice would you
give a graduate to make use of that
great
opportunity absolutely I mean still in
the UK Swiss Hotel schools are seen as
the best they really are um but you know
the individuals that come out of that
hotel school can almost really make or
break the reputation of that particular
Hotel school so you can't afford to be
complacent you've reached a certain
level in your career of of achieving a
degree or a diploma or certificate at a
hotel management School in Switzerland
and that's fantastic but if you turn up
to the interview and make the mistakes
that other people make then then it puts
you um at a disadvantage actually
because I would expect somebody that has
the benefit of the education of a hotel
school like this to know how to present
themselves at interview to have listened
to their tutors and make sure they
arrive on time make sure they arrive um
properly dressed make sure they have the
research and the questions if they don't
it actually puts a big black mark
against their name because it says okay
I don't think that you're showing that
you care about applying for this job now
Jes are is a fstar boutique hotel and
you know there are many other brands out
there you have Jes you have the Mand
orientals the four seasons of The World
um you've worked for Four Seasons you've
worked for one
all of course students have great
educations whether in a Swiss hotel
management school or elsewhere they have
the necessary education the skills but
what else do they need to be successful
not just within the festar industry but
within the industry in general besides
you know the education and the
experience what are the the personal
qualities they may need you need to have
passion absolutely need to be passion
this isn't a 9 to-5 Monday to Friday job
um you need to be fully committed to
doing this job and have a love to do it
um it really needs to be part of your
DNA almost that you get a buzz out of
providing great service you get a buzz
out of teamwork you're prepared to work
hard and commit to your department to
the team to the hotel as a whole and
you're prepared to work really hard um
it's one of the few industries that
after years and years of study you can't
walk in and just be a general manager
you must get the work experience behind
you so a lot of hard work dedication
determination is required in this
industry now JX is a real five-star
Boutique Hotel um and you offer quality
guest service MH um what percentage of
your guests are repeat customers as
opposed to new customers we have an
awful lot repeat customers we're very
lucky um we have customers that have
returned up to 400 times which is really
amazing and we very much make sure that
we recognize our regular guests so
people that come back time and time
again we should know what kind of pillow
they need without them being asked we
should know if they're allergic to a
certain food type we should know if they
like a particular room without them
being asked um and that's something we
pride ourselves on in that we do
recognize our regular I guess we do make
sure that we cater to their every
individual need and that's actually what
keeps them coming back so how do you as
Senior Management in such an
establishment maintain all the time um
that quality levels of service that you
provide we make sure we Le by example um
from the management team everybody is
working towards that one goal that one
vision of being the best Boutique Hotel
in London that's what we want to be and
that's what we want to keep on being so
we we never accept less than 100% if
somebody perhaps their juke's pin is not
on straight they need to straighten it
if their shoes aren't polished they need
to polish them if they're not going and
above and providing the Fantastic
service why what's going wrong what can
we do to improve it we never settle the
second best we always try to be the best
so do you also put a lot of emphasis on
training and retraining the stuff
absolutely yes when people come in the
first thing they'll have is a Hotel
induction to get um them involved in the
hotel culture and in what we expect of
them um we our training plan this year
involves upselling um customer service
dealing with challenging guests all the
tips and tools to help staff to deal
with um the everyday situations from our
manager Viewpoint we're concentrating on
how do we get them to develop their team
how do we get them to recognize the
leaders of Tomorrow the people that need
future development how do we get them to
have effective communication with
members of their team so we're all
looking at the communication process
within the hotel as well now in 2012
juke's won many International Awards and
accolades You've Won Europe's leading
Boutique Hotel 2012 England's leading
Boutique Hotel 2012 the world's ultimate
service hospitality award uh 2012 and
the world's leading classic Boutique
Hotel mhm um congratulations first of
all thank you very much thank you um but
that must be a huge challenge to upkeep
these standards it really is it's
fantastic to win these Awards it really
is great but once you've set the bar
that high you've got to keep there and
that's often harder the reason that
we've achieved these Awards is because
our product is fantastic absolutely but
it's ultimately down to the service we
provide and the people that provide that
service um so it's all about looking
after the people that provide that
service and making sure they continue to
provide that service because any laps
will be noted by our guests correct and
I mean of course you want to win more
Awards you know again be the world's
leading Boutique Hotel 2013 and so on so
that must also be a big challenge for
management because a lot of the emphasis
of that service lies on the stuff yes it
really does um in 2012 um we won uh we
were awarded the 5aa red stars that's
the highest Accolade you can get for
stars in the UK so that's great now
we've got to work really hard at
maintaining it a manager can't do
everything we all rely on each other to
get the job done and managers have to
trust their team to get the job done um
so you're only really as good a manager
as when you're not there so are your
staff still still working to those high
standards are they still making sure
that every tea is crossed and every eye
is dotted that they never lapse in
service how do managers get their staff
to do that that's a lot of communication
that's a lot of training and that's a
lot lot of um trust and mutual respect
that the jobs will get done it's really
important that people take a pride in
their work um if the staff are taking a
pride in their work which I believe our
staff do they will make sure that
they're working to 100% all of the time
that's a very interesting point so how
do you think you differentiate yourself
from other fstar luxury hotels in London
I'm very bias towards Dukes London I
love Dukes London um but I do believe
we've got a very special team we've got
very special formula we've worked hard
over the years to build the teams to
make sure that we've got the right
people for us and our culture in the
hotel so we very much um employ people
who are very passionate about
Hospitality people that are natural
service people people that enjoy talking
to people that enjoy helping other
people and that are great teamw workers
I think without that the teams would
struggle um but we're very fortunate
through the recruitment process that we
got a great caliber of candidates coming
in for interview and that translates
into great teams something I found
really interesting that you you
mentioned over and over again in in all
the seminars you did today um based on
certain personal skills of candidates
was outstanding teamwork um outstanding
communication skills and so on yes
absolutely it's really really important
um teamwork is essential we all rely so
heavily on each other in hotels each
department is
interdependent so you need to have
people that are willing to help each
other we have a saying in Jukes that we
all do luggage and what that means is if
I'm walking through reception although
my job title is to work in HR if a guest
is struggling with luggage I go and help
there's never a culture of That's Not My
Job you'll have to go and ask the porter
absolutely not we all get involved we
all help I think that's great because
that's also creating this culture of
management by example you know if the
general manager or the HR manager can do
a check-in can carry luggage pick up a
piece of paper I think that's great
standards to also install in the staff
you know and to motivate them as well
absolutely and it's leading by example
um nobody is too Grand in the hotel if
they see a paperclip on the floor in the
wrong place or a piece of paper in the
wrong place to pick it up and and put it
away where it should be um we we all
very much involved in that can you tell
us a little bit about your career path
where you started up until you reach the
position of HR manager in such a world
leading Five Star Property absolutely be
happy to um I always wanted to be a
receptionist I never wanted to be
anything else I just wanted to be a
hotel receptionist so I worked through
um school doing my a levels um and gcss
part-time in coffee shops yacht clubs
the local pub just getting some weekend
and part-time work um I took a year out
before University and worked in a uh
London Hotel up the top of Regent Street
um and I was working as a food and
beverage waitress and I literally worked
breakfast lunch and dinner I actually
forgot I was supposed to be on split
shifts ended up working 18 hour days um
and then was quite shocked after about 3
months to see that I'd been paid all
this money that I didn't even remember
because I was working too hard and
because I was living off my tips it was
fantastic I went to University and uh
studied for four years and did an
industrial uh release placement in the
Shell Center at watero which was a great
experience for in-house catering um and
upon graduation got my dream of working
in a hotel in reception um absolutely
adored it and very quickly worked my way
up to reception manager for personal
reasons I decided to move to Dublin um
and I ended up moving to Dublin for four
years and it was at that stage that my
career kind of
Diversified um there wasn't a position
of reception manager in Dublin for me to
take it was either front house manager
or head receptionist and I didn't want
to take either of those so I managed to
get a great job as pH the general
manager of an opening hotel and through
that I kind of fell into HR um in that
when the HR manager finally joined the
hotel pre-opening he asked me if I would
like to develop my career in HR and I
I'd been very interested up until that
point and from there for the rest is
history really Four Seasons pre-opening
uh one of which six years um a year in a
City Center Dublin hotel as HR manager
and now at Jukes so as an HR Manager I
mean you you hire people you recruit
people you interview people looking back
on all that experience would you say
having worked in different areas um that
has actually helped you within your
current position in Human Resources very
much so I think I can very much
empathize what it feels like to be on
your feet for8 hours a day behind a
reception desk filled in calls from
other departments guests in house guest
external guests and guests coming up to
the front desk um and asking perhaps the
same question that you've heard 10 times
that day but you've got to pretend like
it's the first time you've heard that
that question and help the guest um I
appreciate what it feels like to do a
long shift in the restaurant to do a
breaker shift running around when your
feet ache so much at the end of the
shift um I appreciate what that feels
like and I think it makes me more
empathetic towards the
staff can you tell me a little bit about
the HR process from hiring training uh
maintaining surface Excellence from
housekeeper all the way up to manager
but for the hiring process we advertise
on our website and on job boards um and
then the recruitment process is really
first of all when the CVS are gathered
to look at what people have done in the
past what is their motivation why did
they want to work from the CVS then we
short list and then we interview and at
the interview stage it really is about
team fit and willingness and ability to
do the job if somebody's not willing to
work weekends or not willing to work
evenings then they can't be working in
the housekeeping department for example
so we need to really test if it's a
win-win situation if the relationship
will work then we choose the successful
person we always take references just to
make sure that the person has worked
where they said they have and achieve
what they've said they've achieved and
then from the recruitment stage um
there's the auor stage and then it would
be a three-month probation where it's a
getting to know you period where it's a
chance for the staff member to settle in
and settle into the culture and and the
ways of the hotel at the three Monon um
stage then the probationary review will
take place where employment is um either
um agreed or whether the extension is
made on the probation perhaps there's
more learning to be made or indeed on
very few occasions um that it may be
that we park company at that stage
because the relationship is not working
from there it's lots of training and
development that's just ongoing
throughout somebody's life in the hotel
um so whether it's health and safety
training um which obviously is a legal
requirement or whether it's cross
training which we're doing a lot of at
the moment where staff perhaps want to
develop into other areas of the hotel
they will spend a day or a couple of
hours a week in another department cross
training uh those have been some
wonderful insights and thoughts you know
into the HR
process
Browse More Related Video
Coordination of Hotel Front Office with Other Departments - Tutorial 42
Hospitality Management - Lodging
Experienced HR Manager revealed SECRETS to great job interviews: HR interview questions and answers
Phases of the Guest Cycle| FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
Food & Beverage Department in the Hotel | Top 10 Facilities in F&B Department | Hotel Management
Hospitality - Industry Overview
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)