Reference no: EM133574528

Marriott Hires People Who Put Others First

What makes human resource management difficult in the hotel industry is that most positions are hourly-wage jobs at the low end of the pay scale, involving a lot of hard work and not much glory. Thus, it is all the more remarkable that Marriott International is known as a great company to work for. This achievement is based on a philosophy to "put people first"- that is, if the company takes care of its employees, they will take good care of the guests, and the guests will return repeatedly. Employees appreciate perks such as discounts on rooms when they travel, but they especially praise the opportunities for career development and the team spirit that develops in daily 15-minute meetings that start each shift with enthusiasm.

To hire employees who will thrive and excel in this culture, Marriott focuses on hiring more for attitude than for technical skills. The policy is "hire friendly, train technical." Applicants for hourly positions complete a personality test to measure their interpersonal skills, dependability, and prevailing attitude. Scores provide information shown to be correlated with high performance, but hiring managers balance the results with information gathered in interviews.

The qualities Marriott is looking for in an employee include trust, loyalty, and empathy. CEO Arne Sorenson sums up the right kind of employee as someone with "a passion for the job." To see what this looks like in a management trainee's job, consider MBA graduate Leticia Tavares, who took a position with the company in Atlanta. Earning a graduate degree did not stand in her way when she rotated through hotel jobs including housekeeping and kitchen duties. Rather, she enjoyed relating to the employees in every department and predicts "endless opportunities" with Marriott.

The emphasis on personal qualities helps explain Marriott's outreach to veterans. Marriott's vice president of multicultural affairs says the company's data analysis found that military service teaches values that translate well to great service in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the company's careers website includes a page for veterans. Job seekers not only can submit applications but also can employ a tool that identifies how their military experience translates into skills needed for civilian careers.

Another kind of assessment isn't part of the hiring process but helps workers decide if a hotel job is right for them. The company developed a game called My Marriott Hotel, which it posted on Facebook. Players make decisions required to manage various areas of hotel operations. For example, in the restaurant, they buy ingredients, hire employees, and serve guests, all the while winning points for happy customers and losing points when service fails.

Evaluate Marriott's recruiting and selection process. What are the strengths and weaknesses of how they recruit and select employees?
Describe how Marriott uses Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (see the Reading area) to create its foundation of HR practices.