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The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Istanbul has been named the best employer in Turkey for 2007. The award is based on a study conducted by the global human resources services firm Hewitt Associates in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal Europe. The others chosen in order of rank were Schering – Plough, DHL, Microsoft and Er-Bakır.
Raul Salcido, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Istanbul – dark hair, dark eyes and walking tall these days – has reason to be proud after the hotel was named best employer in Turkey. The study determining what it is that makes organizations Best Employers describes the requirements of employees in Turkey and other Central Eastern European countries and the factors that influence their engagement. Additionally, the study identifies emerging workplace trends for the future. Thirty-two companies, 21 of them global players, with a total of over 12,000 employees, participated in the study. It was the first Hewitt “Best Employers” study, with 10 main industry sectors represented, while the greatest number of companies came from the pharmaceutical sector. When Salcido was asked how he measured outstanding behavior, he told the Turkish Daily News: “We measure outstanding behavior with various tools: Guest comment cards, feedback letters from our guests, on-the-job observations, surveys conducted by Gallup, company-wide benchmarks and post-conference reports.” Being the “best employer” cuts both ways and the company itself has to contribute to employee satisfaction. Salcido stresses that the company's foundation “is based on the principle of selecting the most talented individuals, creating an environment that is fully equipped to house the talented workforce, and nurturing them to maximize their skills. It is all well described in our Employee Promise that we have to animate and bring to life on a daily basis.” Although Salcido is quite young, he brought some 20 years of experience to his position when he came to Istanbul as the general manager of the Ritz-Carlton. Now, having been here for a while, he says: “I enjoy Istanbul tremendously. What I admire the most is the contrast in every aspect, from history and art to food and music. It is definitely a fascinating place to live in.” Salcido held high positions in the U.S. and Mexico before coming to Istanbul. He has high praise for Turkish employees, drawing attention to the hospitality inherent in Turkish culture. “Consequently, Turkish people are genuine, caring and have a great sense of pride in what they do. I observe the flawless match between the practices of our Turkish ladies and gentlemen and the philosophy of our company.” “It has been a pleasure and an honor to receive the Hewitt's Best Employer recognition. We accept it with great responsibility, as the result is based solely on the opinion of our ladies and gentlemen. Moreover, this is a true motivation for us to continue creating the most fostering environment for them each and every day.” Measured by GALLUP The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul ranked first on the guest engagement score in Gallup's guest satisfaction survey carried out within 55 properties that participated in the study. Istanbul was followed by the Ritz-Carlton Doha and the Penha Longa Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Portugal. The survey, in which the Ritz-Carlton Istanbul has been participating since 2005, measures to what extent the guest is engaged with the specific property and the Ritz-Carlton brand in general. Salcido again praised the hotel's employees, saying, “The major factors behind this success are the ladies and gentlemen providing flawless personalized service to our guests.” The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, with 214 employees, also ranked first on the employee engagement score in Gallup's employee satisfaction survey conducted in all of the 70 Ritz-Carlton properties worldwide. Ninety-eight percent overall employee satisfaction with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and 97 percent employee morale have resulted in a decrease of the turnover rate to 7.6 percent, which is considerably lower than the sector average. The service extended by happy and satisfied employees has led the Ritz-Carlton Istanbul to first place on the guest engagement score in the guest satisfaction survey. ‘Give Back Getaways' program Ritz-Carlton Hotels worldwide are going to give guests the opportunity to do something useful during their stay starting April 1. Visitors will be able to participate in “Give Back Getaways,” which will allow them to volunteer their time to improve and assist the local communities in which they are vacationing. In Istanbul, the Ritz-Carlton will offer the guests participating in the program the opportunity to attend music therapy sessions for children mainly with autism and Down syndrome, organized by the Foundation of Disabled People. The hotel will work with the foundation for the well-being of the disadvantaged children. Music was already being used in the Ottoman Empire in the 15th Century in the treatment of the mentally ill. Today, it is generally acknowledged that music is an international language that can inspire, move to tears or put joy in hearts. Perhaps nowhere is this felt more profoundly than at the Foundation of Disabled People, where children with autism, Down syndrome and other disabilities learn to communicate through the power of music. After meeting with therapists to learn how to work with the children, volunteers will participate in a music therapy session that has these ancient roots. At the end, they will have the opportunity to socialize with these special youngsters – a memorable ending to an unforgettable experience. The Ritz-Carlton has also developed in coordination with the same foundation a series of monthly activities that the hotel's Community Footprints Project Team (composed of volunteer ladies and gentlemen of the hotel) members attend. In Cancun, Mexico, for instance, guests will be able to get involved in helping protect endangered sea turtles. They will join a biologist from the Cancun Department of Ecology for rewarding hands-on experience protecting mother turtles during nesting and helping them return safely to the sea. Guests will head out at night to search for nesting turtles, gather sea turtle eggs, and bring them to a safer location at turtle camps where they can be buried without interfering with their natural cycle. Additional “Give Back Getaways” include cooking and serving meals at the North Texas Food Bank, restoring homes in the ancient water town of Wuzhen, China, planting native cypress trees in the dwindling wetland forests of the Florida Everglades, and building homes with Habitat for Humanity in Jakarta, Indonesia and New Orleans, Louisiana. Beginning April 1, 2008, guests will be able to check the availability of the programs in advance of their stay by accessing the Give Back Getaways page on www.ritzcarlton.com and www.givebackgetaways.com. NIKI GAMM
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News |
