“Welcome to Four Seasons!” These four simple words can be life-changing – for both the employee and the employer.
Throughout my 18-year career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, I’ve done my share of recruiting. From hiring the perfect hotel manager in the Maldives to hiring the perfect sous chef on Lana’i, Hawaii, it’s a vital part of the business. It also plays an integral role in the success of the hotel.
No matter the location, or the position, one thing has remained the same in my overall recruiting strategy – hire those with heart. Hire those who embody the Golden Rule. ??Isadore Sharp, Four Seasons’ founder and chairman, once said, “We look for employees who share the Golden Rule – people who, by nature, believe in treating others as we would have them treat us.” It’s a simple, yet profound statement, and truly words to live by – and recruit by.
The Golden Rule is what guides my own recruitment process. Hire those that are passionate about the business and project a genuine warmth. Skills can be taught, nurtured and managed, but genuine warmth or “service from the heart” cannot.
The Golden Rule is an idea that was instilled early in my career and emphasized when I joined Four Seasons. This idea, or practice, has stayed with me over the years and is rooted in every employee, every department, and every aspect of the hotels that I have managed throughout the world. I’ve been fortunate to work with the best of the best, a vibrant group of people from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique experiences to the company.
From accomplished chefs to brilliant engineers to savvy concierges and creative sales managers, there is a common thread amongst them. They all are passionate about their work and guided by the Golden Rule. Sure, they are accomplished in their own right, but what stood out during the recruitment process was their attitude, their passion to learn, to excel, to be a part of a larger story. Their journey, just like mine, began with the recruitment process and showcased by their “service from the heart” attitude.
As I continue my journey here in Kuala Lumpur, opening a new luxury property, smart recruitment is essential to its success. Our new recruits will not only be the pillars to introduce a new era of luxury sweeping Kuala Lumpur, but they will also play an integral role in launching the brand’s renowned service in a new destination.
A daunting task? Perhaps. However, it all goes back to taking a thoughtful recruitment approach, with the Golden Rule as the foundation. Find that employee with the heart, and find your next dynamic employee.