Case study

Marriott Hotel, Grantham

Age Positive Champion

The hotel and catering industry is sometimes viewed as employing mainly young workers, especially students who may wish to work part time, or during a gap year. However, the Grantham Marriott hotel has tried very hard to change this by examining all of our policies and practices - and now over 30% of our workforce is aged 45 or over.

We have found that our older workers demonstrate skills and abilities that we are looking for - people-orientated skills, good communication skills, and they take personal ownership for guests’ satisfaction within the hotel.

Ann Upsall, HR Manager

OUR AGE POSITIVE GOOD PRACTICE:

When we heard in the news about the importance of being positive about age, it encouraged us to review all our policies, practices and procedures to ensure that we demonstrated good practice in age diversity consistently.

Our employees are actively encouraged to work past State Pension Age. Marriott general policy states that colleagues retire at 65, however, this is a policy which is implemented at each hotel’s discretion - and we took the decision that should our mature colleagues wish to work beyond 65 we would not stand in their way. This is found to be both beneficial to the hotel, which reduces recruitment costs, and the employee, who may not want to retire and who is still fully competent in their ability to carry out their duties. All our cases of ‘deferred retirement’ are reviewed annually.

Older employees are also encouraged to act as a mentors for the younger employees during the New Hire three-month induction period, as we find mature workers have a patient, reassuring manner, which helps new starters settle into our workplace quickly and efficiently.

All policies within the hotel, including those on promotion, are reviewed to include good practice on age diversity. The Marriott Hotel’s staff handbook states quite clearly that all associates should be treated fairly, with respect and dignity, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. This is discussed in detail within the company induction process, along with other initiatives relating directly to age such as our deferred retirement policy.

Recruitment

No mention of age is ever shown on the recruitment advertisements that are used. The application form does ask for the age of the person applying, on the back page, this is purely so we as a company can manage and monitor diversity. Two people carry out all interviews, one of these being a Human Resource member, ensuring that all the recruitment policies are adhered to.

Selection

As a company we have always hired for attitude and then taught relevant, specific skills. All Team Leaders within the hotel with responsibility for recruitment attend a workshop to give them the skills needed to interview objectively. This includes questioning techniques, information about the company’s equal opportunities policies, interview notes and the law.

Promotion

As a hotel, we also carry out Career and Personal development plans annually for all associates regardless of age. It is also company policy to advertise promotion opportunities internally. Decisions are based on the employees’ ability to carry out the new role, and never age.

Training and Development

All new starters within the hotel, regardless of age, complete a 90-day induction process, which includes a company and department induction and the completion of three books by the new employee with the help of a New Hire trainer. Julie is the champion for this process within the Grantham hotel, having held her post for the past six months. She attended a ‘New hire - Train the Trainer’ national course and she now co-ordinates this process and ensures that all new starters complete the New Hire workbooks. Julie also happens to be in her late 40’s, but was promoted to her current role not because of her age but because she has excellent people skills and all-round ability which made her the best candidate for the job.

Redundancy

Although we have had to face redundancy in the past due to business demands, age was never used as selection criteria. Instead the job requirements, skills, experience, attitude and employment records were used.

BENEFITS OF OUR GOOD PRACTICE:

Since we have begun to focus more on age diversity, our labour turnover has fallen by 50% and therefore we have been able to reduce overall recruitment costs significantly. Guest questionnaires, which are monitored monthly, show that customer satisfaction has increased, up six percentage points. Our staff survey shows that employee satisfaction and motivation has also increased. We now boast a more flexible workforce, which is committed to ensuring the success of the hotel.

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