More HR Problems for Chipotle

What is it about highly successful companies and employee problems?

Disney has seen its share of problematic employee issues as have McDonalds and others.  And in the past few years the fast-growing Chipotle Mexican Grill ran into a government brick wall by incurring a multi-year investigation of its hiring practices by Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE).

Chipotle returned to an unwanted spotlight recently with a walkout and supposed mass resignation by employees at the chain’s operation near Pennsylvania State University.  According to published reports employee were upset by allegedly being forced to work long hours without rest breaks.   A sign posted in Chipotle’s storefront referred to “borderline sweatshop conditions” as the cause of the walkout.

In an article in Bloomberg News a Chipotle spokesman said that only “a few employees” were involved while other employees were “enthusiastic to return to work.”   Bloomberg noted that at its most recent shareholder meeting the publicly-held Chipotle, whose stock price is approaching $700/share encountered a different kind of pushback — from shareholders — when  77% of the votes cast  opposed a combined $49.5 million annual compensation package for Chipotle’s co-CEOs.

Our observation:  To paraphrase a well worn quote, “employee issues happen for a reason”. Employees who are well trained, fairly compensated, supervised by decent and caring managers, and provided with reasonable rewards for their work — including the basic necessities such as time off for a meal or rest break — generally don’t simply walk off the job without provocation; meaning that there is likely more to this story than has been reported.   Stay tuned.  Meanwhile, pay attention to the basic necessities.

Source: http://www.hospitalityhrsolutions.com/

Managing a Multi-generational Workforce

In today’s work environment, managing multi-generational workforce has become a contemporary issue in human resource management.

Moreso, with competition for talent on the rise, developing a corporate culture of employee engagement and commitment has become a foundational imperative for most organisations.

Multigenerational workplaces has to do with employees with differences in terms of motivations, working styles, communication patterns and technological preferences working together towards achieving the goals and objectives of their organisations.

The trend of having at least three generations in most workplaces is evident in today’s workplace. According to reports, most organisations in the United States (US) now consist of 67 per cent Generation Y employees, while Generation X (born between the mid-1960s and 1980) only make up 28 per cent and the Baby Boomers (born between 1945-1965) with even less at 5 per cent.

Today, employers are faced with the challenges of creating and maintaining a high-performing workforce that will optimise productivity and position their organisations for growth.

Multi-generational Workforce

A major element that compounds the pressure and raises the stakes on employee commitment is a multigenerational workforce. Never before has there been such a diversity of generations in the workforce than now where you have four distinct, age-based groups coexisting in the workplace – a situation where a 20 year-old new hires are working side-by-side with colleagues who are older than they are by 50 years or even more.

Each of these groups has conflicting communication styles, opposing values and preferred ways of doing things, all of which can make it more challenging to manage and integrate into a corporate culture.

Generational differences, workplace experts say can affect a wide range of workplace variables-in particular communication and management. They can also affect employees’ general work experience and satisfaction levels.

Founder and President of Portsmouth-based Loyalty Factor LLC, a training and consulting company, Dianne Durkin, emphasised the need for organisations to learn about each of these generational groups, their needs and motivations in order to ensure long-term employee loyalty.

According to these experts, supervisors and HR managers will need to embed a lot of adaptation and flexibility into their strategies in order to not only attract but to retain talent from each generation.

Durkin, in an article, observed that the Generation X and Nexters make up about 45 per cent of the workforce, adding that together, these 18-to-41-year old individuals equal the same percentage of the workforce the Baby Boomers compose while the Veteran generation makes up the final 10 per cent.

Cause of Blend

Accordingly, human resource experts have attributed this rich mix of generations in the work­force primarily to labour shortages experienced in many industries and the rising average age of retirement. With this broad field of individuals populating the corporate world, it becomes more challenging for employers to describe the “typical” workforce, let alone manage and maximise its talent assets toward higher productivity and profits.

According to a survey by Lee Hecht Harrison, a global leader in career transition and talent development, more than 60 per cent of employers are experiencing intergenerational conflict, however, the article titled, ‘Leading a Multigenerational Workforce’ stated that those very differences can also lead to increased creativity and productivity and ultimately to business success.

“Each generation has its attributes to contribute to your workforce. Older workers of the traditionalist generation are a goldmine. They have years of experience and expertise you can draw upon for training others as new employees join your company. Baby boomers bring thinking outside the box to another level as they use creativity to resolve issues.

“Generation X workers will comprise one-third of the workforce in 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics. Workers from the millennial generation are among the most highly educated–and, probably the least averse to risk-taking than previous generations,” the report noted.

Ideally, a multi-generational workforce would result in improved collaboration, creativity and decision-making.

Yet this vision is far from reality as divergent communication styles and preferences are said to have widened workplace generation gap. Take for instance different experiences with technologies, Veterans and Baby Boomers came of age in a world without computers, while Gen Xers and Nexters are caught in the transition to workplace technology.

President of Top Tier Leadership, Rita Barretta Craig said the varying levels of tech savvy can lead to negative impacts on workplace etiquette and communication, which can increase conflict in the workplace.

Also, another reason for communication discord is that the younger generations find it difficult interacting with people who remind them of their parents and grandparents while the older generations deal with the reverse. This widening age gaps, experts say sometimes prevent the multigenerational workforce from seeing how they can benefit from sharing ideas.

Workforce Challenges

Given these scenarios, the biggest challenge is getting all age cohorts to understand the different ways they approach the workload. This is because each age group are believed to have different understanding of how work schedules will be adhered to and how decisions will be made.

And, as such, management has to find ways of setting collective norms based on values that transcend generations. In addition, supervisors and HR managers will need to embed a lot of adaptation and flexibility into their strategies in order to not only attract but to retain talent from each generation. This is important because if the company fails to identify common ground, it may cause frustration among generations.

Compass HR Consulting Managing Partner, Fred Cooper pinpoints unfair hiring as an area of integrational challenge. He observed that “When in a hiring role, Gen Xers look to those they are comfortable with in age and background. This is a generality, but it reflects the common theme that is becoming apparent by Boomers”

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/

New scholarship opens door to hospitality role for people with disability

Young people with a disability who want to work in hospitality can apply for a new training scholarship under a program available in Canberra.

It will be awarded to a struggling young person so they can take part in the organisation’s Branch Out Cafe program for free.

Jordan D’Ambrosio during the launch of a new hospitality training scholarship program for people with a disability in Holt.

Carers ACT commercial services manage Jean Giese✓ says the Branch Out Cafe is a transition-to-work program for young people with a disability, which offers hospitality training.

“They come through the cafe and they learn a range of competencies working towards a Certificate 1 in hospitality and then we work to transition them into either open or supported employment,” she said.

“It’s hospitality based, so it’s anything from handling money, making coffee to preparing food and serving customers.

“A big part of Branch Out Disability Services is about linking young people with disabilities into supports to enable them to be more independent in their lives and make friends. It’s with the hope that if these young people can move into open employment or supported employment, that they’re in a workforce that supports them and they are a real part of the community.”

The scholarship, which is open for applications and will be awarded next year, was made possible with the support of the Shaw Building Group, one of Carers ACT’s key sponsors.

“It’s a continuation of our support that we’ve undertaken for nine years now and it’s another initiative that we see Carers bringing to the front that we think is a very good idea,” Shaw Building Group managing director Valdis Luks said.

Mr Luks said programs like the Branch Out Cafe program were important as they helped people transition into the workforce.

Jordan D’Ambrosio, 22, who graduated from the program last year, recently began working at Coffee Club in Gungahlin.

“The Branch Out Cafe is a really nice place for people in the disability community where it helps everyone get the best training in how to develop some skills if they’re looking for a job,” he said.

He said he loved his new job and being able to give something back to the community.

“My favourite part of this job at the Coffee Club is serving the customers, bringing their food, prepping the food, doing the washing,” he said.

Carers ACT also launched a Branch Out Disability Services-branded bus on Wednesday, aimed at raising awareness of disability services available in the ACT.

The Branch Out program was launched in response to the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in the ACT.

Source: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/

The Newest of the New Generation Hotels: Hetras Helps Travel24 Rewrite the Rules

For the first time, an online travel agency launches its own chain

Hetras, the technology provider for new generation hotels, and Travel24, an established German online travel agency, have announced a long-term partnership to support the launch of Travel24’s new hotel brand.

The first property, a 170-room hotel in a reconstructed historic Leipzig building, is set to open in 2015. Travel24 plans to open 24 additional hotels over the next five to seven years. Like most new generation hotels, the Travel24 properties will offer eye-catching style, convenient locations and quality amenities at attractive prices. But Travel24 will add its own twists. Guests receive a 2D bar code with their reservation. This bar code, with which guests are already familiar through air and train travel, serve as an identification upon check-in and check-out and can be used to operate the hotel kiosks as well. hetras is largely responsible for the design, development and integration of the technology.

The real novelty of the concept, however, is the fact that Travel24 is already well known as an online travel agency. The combination of an OTA with a hotel chain creates unprecedented possibilities.

“As an online travel agency, it is imperative that we maintain a neutral position towards all of our hotel partners, including our own,” explained Armin Schauer, CEO of Travel24 (pictured right). “The difference is not on the OTA side but on the hotel side. Our hotels do not need to differentiate between the direct and indirect channel. After all, each channel is essentially commission-free.”

“Travel24 is indeed stretching the definition of new generation, yet this is nothing new for us,” added Tanja Baier, senior account manager at hetras. “Virtually all of our customers have pioneered new technologies and we are always excited to be at the forefront of change.”

“Our choice for hetras was simple,” continued Schauer, a former executive at Accor. “We looked for vendors with positive references and experience in, among other areas, kiosks, OTA integration and digital signature technology. Only hetras could check off all the boxes. It’s no surprise that hetras is the standard for new generation chains.”

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/

Marriott Plans to Nearly Double Diverse-Owned Hotels to 1,000 by 2020

New York — From its inaugural Women’s Ownership Works or WOW Summit at the Courtyard/Residence Inn Manhattan Central Park, Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) will announce plans to have 1,000 or 25 percent of its existing global hotel portfolio owned by diverse owners, including women, by 2020. The WOW Summit brings together a small group of current women hotel owners with women exploring hotel development as part of their investment approach.

“We have always had a culture of inclusiveness and want everyone to be aware of the opportunity to own hotels as an investment strategy that also has community benefit,” said Julius W. Robinson, Marriott International’s Vice President for Autograph Collection & Diversity Ownership Champion.

Today, Marriott’s portfolio includes 660 diverse- and women-owned hotels. There are another 433 in the development pipeline, with 130 of those scheduled to open by year-end 2015.

“It is important that we do business with other companies that share similar values,” said Alejandra Martinez, owner of the Courtyard Toluca Airport in Toluca, Mexico. “Marriott walked with us every step of the way to ensure that we understood the ownership process and continues to help us to be prosperous.”

Marriott launched its Diverse Ownership Initiative in 2005 to increase the number of diverse- and women-owned hotels. The initiative provides access, education and guidance throughout the hotel development process, beginning with selecting the right brand to opening a hotel. Marriott invites potential owners to participate in an intense two-day summit for networking and education.

The company is also actively hosting Diversity Ownership 101 Workshops with partner organizations such as the National Black MBA Association and Odyssey Network for Women. Marriott is also an active partner with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association and the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers.

“We have a solid portfolio of diverse owners who are extraordinary business partners. We want more women around the ownership table,” said Roz Winegrad, MarriottInternational’s Vice President of Owner Franchise Services. “We have a strong commitment to the economic empowerment of women around the world.”

The company’s select service and extended stay brands – Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites – are fueling its diverse owner segment. “These brands are perfect for new owners because there is a lower threshold for entry as financing and hotel operations tend to be easier,” said Eric Jacobs, Marriott International’s Chief Development Officer for Select Service and Extended Stay. “We intend for our owner relationships to be successful and profitable so that they continue to partner with us to build hotels throughout our portfolio of brands.”

“When I decided to develop hotels, I knew I wanted Marriott hotels in my investment portfolio,” said Norman Jenkins, Founder and President of Capstone Development, one of the owners and developers of the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.

Source: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/

Hospitality industry to create 6,000 jobs

The hospitality industry is to create 6,000 jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds by the end of the year.

The initiative was unveiled by the British Hospitality Association (BHA), which estimates there are 900,000 young people not in education, employment or training.

The announcement forms part of a wider job creation programme in the hospitality industry, with 300,000 jobs needed to be filled by 2020 to reflect rapid expansion and market demand.

An estimated 60,000 of the new jobs will be earmarked for 16-24 year olds, as the industry seeks to provide a gateway to tackle long-term youth unemployment.

The BHA said: “While many young people are still out of work, there are thousands of job vacancies in the industry and it’s this disconnect between jobs on offer and what young people will consider as career options which is causing particular concern for industry experts.

A recent study for the think tank IPPR cited a mismatch between the types of jobs young people are training for compared with what jobs as actually being available as one of the main barriers to solving the youth unemployment problem.”

BHA chief executive Ufi Ibrahim (pictured) said: “Hospitality is a successful industry with even greater growth prospects offering a vast range of job opportunities for all job seekers of any age.

“However, there are still widespread misconceptions amongst many outside the industry who don’t see the value in hospitality careers.

“We urge young people to look beyond outdated viewpoints and join our industry. The breadth of job roles and the training available means that bright and focused young people can succeed very quickly.”

Tourism minister Helen Grant said: “The hospitality sector is a thriving and dynamic one that can offer people a fulfilling, challenging career with great opportunities for progression.”

Source: http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/

LinkedIn Data Shows Where Hospitality Professionals Of Today Went To School

Before hotel managers and staff were assisting guests with questions on Twitter or giving restaurant recommendations, they were hitting the books in college learning how to best serve the 21st century traveler.

LinkedIn data show Florida International University (FIU), Johnson and Wales University, and Cornell University have some of the highest numbers of graduates working in the hospitality industry. FIU has the most, 5,507, Johnson and Wales has 5,491 and Cornell has 5,091 graduates in hospitality careers. The numbers are based on people indicating their alma mater on LinkedIn.

Companies such as Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts are the top employers for hospitality graduates from the three schools, based on the data. These schools say each hotel maintains an active presence on campuses.

Mike Hampton, dean of FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, says the school has strong relationships with Hilton and Starwood for internship and job placements. Many students choose to complete their graduation requirement of 1,000 hours of on-the-job training at these companies.

The school also requires 300 additional hours of placement at a company to solve a real-world hotel management problem, and Hampton said Hilton and Starwood are also popular choices for this placement.

He also said Marriott provides thousands of dollars worth of scholarships to FIU students each year for internships.

“These brands are integrated into our classrooms,” he said. “Experts from these companies come to classes and provide case studies.”

Johnson and Wales’ hotel relationships include Hilton, Marriott, Omni Hotels & Resorts and Walt Disney World, said Miriam Weinstein, a spokesperson for the university’s School of Hospitality. The school will host “Hilton Day” on Oct. 1 when company recruiters will visit the Providence campus, and Bill Marriott, chairman of the board of Marriott International, and his daughter Debbie Marriott Harrison, director of Marriott International, will also be on campus in December.

Source: http://www.skift.com/

Mayor Helps Deliver 100s of New Hospitality Apprenticeships & Jobs for Young People

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is today helping to deliver hundreds of new apprenticeships and jobs for young people in the hospitality industry. The Mayor has joined forces with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) to host a City Hall ‘Hospitality Conversation’ bringing together business executives from companies including Nando’s, Whitbread and Costa and matching them with unemployed 16-24 year olds who are eager to start careers in the sector.

The British Hospitality Association have joined the Mayor’s Apprenticeship Campaign and pledged to create 7,000 new jobs in London by the end of 2016. Today’s event will focus on roles in the restaurant trade and include a careers fair where employers can interview potential candidates and offer on the job opportunities and placements.

A recent report1 found that 16 per cent of UK hotels and 13 per cent of restaurants complained of consistent, long-term difficulties in filling vacancies, overwhelmingly due to widespread skills shortages.The Big Hospitality Conversation is a joint initiative between the British Hospitality Association, Springboard and Business in the Community aimed at bringing together business leaders in the sector with young people to deliver skills and employment and boost economic growth.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way of getting young people into work and offer invaluable training and insight. Businesses of every scale can benefit from having bright, hardworking, ambitious young people in their company and I want to thank all the firms in the capital who have already hired an apprentice and urge even more to get on board.“

Ufi Ibrahim, CEO of the British Hospitality Association said:  “Hospitality is a successful industry with even greater growth prospects offering a vast range of job opportunities for all job seekers of any age.  The breadth of job roles and the training available means that bright and focused young people can succeed very quickly.  We welcome young people to come along to the event to hear from insiders about how they started out in their careers.  At the City Hall event businesses will be offering on the spot job opportunities, so a young job seeker could start the day unemployed and leave with a job.  Where, in any other industry, would that happen?”

Keynote speaker at the event, the Deputy Mayor of London for business and enterprise, Kit Malthouse, said: “Helping London businesses to succeed and getting young people into meaningful employment are top priorities at City Hall. The hospitality sector is having a significant impact on London’s growing economy, but our job market still has work to do in reducing youth unemployment and training a skilled workforce. The sector is well placed to create apprenticeships and work experience, so I am thrilled that that the Big Hospitality Conversation has arrived here in City Hall to marry the experience of sector professionals with the enthusiasm of eager young people.”

This is part of the Mayor’s wider work to boost apprenticeships and yesterday evening (Tuesday 23rd September) the Mayor was joined by his training and enterprise ambassador Tim Campbell, and some of the capital’s brightest young apprentices at the London Apprenticeship Awards. The Mayor met young people fresh from placements at a range of top companies based in London, including Google, Lloyds Bank and Visa. The Awards also recognised businesses with a strong record of offering outstanding opportunities to young people, including British Airways who currently employ 300 apprentices, Lloyds Banking Group who are working with 1,000 and ITV London Barclays Bank who offer a wide range of roles to 86 young people.

This week the Mayor launched a major campaign to encourage more of the capitals 800,000 small to medium firms to hire apprentices. The campaign will be advertised across the city including on London Underground posters, advertising screens, digital media and newspapers.

The Mayor’s Ambassador for Training and Enterprise, Tim Campbell, said: “The brilliant apprentices I met at the awards are the tip of the iceberg of young talent in London. Apprentices are hard-working, highly motivated people with the initiative and courage to find ways of learning new skills and earning money at the same time. Far from being a cost to business, apprenticeships should be seen as an investment by employers. Where that investment is nurtured, the returns to the businesses are tremendous .”

One of the young people taking part in the awards, Apprentice Shaida Khanom, aged 20, is currently on a placement at Visa Europe. She said: “This has given me the foundations to build a successful career and everyday I’m challenged with exciting projects. Apprenticeships build character knowledge, expertise, maturity and the skills needed by tomorrows business leaders. Apprenticeships are a great alternative to higher education.“

The Mayor is working with the National Apprenticeship Service and London businesses to help over 40,000 people start an apprenticeship every year in the capital. Since launching his Apprenticeship Campaign, around 160,000 new apprenticeships have been created.

Source: http://www.biznews.com/

Marriott asks Millennial ‘tribe leaders’ to envision guest rooms of the future

Marriott Hotels in the UK has asked five thought leaders including TV presenter and charity founder, Katie Piper, and England rugby ace, Danny Care, to share their vision of the hotel guest room of the future.

Marriott Hotels is now calling for the public to vote on their favourite elements of the rooms on www.travelbrilliantly.co.uk/guestroom before 20 October 2014.  All voters have a chance of winning a four day trip to Marriott’s new hotel, Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli, Turkey.

From an interactive Instagram wall and selfie sticks to mind controlled projectors, the room designs are packed full of innovations and technology that reflect the needs and wants of the Millennial traveller.  Visitors to the site will vote on the best elements of each room design to create one winning concept that will be built as a show room in Westfield London (from 27 October to 2 November 2014). While the show room will not be replicated at Marriott Hotels; it represents a creative example of co-created innovation that aims to inspire the future of travel.

How the tribes were born

Following the launch of Marriott Hotels’ global campaign Travel Brilliantly in 2013 that represented a move in amplifying the brand’s dedication to leading the future of travel, Marriott Hotels in the UK set out to discover more about the lifestyle habits of Gen Y’s – 18-35 year olds – in Britain.

The survey findings identified the emergence of five Gen Y Tribes grouped together by similar attitudes, lifestyles and aspirations. The tribes are:
1. The Desirable Digerati: Early adopters of all hi-tech gadgetry and digital inventions. These fit, sociable, fashionable males are well travelled and often use their tech prowess to create start-ups. Tribe Leader: Jason Bradbury, TV Presenter & Author

2. The Fashionista Mumpreneurs: Fashion forward, savvy, self-employed, likely to have had a career change after having kids to fit around their lifestyle. Big in the blogger sphere and on social media. Tribe Leader: Katie Piper, TV presenter & Charity Founder

3. The Competitive Challengers: Fitness super-fans who thrive on the challenge of physical competitions from Iron Man to Tough Mudder. Keen sharers on social media, this group travels in packs, always on the look out for adventure. Tribe Leader: Danny Care, Harlequins & England rugby team player

4. The Social Media Savvies: Lovers of the Selfie and fans of every social app under the sun, these well groomed, young and carefree spirits love nothing more than a good party at home or away. Tribe Leader: Victoria InTheFrow, Celebrity Blogger & Lecturer

5.  The Financial Foodies: Tribe Leader: An emerging group of foodie fans who are ditching high powered jobs in the city in search of a fulfilling career in the food industry where they passion can flourish. Tribe Leader: Luiz Hara, Investment banker turned blogger, Editor of The London Foodie.

Marriott then invited these five personalities to design their vision for the ideal hotel guest room, ensuring that the characteristics of their tribe were represented in the design.

Trends in the hospitality landscape

With the emergence of Millennial travellers, the Marriott Hotels survey was inspired by an observation that these travellers – while a single demographic – significantly differ in life experience and career stages.
Osama Hirzalla, Vice President Brand Marketing & eCommerce Europe Marriott International says: “Every day we see discussion on the lifestyle habits of Millennials, but everyone seems to speak to this group as if they are one person. Marriott Hotels wants to throw out the generic term ‘Millennial’ and recognise their many faces.  As we continue to reinvent the travel experience and ask guests to co-create with us through our Travel Brilliantly campaign, we are excited to see the different guest room designs and how the public reacts to the creativity and innovation displayed in them.  We will take inspiration from the designs to celebrate and promote the importance of extraordinary design for the future.”

– See more at: http://ehotelier.com/news/2014/09/24/marriott-asks-millennial-‘tribe-leaders’-to-envision-guest-rooms-of-the-future#sthash.eGqGt3Jb.dpuf

Marriott Hotels in the UK has asked five thought leaders including TV presenter and charity founder, Katie Piper, and England rugby ace, Danny Care, to share their vision of the hotel guest room of the future.

Marriott Hotels is now calling for the public to vote on their favourite elements of the rooms on www.travelbrilliantly.co.uk/guestroom before 20 October 2014.  All voters have a chance of winning a four day trip to Marriott’s new hotel, Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli, Turkey.

From an interactive Instagram wall and selfie sticks to mind controlled projectors, the room designs are packed full of innovations and technology that reflect the needs and wants of the Millennial traveller.  Visitors to the site will vote on the best elements of each room design to create one winning concept that will be built as a show room in Westfield London (from 27 October to 2 November 2014). While the show room will not be replicated at Marriott Hotels; it represents a creative example of co-created innovation that aims to inspire the future of travel.

How the tribes were born

Following the launch of Marriott Hotels’ global campaign Travel Brilliantly in 2013 that represented a move in amplifying the brand’s dedication to leading the future of travel, Marriott Hotels in the UK set out to discover more about the lifestyle habits of Gen Y’s – 18-35 year olds – in Britain.

The survey findings identified the emergence of five Gen Y Tribes grouped together by similar attitudes, lifestyles and aspirations. The tribes are:
1. The Desirable Digerati: Early adopters of all hi-tech gadgetry and digital inventions. These fit, sociable, fashionable males are well travelled and often use their tech prowess to create start-ups. Tribe Leader: Jason Bradbury, TV Presenter & Author

2. The Fashionista Mumpreneurs: Fashion forward, savvy, self-employed, likely to have had a career change after having kids to fit around their lifestyle. Big in the blogger sphere and on social media. Tribe Leader: Katie Piper, TV presenter & Charity Founder

3. The Competitive Challengers: Fitness super-fans who thrive on the challenge of physical competitions from Iron Man to Tough Mudder. Keen sharers on social media, this group travels in packs, always on the look out for adventure. Tribe Leader: Danny Care, Harlequins & England rugby team player

4. The Social Media Savvies: Lovers of the Selfie and fans of every social app under the sun, these well groomed, young and carefree spirits love nothing more than a good party at home or away. Tribe Leader: Victoria InTheFrow, Celebrity Blogger & Lecturer

5.  The Financial Foodies: Tribe Leader: An emerging group of foodie fans who are ditching high powered jobs in the city in search of a fulfilling career in the food industry where they passion can flourish. Tribe Leader: Luiz Hara, Investment banker turned blogger, Editor of The London Foodie.

Marriott then invited these five personalities to design their vision for the ideal hotel guest room, ensuring that the characteristics of their tribe were represented in the design.

Trends in the hospitality landscape

With the emergence of Millennial travellers, the Marriott Hotels survey was inspired by an observation that these travellers – while a single demographic – significantly differ in life experience and career stages.
Osama Hirzalla, Vice President Brand Marketing & eCommerce Europe Marriott International says: “Every day we see discussion on the lifestyle habits of Millennials, but everyone seems to speak to this group as if they are one person. Marriott Hotels wants to throw out the generic term ‘Millennial’ and recognise their many faces.  As we continue to reinvent the travel experience and ask guests to co-create with us through our Travel Brilliantly campaign, we are excited to see the different guest room designs and how the public reacts to the creativity and innovation displayed in them.  We will take inspiration from the designs to celebrate and promote the importance of extraordinary design for the future.”

Source: ehotelier.com

Dennis Jung appointed Hotel Manager at The Ritz Carlton, South Beach

Luxury Miami Beach hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, has announced the appointment of Mr. Dennis Jung to the position of Hotel Manager. With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, the seasoned international hotelier will lead and oversee the operation of the 375 room hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. The oceanfront restored 1953 Art Moderne building, in the famed Art Deco district, is located at the epicentre of South Beach.

Mr. Jung’s tenure in the luxury hotel industry has led him to exotic locations around the globe, working in 6 cities, across 3 different continents. He began his hospitality career as a Night Auditor at a 285 room hotel in Frankfurt, Germany. After 10 years and 8 employment positions in the Rooms Division – holding executive positions in Munich, Switzerland, Shanghai, and Beijing – Jung decided to join The Ritz-Carlton family in 2010.

Most recently Mr. Jung held the position of Hotel Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow. In Moscow, Jung began as the Executive Assistant Rooms Manager, and would eventually expand his role to The Director of Hotel Operations followed by Hotel Manager. His hard work and talent served vital as the Opening Team Trainer at The Ritz-Carlton properties located in Hong Kong, Vienna, Dubai, and Herzliya, Israel, in addition to serving as Project Zenith in Berlin and Hotel Arts Barcelona.

Jung earned a degree in International Hospitality from Hotelfachschule Heidelberg in Germany and also studied at Cornell University.

The hotelier, born in Germany, speaks 4 languages including German, English, French and Mandarin. Jung is excited to add Spanish to his roster as he absorbs Miami’s culture with his wife and their two children. “South Beach is one of the world’s most glamorous and exciting resort towns,” said Jung. “Having worked in pure business hotels in the past, it was very exciting to accept a new and different opportunity in a property with great history and legacy.”

Sorce: www.ehotelier.com