With 260,000+ hospitality experts across the globe reinventing the future of hospitality, Accor is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all as a truly inclusive company. The Group aims to offer diverse opportunities for development as well as attractive career plans to ensure every Heartist® has the opportunity to grow, regardless of their cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
General equality is a key priority for Accor – the group was one of the ten founding signatories of the United Nations HeForShe movement and last year signed the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence. Globally, 43% of Accor’s Heartists are female. While these women may have taken different paths to success, the similarities that inspire them are their passion for people, limitless opportunities, and the pursuit of equality.
PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE THE KEY DRIVER
In hospitality, people are the main driver of all meaningful actions. Welcoming and caring for guests, colleagues, and the community serves as the shared language among all Heartists®. It is the people that inspire them every day at work and carry them through the toughest challenges.
“It is not just about serving people. We, as hospitality professionals, create happiness; we make beautiful memories by serving from our heart, which remains with our guests for the longest of time. This makes us feel proud of the work we do. It makes us feel accomplished that we can make a difference,” said Farzana Khorasi, Food & Beverage Manager at Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort.
Hospitality puts people at its heart. The smiles on guests’ and colleagues’ faces are what motivate Rin Han, Learning and Development Manager at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, to do better every day. “The biggest reason I love my job is that I can always be considerate and love others. The joy of working in the hospitality industry is to see smiles and make other people happy.”
Hospitality involves rich interactions with guests and colleagues from all backgrounds. It fosters a spirit of openness and connects people and cultures. Thus, Accor encourages each talent to express their unique personality and facilitate an environment in which people can share their sincere passion for service and care of people. The promise to Heartists® is that they will feel valued and be the actors of their own actions.
LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AND CONTINUE GROWING…
Being responsible for the efficient operations of the front desk, the concierge, the bell desk, the spa and the gym, Jean Wong, Director of Front Office Operations at Fairmont Singapore enjoys the adrenaline rush of handling different events daily. From dealing with various teams, solving hundreds of issues, to serving thousands of guests, she has developed people engagement skills as one of her fortes. Interacting with people from different cultures also helps her to think in a more diverse manner and open a horizon of perspectives. “No two days are the same. New guests arrive daily. New challenges come up. It is fast-paced, stressful, and demanding, but it is an exciting opportunity to learn, develop, grow, and enjoy.”
According to Sairung Eamchom, Room Division Manager at ibis Styles Bangkok Ratchada, adds “The hospitality industry allows you to develop yourself. You will be able to improve lots of skills. You will learn from others, your colleagues, and guests. You will learn from tackling different situations that arise in the course of your job. Some of the skills required in your job, such as communication, teamwork or organisation, will become pivotal in your daily life. You will learn more skills as you gain more experience and deal with various people.”
The hospitality sector is vast and job opportunities are limitless. It is a safe space for everyone to grow. Ambitious talents may pursue positions in finance, human resources, marketing, and more. Chit Chit Naing balances two roles, one being the Director of Talent & Culture of Novotel Yangon Max and another being the Area Talent & Culture Manager for Accor Myanmar. She looks after 800 Heartists in the country to ensure that everyone is recognised and feels valued. “I personally feel that the hospitality industry is the place where I am doing something different each day with new opportunities to learn, and take on exciting challenges. I can see the fruits of my efforts, working alongside great people, and providing interesting activities for colleagues.” She wishes to encourage all women to achieve their dreams, go beyond their fears, pursue their ambitions, and believe in themselves.
A SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE WORKING CULTURE
In the Southeast Asia region, Accor has encouraged more women to step into leadership roles and focus on initiatives that remove gender biases. As a result, the career advancements for women are limitless.
Aubrey Ada started her career as a Reservations Agent. She then took on various roles within hotels such as Housekeeping Manager, Front Office Manager, and Director of Rooms. The hotel’s General Manager believed in her and challenged her to do better every day. Aubrey’s talent shone and in October 2021, she was promoted to become the first local female Hotel Manager of Fairmont and Raffles Makati in Manila. Aubrey now oversees the operations, rooms, spa and fitness, food and beverage, security, and engineering departments. “Accor’s management training programs, such as International Hospitality Management Program, in which I participated, are well thought out. The programs made me feel valued. I thought to myself, this company is serious in developing future leaders from within the group,” she said. As a Filipina hotelier with a global mindset and a mother herself, she wants to inspire women not to give up on their dreams.
Growing up with sweet childhood memories in a house near Tan Son Nhat International Airport in her beloved Ho Chi Minh City, Truong Thi Kim Chi is now responsible for increasing the revenue for ibis Saigon Airport. She was an Assistant Director of Sales when she joined two years ago. She then got promoted to Director of Sales. “Being a leader of my team, every day I am filled with enthusiasm and hunger for business. I feel motivated when I can fulfill my tasks and contribute to the hotel. I feel even more encouraged when my colleagues ask me if we will have many guests staying and if we will have an attractive service charge.” Truong aims to lead her young sales team with her own experience, hoping they can learn and truly fulfill their potential.
Srey Peou Nang was the only Guest Relations Officer at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort back in 2000. It was this job that allowed her to discover her love for storytelling while she was showing guests around the hotel. This passion and hard work enabled her to become a successful Director of Sales today. “My heart remains with Sofitel. I have a career full of memorable moments working here. I am proud that I can keep developing myself in the world of luxury hospitality, thanks to the opportunities that the hotel has offered me.”
Hospitality is a team sport and that is why Heartists® are at the heart of Accor’s culture, as guest experience relies on their personalities and skills. Each employee is empowered and is encouraged to take risks and be creative.
Accor recognises and celebrates outstanding female talents through its international network RiiSE. Open to both women and men, RiiSE promotes diversity and focuses on empowering both genders through a mentoring program. In addition, RiiSE strives to combat stereotypes, everyday sexism, and sexual harassment.
In a post-COVID world, increased flexibility for both women and men will help remove unconscious biases against female talents who may have managed multiple priorities, including raising children. Accor is committed to removing biases across the industry and ensuring an inclusive environment for all to #BreakTheBias.
To learn more about a career in the world’s most exciting industry, visit: https://careers.accor.com/global/en
