Marriott Hotels scoop award from Sunday Times
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Marriott Hotels in the UK have achieved 14th place in the Sunday Times 20 Best Big Companies to Work For list, announced on Sunday 9th March 2008. The Sunday Times award highlighted Marriott’s positive and supportive management
style, associates’ appreciation of a strong sense of family and teamwork, and
a company operating on strong principles. Associates were also proud to work
for the company.
This is the first time that Marriott has entered the Sunday Times ‘Best Companies’ programme. Until May 2005 the majority of UK Marriott Hotels
were managed, and their staff employed, by Whitbread plc under a franchise agreement.
“Overnight we took over the management of an additional 50 hotels, and 9,500
associates. This gave us the critical mass to be able to implement UK-wide training,
recruitment and career development programmes and to develop a deeper understanding
of the company’s core values. Marriott has been widely recognised in the US for
its commitment to its employees, having appeared for the 11th consecutive year in the FORTUNE magazine’s "100 Best Companies to Work For”, and it is very pleasing to be able
to replicate this success in the UK,” said Gary Dodds, regional vice president
– human resources UK, Ireland, Middle East & Africa.
After assuming the management of all of the UK hotels and their employees (known
as associates), Marriott implemented a programme of transformation which included
refurbishment of hotels, systems and sales force integration and a major emphasis
on associates and the HR function.
This process has included bringing all associates into the same pay and benefits
system, developing new links with local communities, and educational institutions
to recruit and develop new talent, and through programmes such as Spirit to Serve
and Environmental Awareness Month, underlined Marriott’s commitment to being a
responsible corporate citizen.
The success of these efforts is reflected in the widespread recognition of Marriott’s
commitment to being an excellent employer and developer of people. In addition
to the Sunday Times award, Marriott in the UK has recently received the Investors in People 2007 award (all 60 UK hotels were included); Best Companies Accreditation 2008 for Workplace Engagement; and three UK National Springboard Awards 2007.
