What do hotel employees want? Sustainability!
(Berlin, May 21, 2019) Environmental protection and satisfied employees are two keys to the Scandic hotel group's success. Through its corporate culture, the Group ensures that employees have space to develop their personality and are environmentally friendly. The guiding values are paying off for Scandic: the hotel group is popular with applicants, employees and guests. For example, Scandic has one of the best employer rankings in the hotel and tourism sector on the Kununu employer rating portal. Guests also rate Scandic positively. The average of their ratings on online platforms such as TripAdvisor or Booking.com was 4.37 in 2017 (on a scale of one to five).
"Our corporate culture gives employees room to develop and spurs them on," says Michel Schutzbach, Country Managing Director Europe at the Scandic hotel group. "Because only motivated employees can fully concentrate on the satisfaction of our guests, offer excellent service and meet our high quality standards. In this way, we ensure economic success."
Exemplary commitment to sustainability
Satisfied employees are committed beyond their job and develop ideas that become the industry standard. All Scandic hotels have been following a comprehensive sustainability program since 1993, which even sets standards beyond the company itself. For example, the idea of a Scandic employee was to inform the guests that the room service did not replace the towels that were hung up to protect the environment. In the meantime, this practice has become established throughout the hotel industry. In 2008 Scandic also replaced the water bottles in its hotels with dispensers with treated tap water in order to reduce CO2 emissions and transport costs. Since then there are only water bottles in the hotel shops.
To live up to its pioneering role, Scandic sets new standards in environmental protection. The hotel chain, for example, purchases 100 percent green electricity, uses only printer paper with the FSC certificate for sustainability, and attaches great importance to LEDs and energy-saving lamps with motion detectors, as well as waste separation and recycling. In addition, Scandic is doing something about the decline in the Berlin bee population and has installed several sticks on the roof of the hotel on Potsdamer Platz, which provide a home for around 700,000 bees. The Scandic employees are involved in the commitment to environmental protection. You are responsible for avoiding waste and reducing the consumption of water, electricity and chemicals. In addition, Scandic recently called on its employees to express sustainable ideas that can be implemented across the Group. 400 proposals were submitted as part of the "Sustainability Hackathon" - a modern concept that creates innovations.
"At Scandic, we are convinced that as a large multinational company we have a responsibility for society," says Schutzbach. "That is why sustainability plays a central role for us. This is how we do something good for our environment and at the same time improve the mood among our employees."
https://soundcloud.com/hoteliertv/rettet-die-bienen
Diversity as a strength
In addition to its commitment to sustainability, Scandic also sees the diversity of its employees as a strength. Accordingly, people from almost 30 different countries are employed in the German Scandic Hotels. When selecting new employees, their personality and qualifications are what count. For example, in Berlin Scandic employs a deaf woman in the kitchen. The colleague is well integrated, also because a sign language interpreter is present at all official events and discussions. In addition, Scandic offers its employees special training courses on dealing with blind and visually impaired people. A training course on sign language has already been implemented.
Age, gender or other factors that are not relevant for the job, on the other hand, play no role in recruitment or payment. The salary is above normal market conditions. With binding rules, Scandic ensures that the guiding values are really lived in the company. The respectful treatment of colleagues, the prohibition of disadvantage and the code of conduct are laid down, among other things, in the employment contract and in the employee handbook. As part of the induction, the new employees receive an introduction to the company culture. Scandic makes it clear that the guiding values are an important part and are lived. It's no wonder that Scandic was chosen as "Germany's Best Employer 2018" in the Great Place to Work competition.
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