Corporate Culture

“Assessing associate satisfaction is an equally critical component. Meyer Jabara Hotels acknowledges the Associate as a key stakeholder and works as hard to create uncommonly engaged Associates. It is, after all, our Associates who create returning, raving Guests.”

by Guest Columnist, Simon Sloman

Meyer Jabara Hotels is a very diverse hotel company. It is a hotel company that understands it is in the business of creating memorable and repeatable experiences. It is a company that values associate growth and learning. It is a company that strives to not just make a profit at all cost, but to make a profit through developing heart connections and partnerships with those it serves. It is a company that considers reaction the wrong strategy, but rather works to be proactive and establish industry trends instead of following them. It is a company that remains lean at the top, decentralizing functions that most other hotel companies keep at the corporate level. The MJH General Managers operate their hotels in an empowered environment, as if they owned their property.

Each Meyer Jabara Hotel is guided by a living Vision — “Empowered associates delivering outstanding hospitality and themed destination experiences for our guests.” And a Mission to “Create an environment whereby all associates accept empowerment and personal responsibility for providing superior customer service, memorable and distinctive experiences, and profitability.”

Three components are fundamental to achieving the Vision and the Mission of the Company:

1. Creating a truly engaging Destination Experience in a world where the competition is delivering a basic hotel offering.
2. Managing a culture which trains dedicated associates to take on the personal responsibility of doing whatever it takes to create a positive, memorable guest experience and then holds each accountable for delivering the same.
3. Accepting nothing less than a strong foundation of operational excellence . . . working hard to ensure guest expectations are delivered flawlessly each and every day.

We have developed a strong culture in our organization, known as “The Journey.” At the same time, we recognize that the true worth of our culture comes from the extent to which our core values and beliefs are practiced. It is imperative that both our guests and our associates know they can rely on Meyer Jabara Hotels to manage the performance of the hotels in accordance with our stated vision and mission statements.

Assessing customer satisfaction is a critical component to success in the hospitality industry’s. Assessing associate satisfaction is an equally critical component. Meyer Jabara Hotels acknowledges the Associate as a key stakeholder and works as hard to create uncommonly engaged Associates. It is, after all, our Associates who create returning, raving Guests.

Understanding how our daily business practices either support or contradict our vision and mission statements is critical to our success, be it individual or organizational. To do this, we regularly survey our associates in every level of the organization.

This multi-level surveying helps our organization compare and correlate morale and operational effectiveness from the corporate offices through each field property. The result is a culture where associates, managers and leaders hold each other to a high level of accountability.

Conflicts between work practices and stated values can have a devastating effect on an organization. Left unaddressed, confusion of values and distrust among associates will definitely have a negative impact on our ability to deliver exceptional guest service daily. In order to prevent this, we survey all associates twice a year. Our survey reports give us the ability to identify and act upon specific issues quickly. We live in a world of accelerating change. Surveying twice a year allows the organization to adapt to current issues and trends as well as track our success in addressing them.

Every company has a culture. Some choose to take what they get while others work hard to create and nurture a culture that is fundamental to their success. The ownership and leadership of Meyer Jabara Hotels fosters a non-directive management style centered on learning and continuous improvement.

Simon C. Sloman, (Si) oversees all aspects of hotel operations for the Meyer Jabara Hotels’ portfolio. His responsibilities include hotel operations, strategic planning, marketing and sales and destination experience creation and marketing. Si has served in various industry related positions with global responsibilities for both public and private companies. He has extensive experience in revenue development and financial performance.

Reprinted from FocusEd, Summer 2005 edition.