Decent work is about providing opportunities for productive work that delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and better prospects for personal development, amongst others.  As we celebrate the World Day for Decent Work on 7^th October, an initiative of international trade union (ITUC), let us take a moment to appreciate the efforts being made by exemplary companies to give all available opportunities to its workers to flourish and celebrate the achievements of our fellow Seychellois men and women under the Localization Programme.

Hotel L’archipel

An exemplary work establishment and hotel situated at Anse Volbert Praslin, boasting 70 % Seychellois workforce.  Established since the year 1987, the hotel has most of its managers as Seychellois.  It recently promoted 2 locals to the post of Sous-Chef and Restaurant Supervisor after following a development plan for two years. How do they do it?  Let us hear from the General Manager, Mr. Lucas D’offay.

(1) D’offay, first of all our commendation for achieving a workforce of 70% Seychellois. Tell us how has this been possible for Hotel L’archipel, especially since you are based on Praslin where labour is even more scarce.
I am following in my father’s footsteps, who always believed in our Seychellois and wanted to have a hotel with 100% Seychellois. We all know it is not easy but we keep trying. We offer a good salary package with additional incentives, which does not necessarily have to be monetary. The presence of a strong welfare committee also helps, and being an almost all-Seychellois management hotel we understand our culture better so it gives us some advantage. We also do everything possible to recognize good performance. We do our part by welcoming students from secondary schools to work during school holidays to spark their interest and get them to join the industry, and why not Hotel L’Archipel, when they complete their studies.

(2) In your opinion would you say the localization programme is beneficial to the industry?
(A) Certainly, all of us wants to cut down on the number of GOP as it is costly. That is why the hotel embarks on programmes to work with the locals and where we see potentials we do our all to push them to occupy higher positions. Sometimes even we have candidates but they do not accept for different reasons such as working shifts.

(3) What advice would you offer to other organizations to encourage them to hire more Seychellois?
(A) I would encourage every establishment able to do so to embark on the programmes on offer like we have, and maybe look into the remuneration packages. We need to encourage our young people because at the end of the day they will be taking over.

(4) What are the challenges you encounter as a business in the recruitment of locals?
(A) The social ills are the main impediment. Secondly, delays encountered with government processes compounded by the fact that certain decisions are taken but not necessarily beneficial to the industry. There should be more communication and understanding of the industry.

(5) Any suggestion on how the localization programme  could be improved to better suit your organization and the industry in general?
(A) One suggestion would be to introduce a sub programme targeting students by doing talks in the schools, to provide positive perception on the industry and encourage the young people to join. In hospitality a job is guaranteed so it is the place to be, really.

Meet the two Seychellois who got promoted under the localization programme

Name: Mr. Jeffrey Quatre

Establishment: Hotel L’archipel at Anse Governement on Praslin

Job title: Sous Chef

I have been in the tourism industry for many years, my career began as a Steward with Fisherman’s Cove Hotel. I got promoted to Head Steward with the same company. I left hospitality just before the hotel closed down for renovation and joined the Ministry of Agriculture.  While I was there, a Chef recommended me to come to Hotel L’archipel, after some time I left and after 3 years came back until now.

I have learned a lot in the job, for now the Executive Chef is doing a lot of paperwork such as preparing the menu. I have my understanding of the process but just need to practice more and gain more experience with computer, which am getting a lot of support from management and the Executive Chef.

I have the same responsibility as the Executive Chef, because I am the only Sous-Chef, and now we have just recruited a new Junior Sous Chef which I am very happy to see our local taking up the job. In general, I do everything like requisition, oversee the kitchen and pastry daily operation.

I love being a Chef, I see it as very interesting and am passionate about it. The challenges every day are different but some of them are part of our daily routine which that we know how to deal with example, if a guest has special requirements we know how to organize and being creative to satisfy the guest’s needs.

During my localization stage I did all the course in all parts of the kitchen, I experienced a lot of difficult moments with staff and guests, but am proud to say that I have achieved a lot to be where I am today.

I encourage everyone to join and I always share my start in life with them so they can motivate themselves to be what they want to be. With very good behavior, they can be whoever they want to be.

In the future I want to be an Executive Chef and share my skills and knowledge with the youngsters. My aspiration is to see more Seychellois choose to work in the kitchen.

Name: Mr. Jovan Laira

Establishment: L’archipel Hotel at Anse Governement on Praslin

Job title: Restaurant Supervisor

I have been in the Tourism industry for nearly 16 years in a progressive career, that began as a gardener and after sometime I decided to change my path to F&B. I moved Senior Waiter, Maître d’hôtel and now am a Restaurant Supervisor.

As a restaurant Supervisor I am responsible for a team of 9 waiters and second in command after the Restaurant & Bar Assistant Manager. My job is very much challenging as having to lead a team of majority foreign workers of different nationalities, I have had to acquire the extra skills to understand and juggle the differences among the team. I meet different guests from all over the world every day, and I am now more directly involved with the clients to attend to their requests and complaints, but that also make my job more exciting as there is always something new to learn.

Localization is a good initiative to encourage and protect our local workforce. However, it is not always easy taking my case that I have not really learned much from being the understudy of the foreigner as he himself was still learning and I had more experience than him. But I did a training course in supervisory skills and that had helped me a lot in my present position.

I would encourage anybody going through this process to have patience, work hard, show willingness to learn and grow, accepting criticisms are all part of the process but at the end of the day it is well worth the sacrifice. I would also like to plead with our young generation to seize the opportunities laid down through the employment programmes as it is time that we take ownership of our tourism industry.

For my future I am aspiring to own my restaurant one day. Now all I have to do is learn the maximum to climb up the career ladder towards becoming an F&B Manager.

Paradise Sun Hotel

Situated at Anse Volbert Praslin, it has 64 % of its workforce as Seychellois.  In operation for nearly 30 years, it is showing positive signs in the area of development and progression of Seychellois workers. It recently promoted 2 locals to the post of Sous-Chef and Restaurant Manager after following a development plan for some time. Mr. Ross Mackay, the General Manager, talks about what is driving the hotel to get this far.

(1) What is the key to retaining your employees and make them loyal to your establishment?
(A) I believe the key is to ensure your team’s happiness, motivation and enthusiasm when working. This can be done by working towards an environment that is based on communication, development and learning. Empowering people to make decisions, whether right or wrong, and learning from them, is important. We like to look at our team as the priority within the hotel, and try to make their work experience enjoyable.

(2) Do you find the localization programme relevant to the industry?
(A) Definitely, Seychelles has abundant talent and the people are naturally hospitable and welcoming. By having a localization plan in place, you allow people with potential to come to the forefront, which in turn puts them in a position to directly affect the business and industry in a positive way. The other aspect of the localization plan is the interest in growth development it creates in terms of other team members seeing that there is potential to move up within the hotel industry and better their chances of leading a fulfilling hotel career.

(3) What would be your advice to other organizations to encourage them to hire more Seychellois?
(A) My advice would simply be - take part in the localization programme. As hoteliers we have a duty to our teams to ensure their growth and development, which ultimately leads to a better and more productive hotel and industry. At our hotel we have dedicated our time to developing local leaders and the results have been outstanding. The localization programme offers a guided tool which assists in gaining the right results. I am glad that we have put every effort into this programme and I cannot speak highly enough about it.

(4) What advice would you offer to those who aspire to be successful in the industry?
(A) Be knowledgeable in the fact that the hospitality industry, like so many other industries, takes effort, dedication, passion and sacrifice. Nothing comes easy and success will not be gifted to you. There will always be challenges along the way, perseverance and patience are key. If an aspiring hotelier is willing to put in the hard yards and work towards their own goals and those of their company, then the rewards are endless.

(5) Any suggestions on how the localization programme could be improved to suit your organization and the industry in general?
(A) The Localization Programme itself is well organized and coordinated and there is not really much room for improvement. One area that could however be improved, is from grass root levels, whereby the youth are encouraged about the hospitality industry and are informed that there is a fantastic career opportunity within hotels. By doing this it will inevitably give hotels a larger pool of candidates to place on the Localization Programme. This should be the long term plan in terms of developing Seychellois hotel leaders.

Meet the two Seychellois who got promoted under the localization programme from Paradise Sun Hotel

Name: Mr. Barry Malvina

Establishment: Paradise Sun Anse Volbert Praslin

Job Title: Sous Chef

My 20-year journey in the tourism industry began after my studies in Hotel school. I started in the kitchen with Ex Reef Hotel, then moved to Praslin where I worked at Berjaya Praslin Beach Hotel in the pastry section. After a while I decided to go back to Mahe where I worked at the Sunny Bakery. It was a good experience but not what I wanted. So when the opportunity strike through a friend I moved back to Praslin and ever since I have been with Paradise Sun for the past 18 years.

To be a Chef you need practical product knowledge, good with language and good in mathematics. I have been lucky to have the Executive Chef as my mentor.  He has been and still is supportive.  I have learned a lot from him.   A lot of people are scared to take up new challenges. I did not let anything scare me off. I have been positive with the idea and told myself I will try and challenge myself to do it otherwise I will never know. And of course when getting a promotion, it comes with responsibility and with additional incentives.

It is exiting when you get good feedback from the guests, at the same time it is a challenge when they have high expectations. But most of all it is the comfort I have with my workplace where I get along with everyone. It is all about the job satisfaction in the end.

My advice to the young people who are thinking about joining the hospitality industry do not see working shift as a bad thing, do not let the working during weekends or public holidays stop you, because once you decide to join the industry there are sacrifices but in the end you will see the benefits because in hospitality there is a lot of prospect. Have confidence in what you do and commit to yourself. It is a give and take thing at the end of the day.

My future plan is to develop myself in learning how to deal with budgeting, learn more technical things that has to do with the job as I am thinking one day I can be an Executive Chef.

Name: Mr. Darrel Hetimier

Establishment: Paradise Sun Anse Volbert Praslin

Job Title: Restaurant Manager

I have been in the tourism industry now for 14years, it all started at the age of 15, and Paradise Sun is one of the establishments I did my internship in back in 2006. During the school year while giving us the choice of establishment I went to Ex Marechiaro Hotel at Baie Ste Anne Praslin. I remember very well they asked me to prepare a coffee/espresso, I did not know much about it but I did, and did not like the taste.  Even with a few family members working in the hotel industry, most of them were in construction so the idea of becoming an Architect was always at the back of my mind. Still young I was not sure if joining this industry is what I really wanted to do because you do not always hear good things about working in hotels. But eventually I chose the industry until now I have not moved to any other field and year after year I grow to love my job.

Even if I started very young it took me years to really convince myself that this is what I really wanted until I was 21 or 22 years old. It took a turn when my F&B manager approached me and told me I have potentials with the very strong words ‘’you need to be a man and take your responsibility’’ which until today I am grateful.  He was direct but ever since this is all I have done, be a man and took my responsibility. I saw a lot of situation as a step for growth.  There were times I got discouraged as it was not easy.  At the age of 24 I got promoted by the same F&B Manager to be a Bar Supervisor. Then I went to other establishments and kept within the area of food and beverage.  I was approached by Paradise Sun 3 years ago to work as Assistant Restaurant Manager and it has been one year since I was asked if I want to be on the localization programme.

My daily responsibility is to ensure the smooth running of the operation we have 2 restaurants with 24 staff.  Regardless if you have staff or not you need to make sure the operation still goes on and the guests are happy. My role is also to make sure the staff are happy so they can deliver. There are times also I oversee the whole hotel operations as Duty Manager, and besides being on the field I also have administrative duties where I have to make sure we have enough equipment, stock, etc… The key is to pre-plan everything from roster, budgeting, dealing with international suppliers.

The learning process never ends, there are always new products, new staff with different attitude, different guests with different nationality, different expectations but even with a lot of challenges we need to keep it exciting and make it interesting.

Having been in this industry for so long I can say that even without much skills or experience you can get far.  Having a good attitude is key as having skills but without being a team player, not helpful, arrogant will not take you anywhere.  What is important is willingness to listen and learn. Pay attention to details can make a differences and also prove your devotion you have for your job.

In the future I want to have my own business, maybe have my own restaurant, but will feel more complete if I can expand it to a small hotel of 5 rooms to start off.

END

CONTRIBUTED BY:   Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status