What is your stance on some discriminating recruitment policies within the hospitality sector?
My Take
by Victor Alcuaz
Successful hotels and restaurants attribute their success in great part to their quality human capital. For General Managers (GM) and Human Resource (HR) Chiefs, the recruitment process is therefore considered as the most important first ingredient in the business cycle. However, it is unfortunate that despite our country’s avances in the field of human resources, many practitioners still implement recruitment policies that are not just outdated but downright pathetic. Take for instance the discriminatory recruitment strategy where HR Chiefs put out advertisements in major dailies and recruitment portals that require applicants to come only from prestigious universities. In this day and age, HR Chiefs responsible for these kinds of advertisements must be hanged, to say the least. There is also another discriminatory practice that continues to exist—that of age. This is sadly prevalent in the hospitality industry. If you are over 45 years old and applying for a rank and file post—like a waiter, housekeeping attendant or a Front Desk clerk—kiss your chances goodbye. Even if you come equipped with good experience, hoteliers are always looking for fresh faces for front of house and disregarding the potential contribution by someone with long experience and maturity. I also feel sorry for our countrymen who do not speak good English, lack height, and with shy personalities. I envy the developed countries in our neighborhood like Hong Kong and Singapore. Here, you will find senior work force in their 60’s and 70’s working in restaurants as servers and housekeepers. Many of them do not even speak English at all. Our attitude towards recruitment should take a drastic shift from our current pathetic discriminatory state to one that is more inclusive and compassionate.
