Author: Yulia Kosenko, Chief Operating Officer of Ribas Hotels Group

Dismissing employees is always a sensitive issue for businesses. What do you think about when your manager quits? Probably that you need to hire a new one. But this is not always a good decision, because the new person will need time to adapt, just like you, to test their knowledge. But this can be avoided by promoting another employee who is performing well. This is a great way to motivate and preserve the company's ecosystem. I'll tell you about our experience of moving specialists within the company, because we are working on it fruitfully.

Why is promotion more effective than external hiring?

There are several advantages of internal relocation of specialists compared to external hiring. For us, this is one of the most important issues when it comes to scaling our hotel chain and new projects. When launching new properties, we prefer to form a team of employees who already have experience in our company. This provides an easier entry into a new initiative. In addition, such a specialist is already familiar with our values and processes, which simplifies adaptation. The ability to move between hotels helps employees develop their careers. This approach allows us to retain talented employees who strive for continuous growth within the company.

How is an employee transferred in Ribas Hotels Group?

The growth of an employee in our company can be vertical or horizontal, and we use both of these ways. We cannot do this too often, as stability in hotel management is important. Such moves are made on a one-year contract. However, in this case, we provide additional development opportunities, such as participation in audit projects for new hotels or online training.

It's worth noting that we are actively developing a relocation system in our company. It is similar to those used in the IT sector, and we are currently testing it with managers. This system divides managers into three levels: junior, middle, and senior, depending on their knowledge and experience in different areas. All managers have to pass an assessment to determine their level. This allows us to efficiently allocate them according to their areas of expertise and helps each manager understand what specific skills or knowledge they lack to move to the next level.

It is not only about moving between positions, but also about the systematic development that results from such movements. It is planned that by the end of this year, the system will be fully implemented for top and middle management levels, and then will be scaled up further. We actively encourage employees to grow within the company, learn and develop, as this is one of the key principles of our culture. Other managers contribute to this process by identifying and supporting gifted employees.

Should employees be encouraged to develop?

At the company, we believe that each employee is responsible for his or her own development and career advancement. Yes, development cannot be "given" but can only be "taken", especially in a company that creates the conditions for it. In our company, the doors are open to those who want to improve and grow professionally. However, it is not only a matter of having opportunities, but also of being ready to use them.

In my opinion, staff motivation is not our main tool for stimulating development. When you are a leader, you are expected to have enough self-discipline and self-motivation. You are an example for others, and your own motivation should perfectly complement your role as a motivator and inspiration for others.

In our company, it is important that every employee wants to develop. This culture of development is not only supported, but also actively fostered. We see regularity as a key element: training, communication about development, and maintaining an environment where everyone has the opportunity to grow.

Examples of successful career paths of Ribas Hotels employees

It is important to note that in shifting we are based on people, not positions. And it is not a problem for us to create new jobs for professionals. The stories of our employees serve as an example of this.

We have Marta Vorokh, who came to us as a housekeeper at Ribas Karpaty and now manages launch projects, and this is a good example of horizontal movement.

"I started my career in the company as a housekeeper, where I was involved in the launch of the Ribas Karpaty hotel. There I helped with everything related to the hotel part: room stock, recruitment, training of maids and cleaners. After that, I worked on the launch of the Helios by Ribas hotel as a manager and managed it for two years. Next, I participated in the launch of the Radisson Hotel City Center Odesa and also worked there as a manager. After that, I started working on opening new properties. So I've come a long way and I can say that our company has open opportunities for those who want to take on new positions and constantly develop. A person can start from any point and eventually move up to leadership positions," said Marta Vorokh, Head of Project Launch at Ribas Hotels Group.

Photo: WOL.121 apart-hotel (Odesa)

I would also like to cite the example of Oleksandra Derevyanko, the general manager of the WOL.121 hotel, who was the receptionist of this hotel a year and a half ago.

"My career in the company started at Ribas Rooms Odesa as a maid and then as an administrator. Later, I was transferred to the Wall Street Hotel (no longer managed by Ribas Hotels Group - ed.), where I worked for 2 years as an administrator, where I was offered to help my manager prepare the new WOL.121 by Ribas for opening for further work there. I worked there as an administrator. Later, I was offered to be the manager of the Ribas Rooms Lutsk hotel and I accepted. Six months later, I was offered to return to the WOL.121 by Ribas hotel, but as a manager. Since I adore this hotel, I immediately agreed. I still work there today. I think an important role in my career growth was played by the fact that I was not afraid of changes, could adapt to them and was mobile. This gave me the opportunity to try myself in different hotels and gain experience," says Oleksandra Derevyanko, manager of WOL.121 by Ribas.

I really like that we open up such opportunities for career growth, and we actually have many examples of this. Ribas Hotels Group is growing rapidly, and we are constantly looking for talented and passionate people who are passionate about what they do. When such a person appears, we always find a common language and opportunities for cooperation.

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