Jumeirah Group Launches Training Programme To Attract UAE National Future Leaders
Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has launched an innovative new programme to train and fast track UAE Nationals to become Jumeirah’s Hotel Managers of the future.
The pioneering plan supports and encourages His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum‘s “Dubai Vision of Tourism 2020” and will help prepare Jumeirah Group for Expo 2020.
The programme offers UAE Nationals the opportunity to join a five-year fast-track plan incorporating on-the-job learning which will eventually enable them to lead a hotel team.
Jumeirah Group President and CEO Gerald Lawless said: “Jumeirah, the leading employer of UAE nationals in the hotel sector, is proud to present the UAE Future Leaders Programme, which aims to increase the number of UAE National General Managers and senior executives. This programme endorses the commitment to develop high-potential UAE Nationals into leadership positions and offer them attractive careers in Dubai’s dynamic travel, tourism and hospitality industry."
"By having more UAE national senior executives, Jumeirah and Dubai Holding support the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the targets which His Highness has set for tourism 2020.
Gamification Now Holds The Key To Operational Benefits
96 per cent of organisations using ‘gamification’ to train and incentivise contact centre employees believe there are benefits to using the tool in their day-to-day operations, according to new research. However, just 41 per cent of companies surveyed were familiar with the concept.
Gamification applies games-like thinking and strategy in everyday settings for companies to engage and motivate employees in a different way.
Simon Hunt, customer experience and insight director at Capita Customer Management, comments: “Gamification is still a relatively new concept for organisations. It is an incredibly powerful tool and those who adopt it see significant rewards.”
Of the respondents who have applied gamification techniques, the key advantages (all scoring 64 per cent) were seen as:
• encouraging competition
• improving engagement
• improving individual performance, and
• improving team performance
Simon continues:
“Companies need to invest in this updated way of thinking and reflect it in their technology systems or risk being left behind.” The survey also found that 75 per cent think outdated technology systems are obstacles.
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8 | TRAINING MAGAZINE EUROPE MARCH 2015
Business And Government Must Demonstrate The Value Of Older Workers
With the publication of a new government report on helping older workers remain in employment, a leading academic has warned that there is still much to be done to get businesses onboard with an ageing workforce.
Dr Matt Flynn, Director of the Centre for Research into the Older Workforce at Newcastle University, has welcomed Dr Altmann’s report but says that the government needs to go further to end age discrimination and recognise the economic contribution older workers make.
Dr Flynn said: “The government, unions and business groups must work together to put in place clear career pathways for older workers whilst ensuring that their value as mentors and teachers to the younger generation is fully appreciated."
Dr Flynn points out that older workers not only provide a substantial economic contribution to UK GDP and their own firms, but also play a critical role in training younger workers.
He adds: “In many firms now, more experienced workers play a critical role in passing on not just technical skills to the younger generation, but also the tacit organisational knowledge that businesses need to retain their competitive advantage."
"Age discrimination in the workplace is still a huge problem and Altmann’s call for stiffer penalties for rule-breakers make sense. However, there’s still work to be done to promote the business case for employers to retain their older workers."
"This is particularly true for small business owners, who don’t think they have the time or resources to consider the cost of discriminatory practices. But when you look at the cost of lost talent and knowledge once these older workers are shoved out, it’s clear that more incentives and greater support needs to be put in place to make this business case crystal clear.”