AccorHotels
There is a paradigm shift in the world we operate in. While we have already adapted to this ‘new normal’, we have also begun a new chapter in our strategic roadmap to develop the largest and best-performing integrated hospitality ecosystem. Our vision will be based on three strategic priorities: Focus, simplify and expand. The intent is to create a cohesive brand by fulfilling owners and guests demand by always being relevant and available and streamlining processes to maximise the group’s overall performance and expansion of the group’s philosophy, brands, expertise and commitments for the betterment of society. We believe this is the appropriate time to align our new strategies to drive stronger growth and reinforce our brand philosophies. AccorHotels launched the ALL Heartist® Fund, a €70m Covid-19 special purpose vehicle to support them in challenging times across the world. Our teams across our network demonstrated extraordinary leadership and compassion by taking care of others, including supporting our local communities. As most of our hotels have reopened, we are encouraging our guests with offers, campaigns and strategic partnerships to reinforce their trust and remind them that they can enjoy travel and their hospitality experiences with the highest level of safety and hygiene. We recently launched our campaign ‘For the Love of Travel’ and announced our partnership with Indigo 6E Rewards. Unlock 4.0, guest sentiment feedback and the relaxation of guidelines is helping us to convert business. We envisage greater sales and can adjust manning levels accordingly. “
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Over the past few months, AccorHotels ensured they fulfilled their commitment for the larger good of the employees, guests, community, nature and much more.
Accor calls its employees ‘Heartist®’—“masters at the art of hospitality, who serve others from the heart, with curiosity and inventiveness”. During the pandemic, while the Heartist® was at the forefront of providing necessary help to the marginalized communities, the group also reached out to them. In April 2020, Accor launched the ALL Heartist® Fund, a €70m Covid-19 special purpose vehicle to assist employees suffering great financial distress. As of August 31, 2020, globally more than 30,000 employees have received financial support and in India more than 2,000 employees have been helped.
To keep employees motivated during the lockdown, AccorHotels partnered with multiple learning platforms to provide free online learning opportunities. Accor Academy, which provides learning digital, on-the-job and classroom training with learning partners such as e-Cornell, LinkedIn Learning and getAbstract, offered select courses to all our employees.
Accor supported their employees to seek confidential help for stress, grief, anxiety or for other concern via the 24×7 Employee Wellness Assistance Plan (EWAP). Under Planet 21, the hotel group’s sustainable development programme, Accor launched a virtual volunteering program through which employees reached out to communities from their homes and volunteered in field of education—Mathematics, English, and goal-setting exercises for the students from marginalized communities.
The Heartist® network helped frontline health workers, distressed communities and law and order officials by distributing food, hygiene essentials and other necessary items. This extended to supporting and housing staff members in the hotels wherever necessary, providing them with nutritious packed meals, supplying groceries and vegetables to their homes.
Fairmont Jaipur’s team, for instance, donated medical equipment such as shower caps, pillow covers and bedsheets to the Sawai Mansingh Medical College and Hospital. Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity distributed food packets at nearby police stations and police check-posts. Grand Mercure Bangalore reached out to more than 100 daily wage workers at a construction site in their vicinity to provide them lunch and daily necessities.
ibis New Delhi Aerocity provided complete support and assistance to the Delhi Government as a quarantine centre for medical care and observation for the Indian guests who returned from abroad. And ibis Jaipur Civil Lines hosted a team of hospital staff.
Frontline Heroes
Govind Naik, Security Head, Novotel Hyderabad Airport
Govind Naik stayed at the hotel during the initial lockdown phase to ensure that the property and premises are well managed. His responsibilities included liaising with the local authorities, ensuring proper functioning of security systems, as well as team management.
During the initial lockdown, the group faced issues with official permission for transportation, particularly since the designated driver faced a few roadblocks while manoeuvring around and keeping up with the pace of essential supplies. Naik took over as the hotel’s official driver and his experience of dealing with the local authorities helped him manage the ad-hoc duties smoothly. One of the hotel guests was undergoing institutional quarantine of 14 days. He reached out to the staff with the desire to go home as his wife was pregnant and in distress. Naik met the DCP of the area and convinced him to grant special permission for the guest to go back home.
Pankaj Adhav, F&B, ibis Pune Viman Nagar
Pankaj Adhav, hired in 2017 as an associate in the F&B team, is hearing and speech impaired but it never did inhibit him or his work. He helped ibis Pune Viman Nagar to put diversity and inclusion in action and is largely responsible for creating a different fine dining experience for guests.
During the lockdown, Adhav ensured sure that there was smooth communication with guests who were stranded at the hotel. As the hotel was functioning with limited staff, Adhav proactively helped his teams from other departments and led a team outreach of distributing meal packs and other essential items to frontline workers.
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