With its art deco interior, the Park Lane hotel is the sort of place where you fancy Hercule Poirot might have liked to take afternoon tea. The detective would certainly have appreciated the impeccable service. It is the dedication of the staff at any of the Starwood Central London Hotels establishments that impresses. The company has a staff turnover of just 16%, a low figure for the industry, and its employees describe their working environment as ethical, dynamic, innovative and ambitious.

“This is a global company, which means you have the possibility of being able to apply for work worldwide,” says Claudia Casati, duty manager at the Sheraton Belgravia. “There are unlimited training opportunities at every level and there is also constant feedback, which obviously motivates you.”

Starwood Central London Hotels represents the Sheraton Belgravia, the Sheraton Park Tower hotel and the Park Lane. Its employees say that their jobs are good for their personal growth, that they believe they can make a valuable contribution to the success of the business and that they would strongly recommend working for Starwood, awarding the organisation a positive score of 79% in all three categories.

Casati initially joined Starwood in Germany, then left to work at another hotel before rejoining the company in London three years ago.

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“I saw the benefits of being at this firm after working for another one,” she says. “By benefits I mean the style of management, the training, the incentives and the way you are treated.”

She was promoted to assistant front office supervisor a year after rejoining, and then to front office supervisor last year.

Survey results support Casati’s experience. Her colleagues believe that the training they receive is of great personal benefit (77% and a top 10 score) and that the experience gained is valuable for the future (82%). They also feel that their jobs are secure (another 82% positive score).

The workforce is loyal to the Starwood brand. “If you cut me in half you will probably see Starwood,” says Coen Van Niersen, food and beverages manager at the Sheraton Park Tower hotel. “The company has allowed me to reach my potential in every way.”

Van Niersen joined the firm in 2003 as a human resources co-ordinator and, soon afterwards, entered the organisation’s two-year Vita Futura training programme. On graduating, he was appointed food and beverages executive and recently became the department’s manager. He is now on the

Grow Global programme that fast-tracks existing managers to the executive committee or to the role of general manager.

Other company initiatives include Leading Starwood, a four-day leadership course for all general and departmental managers; a scheme developed together with Insead, the renowned Paris-based business school; and E-Hague and E-Cornell online courses, available to all staff and covering a wide range of subjects such as sales, marketing, revenue management and finance.

Employees regard managers highly and say that they truly live the values of the organisation (75%), talk to them openly and honestly (79%) and that they are also confident in the leadership skills of senior managers (76%).

“My manager is front of house with us and there is a great balance between being your friend and being your boss,” Casati says. “When it is work it is work, when it is fun it’s fun.”

Indre Zazeckyte, 19, a receptionist who first joined as a room attendant, says: “When I came here I was really shy but I found it easy to meet people and, after my brand training, it was even easier because I met people from other departments.

“It’s the people and the teamwork. It’s nice to know that people will help you and that you can ask without being afraid. Colleagues are very supportive.”

Indeed, Zazeckyte’s fellow employees give their teams a 76% positive score for going out of their way to help, say that their colleagues are fun to work with (83%) and that they love working for Starwood Central London Hotels (80%).

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