“Positions for which there are no experienced five-star hotel managers and for which expats are needed are: food & beverage managers, directors of development and sales, general managers and head chefs,” said Athenee Palace Hilton Human Resource Manager Ileana Burada. For some of these jobs, hotels attempt to train their own specialists and promote them. “After 11 years in Romania, for the first time Hilton has promoted an employee to the position of Development Manager,” added Burada.
Hotels also have problems filling positions that require unqualified workers. Since personnel fluctuation is at an annual 40 percent, Hilton uses placement agencies to fill these jobs with temporary employees. Most employees that leave Hilton plan to work in the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany, or move to another field.
Romanian hotels are tempted to import foreign workers, but housing is the main problem. “In Western Europe, most hotel employees are foreigners, because the respective country is attractive for the workforce,” said Burada.
For jobs that require minor qualifications, Hilton hires 10 percent inexperienced personnel and the rest from three and four-star hotels. “Half of the reception staff can be students, as they are trained, know a foreign language, and have communication skills,” added Athenee Palace Hilton’s HR Manager.
