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Starwood cares president's awards 2012 winners
1. LIVINGSTARWOOD
CARES
SPECIAL EDITION
WINNERS
STARWOOD CARES
PRESIDENT’S AWARD 2013
CONGRATULATIONS!
CARE FOR ASSOCIATE
TIM TANG
CARE FOR BUSINESS
PHILLIP GROVES
TALENT DEVELOPER
MARTIN WUETHRICH
CARE FOR GUEST
PETER BROWN
CARE FOR COMMUNITY
SHERATON INCHEON HOTEL
OUTSTANDING TEAM
LE MERIDIEN BANGKOK
2. MESSAGE
I am delighted that the Starwood Cares President’s
Award 2013 once again received strong support from
our Asia Pacific properties.
For this year’s nomination, we have received a total of
213 nominations for the 6 award categories. The stories
featuring acts of care, dedication, encouragement and
courage by our Asia Pacific associates convince me that
the Starwood culture of Playing as a Team, Going the
Extra Step and Doing the Right Thing has sunk deep
roots in our associates.
It is with your commitment and support, and the
daily living out of Starwood Cares in authentic and
multiple ways that we are able to showcase so many
examples of our distinctive care culture, our entry
of “Starwood Cares” clinched the recent win of two
Human Resources Excellence Gold Awards, namely
Excellence in Employee Engagement and Excellence
in Cross-Border HR Programs organized by Singapore’s
leading HR magazine - Human Resources.
In the next few pages, we feature the Winners of
Starwood Cares President’s Award 2013 and their
generous and selfless extension of care that made
a difference to guests, associates, the community
and our business. They will be receiving their awards
in the coming Starwood Asia Pacific Divisional
Conference at the Sheraton Macao Hotel. Please join
me in congratulating them for being such exemplary
Starwood Cares ambassadors.
I thank all our Asia Pacific associates and leaders for
tirelessly building up our unique care culture that is
now a part of our rich heritage. Each of YOU makes
Starwood a place where guests, associates and partners
have come to expect nothing but the best.
Francis Tan
VP, Talent Management & Organizational Development
Starwood Asia Pacific
3. STARWOOD CARES
PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
CATEGORIES
INDIVIDUAL AWARD CATEGORIES
TEAM AWARD CATEGORIES
Outstanding Care for Associates Award
Outstanding Care for Guests Award
Outstanding Care for Business Award
Outstanding Talent Developer Award
Outstanding Care for Community Award
Outstanding Team Award
5. WINNER
CARE FOR ASSOCIATES
When the Associates returned from the long national holiday, they were
pleasantly surprised with the beautiful transformation Tim made to the
stairwell; especially Tim gave up his much cherished holidays in order to bring
cheer to the associates.
T IM TANG
THE WESTIN BEIJING FINANCIAL STREET
With many Associates making trips between the hotel’s basement 2 and level 2, the wait for the staff elevator can
be rather long and dreary. While there is a flight of stairs connecting these floors that Associates could use, many
complained that the stairwell was too dark, dull and “uninspiring”, causing almost everyone to give it a miss.
This predicament did not go unnoticed by Engineering Supervisor Tim, who took it upon himself to solve the
problem. Armed with cans of paint and a brush, Tim spent 4 days over the national day celebration week
painting the walls in the stairwell in cheerful Westin green and white. To liven up every floor, Tim even carefully
selected posters promoting Westin values and energy reduction and arranged them artistically on the walls,
casting a critical eye over his handiwork until he was completely satisfied.
When the Associates returned from the long national holiday, they were pleasantly surprised with the
transformation Tim made to the stairwell, especially since Tim had to give up his much cherished holidays. To
Tim, the best reward is seeing his colleagues now cheerfully using the flight of stairs, thus avoiding the long and
unproductive wait for the lift.
In his role as supervisor, Tim is constantly on the lookout for his department colleagues’ welfare. Recently,
he noticed that the second floor corridor wall used by Associates was repeatedly scratched by the constant
moving of banquet tables, requiring frequent repainting by his team. To lessen the workload on the highlystretched maintenance team, Tim again made it his responsibility to find a solution, arriving at a simple but
cost-effective answer.
After work hours, Tim repainted the corridor on his own and once the paint has dried, carefully added a huge
plastic cover over the wall as a protective film. When his colleagues saw the completed work, they collectively
heaved a huge sign of relief, glad that they no longer had to constantly re-plaster and paint the long length
of corridor wall. Due to Tim’s initiative and resourcefulness, this simple but effective solution helped prevent
damage to the wall, freeing his grateful team to attend to other maintenance needs.
His habit of placing others before self was again quietly exhibited when on a cold winter’s day, he
singlehandedly made large-scale repairs to the basement car park. Despite the cold wind blowing in through the
car park entrance, Tim, bracing himself with a thick winter coat and gloves, meticulously completed the repairs.
Later that night, as he warmed his stiff and chilled body back in his own room, he smiled at the thought that by
completing the repair on his own, his colleagues would be spared from working in the bitter cold.
7. WINNER
CARE FOR GUESTS
Upon hearing the guest concern that there are no readily-available container
that can fit the cheese for the guest to bring home, Peter hit upon the idea of
fashioning a special box to pack the cheese and carefully filled the box wit h ice to
keep the it fresh, to the delight of the guest on Peter’s creativit y and kindness.
P ETER BROWN
FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON SYDNEY,
DARLING HARBOUR
Steady and quick on his feet, nothing seems to faze Chief Concierge Peter. Once, he was approached by a
distressed and anxious bridesmaid-to-be who broke her tooth in a fall. The wedding was to take place the
following day and she desperately needed dental assistance immediately. Though it was a Sunday, Peter knew
that fixing her tooth could not wait. After calling dentist after dentist who were unwilling to provide dental
assistance on a Sunday, Peter decided to try one last time. Fishing out the phone number of his family dentist,
he highlighted the desperation of the situation and successfully pleaded with the dentist to open his clinic to
attend to the distraught guest.
After an anxious wait, the bridesmaid-to-be who had thought that she would need to forgo her role as
bridesmaid was all smiles when she received the good news. To Peter, the time spent assisting the guest was
well worth it, as it allowed the guest to play bridesmaid at her best friend’s wedding.
Peter’s ability to create lasting emotional connections was further displayed in his gentle and respectful
treatment of an elderly guest from Jordan. The guest and her husband were regular guests at the hotel for over
5 years. When Peter found out that a regular guest’s husband had passed away, he was worried that the elderly
widow would be overcome by grief. After work, he spent time searching for a condolence card that expressed
his sorrow at the loss of a dearly loved guest and friend. His main thought was to let the guest know that she
wasn’t alone in her grief and that he was thinking of her in her time of sorrow.
The card that crossed hundreds of miles to Jordon deeply moved the departed’s wife, who was greatly
comforted that her husband was well loved and remembered. On her next visit, the elderly guest, touched by
Peter’s genuine care, brought along with her a box of chocolates for him. While serving her afternoon tea, they
reminisced the good times the couple had in the hotel over the years, thus in his small way helping her cope
with her loss.
More recently, a guest needed to transport some cheese back home and voiced his concern about keeping it
fresh. As there are no readily-available container that can fit the cheese, Peter hit upon the idea of fashioning a
special box out of Styrofoam. Approaching the matter with the same dedication that he gave all other matters,
Peter carefully made a sturdy container of just the right size. After placing the cheese into the box, he carefully
packed the cheese with ice, and left the package in the room for the guest. Peter’s spontaneous and creative
act came as a surprise, prompting the delighted guest to write: “If this is how guests are handled, I am sure the
loyalty of your guests is beyond anything I could imagine!”
9. WINNER
CARE FOR BUSINESS
P hillip spent hundreds of hours creating crisis scenarios to ensure that the crisis management
system was robust enough to handle a wide variety of emergencies and difficult situations. Now
the hotel and other Starwood properties has an indispensable system that provides critical
support to all levels of management should a crisis strike, giving one and all peace of mind as
they go about their work.
P HILLIP GROVES
THE WESTIN SYDNEY
Be it incidents involving cuts sustained doing work in the kitchen or bigger crises involving the whole hotel,
our hotel is ever prepared to handle them, thanks to our Security and Safety Manager Phillip. Aware that
speedy decision making is critical for effective crisis handling, Phillip painstakingly developed a hotel incident
management structure from scratch, spending many hours after work researching good international practices.
He also spent hundreds of hours creating crisis scenarios to ensure that the system was robust enough to
handle a wide variety of emergencies and difficult situations. With his conscientious effort, the hotel and other
Starwood properties now has an indispensable and unique system that provides critical support to all levels of
management should a crisis strike, giving one and all peace of mind as they go about their work.
Workplace safety also ranks high in his work focus. To better understand workplace safety, it is not unusual to
see Phillip making his rounds on hotel grounds, speaking with Associates from various job functions or quietly
observing and assessing potential work safety hazards. By placing himself in the shoes of Associates, Phillip was
able to implement many improvements that not only improved the working conditions for Associates but also
saved costs. In 2012, the enhancements to workplace safety and workers compensation process he brought
about resulted in a staggering A$1 million savings for the hotel.
Guest needs were not neglected. Observing the time-consuming process of manually matching lost and found
items for anxious guests, Phillip came up with the idea of developing a tracking system and personally oversaw
the creation of iTrail, a computer-based system that allowed Associates to quickly match found property to the
respective guests. This system has removed many anxious moments for guests, at the same time cutting down
many man hours previously spent by Associates matching found items for guests.
The various projects undertaken by Phillip on his own initiative not only improved Associate productivity but
also enhanced guest and Associate experiences, quickly leading to these innovative systems being implemented
across various properties in Asia Pacific.
Phillip’s strong passion for making the hotel safe for guests and Associates and his intricate understanding
of safety issues has made him the go-to person for advice in safety matters and led to his appointment to
the Starwood Security & Safety Council, Asia Pacific. In this role, Phillip collaborates with Asia Pacific General
Managers to deliver the highest standard of security and safety to guests and Associates, a responsibility he
discharges with great diligence and humility. Never one to bask in his own achievements, Phillip generously and
modestly shares his knowledge and ideas with all Starwood Associates. Colleagues never fail to smile when they
see Phillip conscientiously at work, driven by his “obsessive” goal of making Starwood a safe haven for guests
and Associates.
11. WINNER
TALENT DEVELOPER
A strong believer of talent development, he thinks nothing of personally training
Associates, planning and conducting department and facilities quizzes to
ensure that each Associate will be at their best potential.
MART IN WUETHRICH
SHERATON BANGALORE HOTEL
Martin is not only well regarded but also universally loved by the hotel Associates. Martin moved to Bangalore in 2010 to
oversee the construction and opening of the hotel and he came well prepared to embrace the new culture. To ensure that the
Bangalore team would not see him as an outsider, Martin immerses himself totally in the Indian culture, learning to enjoy its
vibrant way of life.
Martin takes personal interest in every aspect of the hotel’s operations, including talent attraction. Dedicated to recruiting
the best talent, he tirelessly works with the print and broadcast media to promote the new hotel as an employer of choice.
A strong believer of talent development, he thinks nothing of personally training Associates, planning and conducting
department and facilities quizzes to ensure that each Associate will represent the hotel accurately to guests. His exacting
standards mean that no Associate can begin to serve our guests until they are well informed of the hotel’s brand and
amenities. Guests have come to expect nothing but the best from the hotel staff.
Fully understanding that its leaders need to live up to Associate expectations, Martin personally ensures that the Senior
Leadership team is put through their paces to learn about brand value and creating a collaborative culture. Talent identification
at all levels is given top priority and top talents are encouraged to participate in task forces in sister properties to gain a global
perspective of the industry. It is therefore not surprising that in 2012 alone, 21% of the hotel’s Associates from various levels
received their promotion. Staff morale is high and Associates are raring to tackle new challenges and assume new responsibilities.
While individuals are given various platforms to shine, Martin did not neglect the importance of building a strong team culture.
To promote bonding and loyalty to the hotel, he started soccer and cricket tournaments for Associates, sports especially
popular with the locals. Associates have come to trust and rely on one another, and would volunteer assistance to one another
in whichever way they can.
As training opportunities are made available to all regardless of levels and functions, Associates cherish these opportunities to
grow their Starwood careers and approach their training seriously and with enthusiasm. Martin’s high standard never troubles
the Associates, as he balances it with a friendly and kindly touch. Associates operate with the full awareness and confidence
that Martin has their interest in his heart.
Martin’s caring and respectful behaviour towards his colleagues is matched by many Associate-friendly policies that he
implemented to enhance their welfare, and his empathy never fails to move the Associates. For the hotel’s 1st Anniversary
Party, Martin’s surprised gift of a motorbike - a highly desired item in Bangalore - for the lucky draw drew loud cheers from all.
In him, the Associates see and feel the master’s touch – earnest and inspirational.
13. WINNER
OUTSTANDING CARE FOR COMMUNITY
The students, many of whom had never once enjoyed a restaurant meal, were
mesmerized by the visually attractive and delicious food served up by our chefs
which many inspired to pursue cooking as a career.
SHERAT ON INCHEON HO TEL
Powered by the strong belief that “life is better when shared”, the Sheraton Incheon team never fails to heed the
call from communities for help, no matter how hard or complicated the situation may be.
For some years now, the hotel enjoys a close relationship with the Boramae Child Care Center, with Associates
making regular visits to the home to bring sunshine into the lives of disadvantaged children. Mingling with the
children fully brought out the warmth and charm of the Associates, who held nothing back when giving their
time and their love to the young ones. Recently, when they heard that the only television set in the center had
broken down, they quickly pooled together funds and got them the biggest flatscreen TV, to the delight of the
children.
Last year, determined to touch even more lives, the culinary team, led by the Sous Chef started regular cooking
classes for an elementary school for the underprivileged. The students, many of whom had never once enjoyed
a restaurant meal, were mesmerized by the visually attractive and delicious food served up by the chefs. From
food preparation, to cooking and plating, the students paid great attention to the culinary team, mimicking the
same level of intense concentration and dedication as they whip up creations of their own. Many shared that the
cooking sessions gave them a new hope and courage to break free of their mundane and bleak lives, with many
inspired to pursue cooking as a career.
In December, when news of elderly folks battling sub-zero temperatures in non-heated homes was making its
round, 20 of the hotel’s Associates rallied to the call for help, compelled to help relieve the distressing situation.
After much preparation, they assembled on a Sunday and made their way to the precinct. As the roads there
were unpaved and hazardous to modern day transport, the associates in their mud-filled boots trudged up and
down the district countless times, heaving 1,800 pieces of coal, each weighing 1.5kg to these impoverished
households.
To ensure that the elderly have proper meals during winter to stave off the bitter cold, they also collected money
donated by other Associates to buy rice, an important staple for Korean elderly. Despite their weary bodies and
the merciless winter cold, the Associates distributed 100kg of rice to these frail elderly folks, adding words of
encouragement and cheer as they placed the bags of rice into the withered hands of the smiling recipients.
When asked what compelled them to do good, the Sheraton Incheon team unanimously said :“We want to
give the people around us, both young and old, the sanctity of a well-lived life. Be it an offer of physical help or
emotional support, we want to give them the dignity we all want and deserve, no matter the circumstances.”
15. WINNER
OUTSTANDING TEAM
United by our desire to give our guests a great hotel experience, the Associates
pushed to better themselves in their area of work, be it personalization of guest
service, food safety or hotel security.
LE MERID IEN BANGKOK
United by our desire to give our guests a great hotel experience, the hotel’s Associates pushed to better
themselves in their area of work, be it personalization of guest service, food safety or hotel security.
These efforts helped the hotel clinch the highest Le Méridien StarQA (LRA) score in 2012 and placed us second
amongst all Starwood Asia Pacific hotels. In addition, our culinary team passed the Food Hygiene audit with
the highest score in our Division for an incredible third year in a row. We also achieved the highest scores in
all other investigations, namely internal and external finance audits, PCI corporate audit, as well as elevator &
security audit.
In the internal and external guest review channels, we maintained top ranking amongst all hotel providers in
Bangkok. The hotel also continued to lead in staff productivity, which directly resulted in the highest service
charge received by a Starwood Bangkok hotel. Our experienced sales team, supported by an active facebook
and social network presence, exceeded our TeamHot goal for 2012, contributing business leads with a value of
US$190,000, against our goal of US$150,000.
Amidst our busyness, our Welfare Committee was hard at work meeting Associate needs and creating a
conducive workplace for all. Our regular “GM Walk + Talk” also gave all Associates a relaxed platform to raise
issues and share suggestions, helping them feel valued. This is reflected in our score of 4.72 and 4.64 for
Starwood Engagement and Supervisor Effectiveness respectively. Our 2012 overall StarVoice score topped those
in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Throughout the year, we also organized a series of events to remind our neighbors that we were there for
them. Our Associates visited an orphanage and participated in regular road cleaning with the local authority.
Our hotel team also held highly-anticipated sports activities for students of Bhuddhajak Wittaya School,
located right behind out hotel. The First Aid training conducted by our Hotel Nurse was also well received by
both students and teachers.
We are grateful for our busy but meaningful year where our Associates worked together to play as a team.
16. Brought to you by the Starwood Asia Pacific
Talent Management and Organization Development Team
