QUESTION 1
Short Term:
- Organize a holiday party prior to the peak week to boost employee moral. This will enable new management to get to know their local employees on a more personal level, which has been seen to be a crucial factor in overcoming cultural barriers. This will provide and ample opportunity for relationships to be established, and friendships and bonds to be made. In addition, local employees will be encouraged to bring family and friends, which are seen as a extremely important part of their culture. By tying work to family and friends and creating relationships among employees and expatriates, perhaps employees and expatriates will have a brief, but better understanding for each others culture, which may result in mutual respect – at least for the holiday peak week.
- Partner with the local bar that both current and former expatriates enjoy as well as local employees. Provide food and drink incentives for employees. Again, this encourages locals and expatriates to socialize on a personal level in an atmosphere outside of work.
-Encourage staff to become friends and to respect each other as people and to look outside titles.
-Create a slogan or pamphlet to hand out to guests upon arrival, in which local culture is explained as well as embraced. This will help to alter customer perceptions and entice guests to encourage the guests to relax and enjoy the slower pace of island time. It is after all, “the price you pay for paradise”.
Long Term:
- Establish a WIYCR management training program in which the “enthusiastic” locals are chosen to be educated on the ins and outs of the industry and the property to find a balance between local and expatriate management and staff. Additionally, this will help to ...