INTERVIEW - GERALD KRISCHEK, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PRINCE DE GALLES : "WE NEED TO GIVE NEW EMPLOYEES A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE" (France)
At the helm of the Prince de Galles for the past eight years, Gerald Krischek has introduced hybrid management of his teams and offers a frank look at developments in an increasingly demanding job market.
INTERVIEW - GERALD KRISCHEK, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PRINCE DE GALLES : "WE NEED TO GIVE NEW EMPLOYEES A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE" (France)
At the helm of the Prince de Galles for the past eight years, Gerald Krischek has introduced hybrid management of his teams and offers a frank look at developments in an increasingly demanding job market.
Its art-deco style, designed by its architect André Arfvidson, and its rounded balconies contrast with the straightforward classism of the adjoining Haussmann buildings. In the heart of Avenue George V, the Prince de Galles stands out and displays a personality that has made it a recognised institution. Inaugurated in 1929, this prestigious hotel boasts an ideal setting on which to base its services.
In the midst of a refined décor, numerous silhouettes are busy satisfying guests. A luxury hotel exists not only because of its atmosphere, but also because of its staff, who contribute to the experience of each guest. Here, their importance is crucial, and the choice of staff is all the more meticulous.
Gerald Krischek, who has been running the Prince de Galles for eight years, is well aware of this. Trained in Austria and having worked in Switzerland and Greece, the General Manager of the Parisian hotel combined his experiences abroad to build a management style for his teams at the crossroads of cultures, with as much attention paid to the well-being of the staff as to the smooth running of the hotel.
Between Germanic rigour and Latin flexibility, the Salzburg native shared with Journal des Palaces his vision of how to support the men and women who make the Prince de Galles' identity and explained the side steps taken to stand out and attract new talent in a complex labour market.
Journal des Palaces: Can you outline your career path?
Gerald Krischek: I graduated from a hotel school in Austria and have worked in various countries in Europe. I started my career in Switzerland at the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne 28 years ago, then I worked in Vienna in several luxury hotels, including the Impérial and the Bristol, holding various operational and commercial positions before becoming Sales Director. I then moved to Greece to open the Hotel Grande Bretagne, where I became Sales and Marketing Director for Greece and Turkey. Then I returned to Austria to take up my first position as General Manager in Salzburg, my mother's home town, then at the Bristol in Vienna, and finally I arrived in Paris at the Prince De Galles Hotel.
How did your experiences in Austria and Greece help you to gain a better understanding of personnel management?
In Austria, I was able to observe an organised and structured approach to human resources management. Austrian companies attach great importance to workforce planning, employee training and development, and the creation of a favourable working environment. This helped me to understand the importance of putting in place clear policies and procedures to manage human resources effectively.
In Greece, I was exposed to a more informal and flexible working culture, where personal relationships and internal communication are valued. This taught me the importance of adaptability in managing people, as well as the importance of building trusting relationships with employees.
Combining these two experiences has given me a balanced perspective.
How do you see the job market in the sector?
I see it as highly competitive and demanding. Candidates need to have a specific set of skills and a passion for high-quality service. The demand for qualified professionals in this sector remains very high, as customers are looking for unique and memorable experiences.
How have candidate profiles changed?
In recent years, and more than ever after Covid-19, employees are looking for employers who transmit real values such as a commitment to sustainability or corporate social responsibility. The new generation is ready to invest in these areas and expects companies to do the same. If there is a mismatch, the company will find it hard to attract new talent. We need to give new employees a clear perspective so that they stay as long as possible to build their careers.
What is the Prince de Galles' recruitment strategy? How do you develop your employer brand?
Our recruitment strategy is based on finding and selecting the best talent in the hotel industry. The main objective is to build a team of highly qualified and passionate professionals, capable of providing exceptional service to our demanding clientele.
To build its employer brand, The Prince de Galles promotes its core values: excellence, authenticity and attention to detail; a stimulating working environment; and a corporate culture focused on customer satisfaction and employee well-being.
We actively participate in luxury hotel industry events and trade shows, both to attract new talent and to enhance our visibility and reputation as an employer of choice.
How have you adapted to keep up with market trends?
We are constantly adapting to the changing needs and expectations of our customers, with a focus on innovation, creativity and multi-skilled profiles. We also provide regular training for our employees, to keep them up to date with the latest trends and technologies.
With the departure of chef Stéphanie Le Quellec in 2019, you have chosen to innovate by breaking the codes in your restaurant business. Why have you chosen to offer something different from your competitors, and why have you entrusted your restaurant & bar 19.20 to Norbert Tarayre?
By entrusting our 19.20 restaurant and bar to Norbert Tarayre, we are following our strategy of differentiation, which will help us to bring another touch of freshness and originality to our hotel. The first step was the opening of our award-winning Japanese restaurant, Akira Back, in January 2022. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that we surprised many people with this innovative concept.
This choice to offer something different from our competitors is in line with our desire to stand out from the crowd and offer an original and memorable culinary experience. We are convinced that this bold move will help strengthen our positioning and attract customers looking for innovation and gastronomic surprises.
Norbert Tarayre's personality has also aroused the interest of potential candidates wishing to enter the restaurant business.
What do you think should be done to raise the profile of the hospitality and service professions?
Firstly, I think it's important to raise public awareness of the importance of these professions and to highlight the career opportunities they offer, as well as the competitive and interesting benefits of our industry. Then we need to invest in training and skills development for professionals in the sector. This will help to attract and retain talent.
I would also like to mention the importance of establishing partnerships with schools and universities to promote the hospitality and service professions, and to offer internship and apprenticeship opportunities to students. This will help to train a new generation of skilled and passionate professionals.
How are you working to make the jobs at The Prince de Galles more attractive?
We offer ongoing training programmes to our employees to help them develop their skills and progress in their careers.
In addition, we offer attractive benefits such as flexible working hours wherever possible, professional development opportunities and a range of compensation benefits, as well as discounts at Marriott hotels for employees worldwide.
Finally, we strive to create a positive and inclusive working environment to help our people thrive at The Prince de Galles.
What other benefits do you offer to attract candidates, and what limits do you set yourself?
At The Prince de Galles, we actively work to make our jobs attractive by offering opportunities for professional development and growth within our company. We also offer training and mentoring programmes to help our employees improve their skills and progress in their careers. In addition, we offer employee benefits such as company-paid health insurance, 13th month and profit-sharing schemes, 90% reimbursement of the Navigo travel pass, discounts on our products and services and many other attractive benefits.
The demands and motivating factors of employees entering the market are changing and are no longer just financial. They also need to work in a company with a friendly atmosphere, to be listened to, to be part of our projects and to be free to share their ideas with their managers or the management.
What profile characteristics do you pay particular attention to that make the difference in your eyes?
We're looking for people with a passion for hospitality and customer service, as well as a positive attitude. The ability to work as part of a team, communicate effectively and show initiative is also highly valued. In addition, we value experience and skills relevant to the role, as well as a high degree of flexibility and the ability to adapt to different schedules and situations.
How do you support your new employees?
We have a structured induction process to help our new employees become familiar with our culture, values, policies and procedures. They receive comprehensive training on their role, their responsibilities and the expectations of their position.
We encourage open and transparent dialogue with our new employees. We hold regular appraisal meetings to discuss their progress and objectives and to provide constructive feedback. New employees are encouraged to get involved in team projects, participate in social events and build professional relationships with their colleagues.
A hotel's success depends on its team. How do you go about creating and maintaining this team spirit among your staff?
I think one of the most important things is open and transparent communication between all members of the team. We hold regular team meetings, discussion forums and brainstorming sessions to encourage the exchange of ideas and collaboration. We value and reward our employees' outstanding performance with a recognition programme. This strengthens motivation and the sense of belonging to the team.
We encourage our leaders to be inspirational role models for their teams. Leadership is very important to us. We strive for excellence in leadership, which we measure through annual employee satisfaction surveys.
Have you also developed partnerships abroad to attract talent?
With the Marriott network, we have inter-company programmes that enable us to find talent. In addition, of course, we work with a number of hotel schools, mainly in Europe.
What advice would you give to a young person looking for a career in the luxury hotel sector?
First and foremost, I think you have to be flexible, ready to adapt to change and seize the opportunities that come your way, even if they mean changing your place of work or country. For me, this is the best sector in which to work. If I had to, I would make the same choices again, and I hope that our fantastic sector will continue to attract many new talents.
A journalist with many skills and an ever curious traveller, Christopher has a great attraction for carefully refined hotels, where characterful gastronomy, impeccable service and sincere elegance go hand in hand. A discreet and gourmet pen at the service of a certain idea of luxury.
