New generations: new expectations
We should carry our employees on a silver tray (Jan Goessing, General Manager of the Mandarin
Oriental Bangkok).
Jan Goessing sat down on a yellow sofa in his office, located close to the hotel reception. He
picked up his black fountain pen and started to write notes to plan the arrival of a guest who
would like to confirm a wedding reception for over 2,000 people. As he gazed at the grey
overcast sky out of the window, his thoughts turned towards the future. He knew that the daily
operations of the hotel were important. Jan Goessing also knew that it is advantageous to
bring back the glamour of working in a luxury hotel. He felt that its people need to be nurtured
in order to meet the demands of the future. The O-Zone is a key part of this. As he gathered
his thoughts he focused on the needs of the new generation. This would be the secret to
understanding the future of hospitality. The O-Zone is a novel way to attract people to work in
the luxury hotel industry. It can enhance and polish an image of providing service with dignity
and treating employees as an important part of a team.
A lady with silver hair and a beaming smile slowly advanced her steps into the brightly lit
office. After many years spent in the main kitchen as a cook, the special day had come. Jan
Goessing accompanied her up the staircase from the hotel main entrance into the ballroom.
She shyly walked up to the stage. The audience was filled with maıˆtres d’hoˆ tel, chefs de
rang, servers, front office managers, service technicians, boutique managers and every
other conceivable trade of the hotel. Her colleagues gracefully gave a deep, respectful
‘‘wai’’ as they bowed their heads to recognise her friendship and dedication on this joyous
occasion. As she received her frame and posed for a photograph with Jan Goessing,
Torsten Van Dullemen and Benjama Olarnsakul, a tear came down her face. A young
woman, dressed in her kitchen whites, observed from the back of the room, looked at her
own hand and dreamt about the future.