How do employee development strategies build long-term reputation?

How to build strong employer branding and why is it crucial for the success of every company? In an interview with Tihana Radojković, HR director of Amadria Park (Milenij Hoteli d.o.o.), we discover how one of the most prestigious hotel companies in the region is developing its identity as an employer and attracting the best talents. We discussed the importance of a personalized approach, flexible work models, promotion of inclusion and programs that encourage professional growth and development of employees, such as the AMP Career initiative.

This conversation comes in the context of the Employer Brand Awareness research conducted by Alma Career Croatia, which shows how important high-quality employer branding is for creating a positive perception of employers on the labor market. Through concrete examples from the practice of Amadria Park, find out how investing in people and their satisfaction brings measurable results and builds a long-term reputation as a successful employer.

How would you describe the current identity of Milenij Hotel as an employer?

What we realized through regular communication with our employees, as well as business partners and guests, is that people experience and recognize Milenij hotels mostly through a personal, personalized and dedicated approach. In simple terms, the synonym for Milenij hotels has become "personality", and we are proud of that.

In the Employer Brand Awareness survey conducted by Alma Career Croatia, respondents expressed a positive attitude towards Milenij hotels, associating the company with concepts such as "successful" and "luxurious". What do you think contributes most to this positive perception?

First of all, I want to say that we are very grateful for this kind of perception, it is certainly the result of our dedicated work and constant growth and development, investment in employees, the establishment of a system in which everyone is important, and private time is also important and the quality of people's time after work able to live. We believe that work flexibility and hybrid forms, i.e. work models where possible, as well as respecting the need to balance private and business became priority no. 1 and the fundamental prerequisite for success. And this also leads us to luxury - luxury is excellent working conditions in every segment, a pleasant working environment, luxurious services that we provide to guests who can afford it and appreciate our company in the right way.

What key values ​​and cultures do you strive to promote among employees?

We would like to point out that Amadria Park is a company with more than 100 years of family tradition; is still family-owned today and bases its business philosophy and core values ​​on family values. Our first priority is the reputation and dignity of every human being.

We can point out that the fundamental values ​​of our company are responsible and honorable work, that we take care of our guests with diligence, dedication and heart, that we are friendly hosts and that we are extremely proud of our contribution and teamwork. It follows from our core values ​​that the company is oriented towards the well-being of employees and the satisfaction of guests, with respect for diversity and inclusion, and an individualized approach to each individual.

How do you ensure that the company's values ​​and culture are transferred to new employees?

Our company continuously invests in the best staff and talents through professional education and encouraging lifelong education. Also, we continuously monitor the career development of each employee through individual career plans based on the competencies of the employee, and we are maximally dedicated to the professional and private progress of each employee.

Tools such as quality onboarding, an established evaluation and reward system, constant mentoring and training of employees are, along with intensive internal communication at a high level, the key to success. Furthermore, within the framework of the HR department, we have developed a special program called AMP Career through which we continuously monitor young talents from their student days. The program is divided into Career Compass, Career Rocket and AMP Stars.

The goal of the Career Compas program is to intensify cooperation with national and international schools, colleges and institutions in order to create a long-term partnership and to provide students with quality professional development.

Furthermore, to encourage excellence, we have developed a special scholarship and career development program called "Career Rocket". The goal of the program is to recognize and provide monthly scholarships to young talents and prepare them to assume managerial positions. At the very end, we recognize our "stars" through the AMP Stars program, a program created with the aim of encouraging, recognizing and rewarding excellence.

What concrete measures are you taking or planning to take to strengthen employer branding and improve the general working environment in Amadria Park?

Our main project within the company for the last 2 years, and which we continue with, is the project of pleasant work. The project is based on finding points of satisfaction and joy that each employee can recognize in their work at each job position through various activities and phases of the project. We are working on finding simpler and easier solutions in work processes, we are looking for ways to make work stress-free and adapted to the needs of today's young people and employees with families, as well as all generations. This is our daily mission because we know that this is the only way we can make this industry interesting and attractive.

Just some of the examples are birthday greetings with personalized greetings, green and red card project, regular motivational talks with employees, annual talks with our owner, etc.

In what way do you think that positive employer branding affects the business results of Amadria Park? Do you have examples where your employees have contributed to business success?

With the activities and projects that we have initiated and run, we have created a stable and safe, stimulating work environment, which is best seen through the application of an extremely large number of quality young people through open job applications, we have a significant interest in student and student internships, as well as invitations for cooperation and connecting with domestic and international vocational schools and faculties. Often this interest is expressed in a much larger volume compared to the possibility of employment, which gives us the opportunity to hire the best.

We achieved a major upgrade through a systematic recruitment and selection process, and in this way secured a sufficient number and quality of the domestic workforce, as well as young talents from abroad who bring us valuable professional and innovative international knowledge and experience and additionally strengthen the system of competences and skills that within companies we have.

As a result, we have achieved an extremely high quality of service, which results and shows in extremely high ratings, which is the best example of the contribution of our valuable and highly engaged employees.