MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE FOR

TOURISM PROFESSIONALS

DUSIT THANI HOTEL, MANILA

(PREFINALS TASK PERFORMANCE)

Submitted by:

Castaneda, Dennis
Macasiray, Nicola Aika
Mercado, Danica
Parinas, Angelica
Reyes, Donita

Rivera, Raquel
Robediso, Girlyn

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Submitted to:
Mrs. Eve Niegie Mantilla

December, 2022
 Dusit Thani Hotel, Manila
Introduction

This 5-star multi use hotel is located in Makati, the Metro Manila’s premier financial, commercial,
entertainment, and shopping district. It is only 30 minutes away from Ninoy Aquino International Airport
and is within easy access to walking distance of the city’s many attractions. The hotel features five
specialty restaurants serving authentic Thai, Japanese, Italian, Filipino, Asian, and international cuisines.
Dusit Thani is bot a name and a promise which translates as a “Town in Heaven” where everyone can live
in happiness and freedom. It is inspired by King Rama VI’s vision of a model city for democratic society.
The Dusit Thani Hotel Manila was completed in 1976. It opened as the Manila Garden Hotel with 511
rooms and was among the hotels which opened in Metro Manila in the 1970s. The hotel leads up to the
metropolis' hosting of the 1976 International Monetary Fund–World Bank.

❖ Coaching (Robediso)
Coaching is one of the approaches needed in a business in order to incorporate an individual’s skills
and knowledge in a specific task. One example of a company that practices coaching within their
employees is Dusit Thani Hotel. The employees have access to coaching programs that help them hone
their abilities and thus improve their job performance. The company engages all their manpower to
practice collaborating between management and employees. Employee happiness and engagement are
significantly higher in organizations that have developed effective coaching programs. As a result,
retention rates increase and turnover rates decrease.

Moreover, effective communication and feedback channels enables the company in building strong
relationships between employees and management. Even if employees may appear to have a daunting
task ahead of them, they always keep in mind to assume the role of manager and coach their employees'
desires. Their work environment encourages employees to give their all without really worrying about the
possible outcomes either positive or negative. As long as the management knows the capabilities of its
employees, there will always be room for improvement. Employees are not just the only ones who needs
coaching in their career, but managers and leaders must also be coached in the workplace to ensure the
success of their organizational development, increase in employee productivity rate, and diversity of
culture. Employee coaching is also a helpful method for developing employees' communication skills and
to become goal-oriented within their organization.

The relationship between a coach and a coachee is an important factor to practice an individual’s
ability to communicate with others regardless of their culture. Employee coaching is not limited to entry-
level employees but also to those with higher positions since learning is never ending. It is critical to
involve the leadership team in the coaching program in order to observe increased employee engagement
and retention. Relationships between employees and leaders are frequently strained therefore, poor
managerial relationships are frequently cited as a primary reason for employee turnover. Due to the fact
that employee coaching focuses on individual strengths, managers can develop the skills necessary to
manage their teams effectively.

❖ Cultural Orientations Framework

• Notions of Territory and Boundaries (Mercado)

➢ Information Privacy Protection

The Dusit Thani Hotel, Manila respects the privacy of its owners, shareholders, stakeholders, members,
staff, employees, and visitors, particularly when it comes to their private life. Since its members,
personnel, and employees are professionally trained, they must learn to deal handling controlling their
emotions due to life and personal worries. All of the several legal entities that manage and run Dusit-
branded hotels, resorts, and residential buildings have ratified this privacy policy. These organizations
include Dusit Thani Public Company Limited and all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, affiliates, and
independent and distinct legal companies that oversee Dusit-managed hotels, resorts, and residential
properties around the world.

➢ Successful Teamwork and Idea Sharing

The Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila is aware that a team's capacity for success is intimately tied to that
capacity. One of their greatest strengths is working with amazing teams made up of individuals from all
countries and backgrounds since it encourages the open exchange of ideas, opinions, and proposals.
Employees become more useful to the firm as a result of the opportunities for cooperation, learning
from one another, and growing one's skill set based on experiences.

• Definitions of Identity and Purpose (Reyes)

➢ Individualistic

The Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila puts a high priority on the work of its employees because they are the
company's most valuable resource. They are set up to give their employees ideal working conditions and
the chance to conduct business because of the way they are structured. It is also evident that the hotel
is utilizing the opportunity to learn about various perspectives.
 ➢ Collectivistic

The Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila appreciates the possibility for its workers to understand one another's
perspectives that differ from their own since it helps them communicate with others and come off as
supportive.

❖ Universal Integrated Framework (UIF)

• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) (Pariñas)

Human Resource Management relies heavily on employee development. The company prioritizes
continuous learning and development for all employee levels in order to have the best specialists to serve
the company's future growth. The company encourages all employees to attend trainings that are tailored
to their specific needs and are discussed during the annual performance appraisal. The Company indicates
the development process in the form of training courses to increase the knowledge and ability of senior
level employees, such as Leadership Program for Middle Management and Top Management, in the form
of job rotation to different roles to gain experience and develop Training plan for each level based on
Dusit Graciousness pillars including (Service, Well-Being, Locality, and Sustainability) training new model
skills, as well as new procedures and promotions for professional advancement A total training plan is
used as a guideline to ensure that the annual training plan satisfy the Company's objectives in order to
ensure that the Company continues to develop employees in various skills. Furthermore, the company
sets a target of achieving 80% of the total training plan, which focuses on the year-end result of people
development, with the goal of increasing guest satisfaction rather than the number of training hours. If
the target does not adhere to the minimum requirement, each property must be rationalized.

Consistent learning is essential for personal and professional development and progress. With
many Dusit Hotels temporarily closed to limit the spread of COVID-19, teams across the company have
taken advantage of the downtime to improve their skills through free online learning programs offered
by Corporate L&D, Hotel L&D leaders, Dusit Hospitality Education, and various Corporate Divisions. Teams
at the Dusit Thani Manila adopt online learning to improve their skills in preparation for the 'new normal.'
Based on the current circumstances. The online courses have been extremely beneficial, allowing us to
advance our careers and learn new skills while remaining safe at home. It launched people's eyes to
various factors such as decision making and managing a team with cultural backgrounds.

• Appreciation of Cultural Environment (Pariñas)

Dusit Thani values human dignity and fundamental rights of individuals as a guiding principle in
how it treats employees and stakeholders, particularly in multicultural and diverse workplaces. The
company recognizes that employee well-being and safety are the cornerstones of organizational
sustainability. Equitable treatment and respect will reinforce positive conscience and cooperation in the
workplace, fostering creative thinking at work and improving customer service. It is a basic human right
that recognizes that human rights are an important foundation for comfortable coexistence and are
essential for improving human resource performance. Human rights also play an important factor in
adding value and increasing efficiency to the company through equitable treatment, equality promotion,
personal democratic freedoms in accordance with representative government, and opposition to child
labor, sexual discrimination, and harassment. For example, regular training classes and on-the-job training
can help employees improve their skills. Provide them with an equal opportunity to be promoted based
on comparable standards and performance, as well as an appropriate complaint method in the event of
unfair treatment based on their nationality.

• Coach-Coachee Fluidity (Pariñas)

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the use of food delivery services; Thailand's food business
has become more dynamic than ever before due to the country's lack of limits; competitive advantages
of restaurant dining-in, such as service quality, dining experience, and atmosphere, have become
redundant. As a result, the Company's food business, particularly hotel restaurants, has been severely
harmed by competition, not to acknowledge the increased operating costs caused by new hygiene
practices and services for home delivery. To minimize the consequences of this risk, Dusit Thani has
redesigned its hospitality education business strategies and product development to ensure that fast-
changing business environments are fulfilled with high flexibility and agility. For example, Dusit Thani has
established The Food School, which is aimed at young professionals, enthusiastic amateurs, career
changers, and entrepreneurs. The Food School also includes The Test Kitchen, which will provide facilities
for product testing and experimentation; business planning services; and professional coaching and
mentorship from highly regarded chefs.

• Cross-Cultural emotional intelligence (Castañeda)

In order to connect the Dusit core principles and foster a supportive work environment, the management
at the Dusit Thani Manila (DTMN) invested two days in creating a specific kind of enchantment to
recognize each employee's dedication and hard work toward the hotel's success. More significantly, they
are fostering a culture of trust and appreciation throughout the facility by giving the staff a platform called
a "gratitude wall" where they can express their appreciation and encouragement for one another. Their
supervisors instilled in them the importance of fostering a culture of teamwork at work. Each worker at
this hotel has become accustomed to the varied environment. A corporate-initiated program for
employees called "the Dusit Magic Day" was also implemented. This takes the place of the customary
Customer Service Week and attempts to foster closer ties between staff members and the leadership
group. For workers who are looking for empathy and compassion, Dusit Thani Manila has adopted a Social
Competence and Professional Competence policy. They balance and manage business uncertainties as
well as employee emotions to keep everyone engaged while providing services to their guests. The long-
term viability of their business depends on the employees' physical, mental, and emotional health. These
assist the hotel in resolving any internal conflicts. The management of the Dusit Thani Manila adopts a
professional approach to enhancing their offerings by incorporating customer and employee feedback.

• Communication Methods and Feedback Mechanism (Castañeda)

Dusit Thani Manila offered a channel of contact as well as a system of feedback so that they could identify
their shortcomings. They developed a website so that they could communicate with their visitors. This
increases client happiness and aids in service improvement. Every customer who has used the services
provided by Dusit Thani Manila left comments on that website, letting the hotel know what areas required
improvement. Additionally, the management immediately responded to the customer feedback after
reading it and used it internally.

❖ Conclusion

Based on your findings, what are their cross-cultural and diversity coaching best practices that can be
adopted into the whole tourism and hospitality industry of the Philippines? Provide at least two (2)
examples. (Rivera)

We believe that the following should be adopted into the whole tourism and hospitality industry in the
Philippines:

Our group concluded that the following cross-cultural and diversity coaching practices that is essential to
be adopted into the whole tourism and hospitality industry in the Philippines are:

• Embrace diversity

Workplace diversity brings issues with communication, region, and traditions. It is critical under these
circumstances to truly embrace the diversity throughout your whole firm, not merely accept them.
Introducing many cultures and ways of life your business may be very humbling experience. Making the
firm successful depends on embracing those differences and capitalizing on a common goal.

• Foster strong relationships among workers

The Importance of teamwork in the corporate sector is sometimes underrated. It’s crucial to create deep
bonds among coworkers if you want everyone to remain motivated and effective in groups. Over text and
emails, you can only get to know someone so well. Due to their inability to offer events like monthly happy
hours or in-person team-building activities, multinational corporations are at a disadvantage.

In particular, the whole tourist and hospitality sector as a whole might follow their practice of tolerating
variances. They ought to appreciate the value of variety, culture, and modify their approach in order to
come up with across-culturally acceptable answers.

How can this task performance benefit you in your future role in the industry and society?
Cite at least two (2) realizations or application. (Macasiray)

The given task performance is an awareness that we should know the status of tourism
in the country. On our topic was centered on how the company prioritizes continuous learning
and development for all employee levels in order to have the best specialists to serve the
company's future growth engage tourist in Dusit Thani Hotel, 5-star multi use hotel that serve’s
premier financial, commercial, entertainment, and shopping district. There are lots of lessons
we gained while doing the task performance, it enlightened and introduced to us what are the
problems that tourism encountered and how does it generate goals for development as well
as the purpose of tourism multiplier effect. After searching and reading many articles and
websites related to our topic, we have learned a fact that tourism development should
acknowledge best hotels and as well as the restoration of the historical and heritage sites is in
the hands of the government, they should allocate budget and take an action and take the
responsibility to have an effective progression. Furthermore, the coaching/training that they
give to the locals to practice and enhance their skills with the use of technology and because
it’s rampant in the new generation, citizens were able to make awareness online where they
should go or even when booking a hotel and by this, citizens can do something and can
contribute even a little for faster recovery of the unnoticed hotels and places. Only you’ll realize
that luck is always in our hands, and it is our responsibility to spread those lucks and take
actions to come up with a solution.

References:
Dusit International (22 May 2020). Activities. Lessons under lockdown: Dusit teams embrace
online learning to enhance their skills in preparation for the 'new normal'. Retrieved from
https://www.dusit-international.com/en/updates/activities/748/lessons-under-lockdown-dusit-
teams-embrace-online-learning-to-enhance-their-skills-in-preparation-for-the-new-normal

Dusit Thani (2021). Annual Report 2021 (From 56-1 One Report). Retrieved from
https://dusit.listedcompany.com/misc/one-report/20220331-dusit-or2021-en.pdf

Indeed (n.d.) Dusit Thai Manila Hotel. Retrieved from: https://ph.indeed.com/cmp/Dusit-Thani-

Manila-Hotel/reviews
Linkedin (2019, September 02) Dusit Thani Manila Careers. Retrieved from:
http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dusit-thani-manila-does-magic-thank-colleagues-

Hotels.com (n.d.) Dusit Thani Manila. Retrieved from: https://ph.hotels.com/ho267241-tr-

r26483045/dusit-thani-manila-makati-philippines/