Rose Skinner: “A positive attitude is the most important thing when working at RIU”

5 December, 2024 Training Share

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Before we go into detail about the day-to-day running of the department, we would like to tell you about Rose’s early days with the hotel chain. Rose Skinner’s relationship with RIU goes all the way back to 2005. At that time she was based at the Riu Palace Tropical Bay, RIU’s first hotel in the destination, and from that point on she began to recruit and train staff for the new hotels that were opening in the destination. “ My first opening was the Riu Ocho Rios and the memories I have from there are unforgettable”, she comments. Since then, she has been in charge of selecting the hotels’ new teams. “From when I first started at RIU, I have always been in human resources. It is a job that I am passionate about and that is professionally fulfilling.”

What does Rose’s department deal with on a day-to-day basis? There is no one better than her to explain all the innermost details of her day-to-day duties: “Workplace relations are a very important part of our daily work. So is the creation of new contracts and the ongoing development of new teams. I cannot leave out the responsibility of being able to create an ecosystem where our colleagues are comfortable and want to work with us.” Human Resources is in charge of all recruitment, issuing payrolls, and also defining the staff conduct guidelines. And although there are many daily challenges to deal with, it is an exciting job: “There are a lot of things to keep in mind, but I love what I do. It’s a very challenging  but rewarding job, because you deal with people and you make sure you can help as much as possible,’ says Rose. 

What do you need to work at RIU in Jamaica?

Rose is very clear: “So that we can assist our guests and make them feel at home, it is important to have good communication skills. In my opinion, the most important thing is a positive attitude, as you can learn the skills that are needed on the job, but we cannot change someone’s personality.” At RIU, more emphasis is placed on the former rather than the latter, as the chain has several training programmes where it teaches its employees and transmits RIU’s philosophy to them. “We firmly believe in internal promotion, in helping people who have started from the bottom to grow, and showing them that they can develop professionally at RIU. It is no coincidence that all our department heads started in junior positions in our hotels.”

In Jamaica, the most sought-after positions are in housekeeping, food & beverages, and specialist trades, like electricians and plumbers. That is why we offer a number of training programmes, ranging from cross training directly with managers to more specific courses. We also collaborate with educational institutions so that once students have completed their education, they can join RIU through a training programme and stay on when they finish their course.

Who is in the Human Resources team in Jamaica?

Rose is the face of the department, but she works alongside a team of ten people. For her, they are an indispensable asset without whom it would be impossible to achieve all the goals set.

“I am very lucky to have such a strong team”

She does not have a base location where she carries out her duties. Instead, she rotates between the four Human Resources offices located in Montego Bay, Negril, Falmouth and Ocho Rios. Even so, she keeps in touch with them all on a daily basis, meaning that she doesn’t have to go to every office each week.

Now you know a little about the great team in the Jamaica Human Resources Department. All that remains is for you to get to know this wonderful destination. If you opt for one of our hotels in Jamaica, you already know the secret recipe: arrive, rest, enjoy yourself and, if the occasion allows, say hello to our colleague Rose. She is largely responsible for making your stay in the Caribbean country unforgettable. We’ll be waiting for you!

Etiquetas: Training