NH Hotels, or NH Hotel Group as it is now known, is a leading hotel group, that has more than 400 hotels in 27 different countries and, in Spain alone, it employees more than 7,000 employees. It is a company in continuous growth, which opens new hotels and has recently fully entered the Chinese markets.
The group's values are extremely consolidated. "We are looking for people who are well aligned with NH's culture and values, with the way the group is", explained Tomás Lahoz, the Talent and Development Manager – BU Southern Europe during his visit to EAE Business School. These values are memorable experience, youthful mindset, a passion for serving others, social and environmental commitment, an ambition to be a leader in the sector and always showing a big smile. Tomás Lahoz explained to the students that, at NH Hotel Group, they take care of the employees as if they were customers and strive to ensure that employees are happy and satisfied.
Moreover, he emphasized that, in terms of knowledge, the students on EAE Masters, focused on holding positions in key services (administration, marketing, sales, human resources, etc.), "they are extremely very prepared. In terms of what we look for in terms of attitude: people who are committed to the company, with a great capacity for work, flexibility and leadership and, obviously, customer service and languages".
In recent years, the company has undergone a significant transformation process. "All the employees are part of the change". We are an innovative company, which is demonstrated by our application of various innovations, such as online check-in, among others. Tomás Lahoz explained that NH Hotel Group's objective is not growth in itself but rather ensuring good management to achieve a profitable business. He added that strong growth is planned for the company in France currently.
Training and employment, founding pillars of NH Hotel Group
In this company, they invest a lot in training because they consider it extremely important. They have the NH University, a corporate university at which they continually run workshops and courses. Moreover, in terms of analysing employment, the managers emphasized that 80% of the people who hold key positions in the company have joined through an internship. "It is our main source of recruitment, as the statistics show. In addition, when looking for new positions, the people that already form part of the group are our full priority".
At NH Careers, on the website and as an internal program, all the employment and internship offers are presented together. The group's internship program is aimed at the hotel section (for tourism students), on the one hand, and at the head offices to take on central service tasks, on the other. These internship programs last at least six months, on a full-time basis, for a grant of 600 euros. "They are demanding internship and, as we see it, it is the time to learn and make mistakes", explained Tomás Lahoz.
When discussing talent, the Selection Managers at NH Hotels explained that they primarily measure it in terms of competences and then conduct an analysis in line with the candidates' potential and ambition. At the group's, Selection Department, they invite students to contact the company and send curriculums, with a view to growing in a company that offers an exceptional professional career within an international group.
