Minister Francourt visits Fisherman’s Cove Hotel & Story Hotel (formerly H- Hotel) |02 September 2022

Employers urged to adopt more flexible work environment

Minister Patricia Francourt has urged workplaces to, wherever possible, adopt a more flexible work environment in order to achieve optimum employee productivity.

The Minister for Employment & Social Affairs made this appeal during a visit conducted at the Fisherman’s Cove Hotel and Story Hotel on Friday last week.

The minister and her delegation was met on arrival by the new general manager for both hotels, Jelena Ognjenovic, and proceeded to visit the different departments at both properties and interacted with workers on duty.

During the visit, staff expressed their appreciation to have the opportunity to meet the minister and also raised concerns among which were: lack of flexibility in work arrangements as most of them are working mothers and have constraints in undertaking numerous split shifts which cause a hindrance to having enough rest periods.

They also highlighted strongly on the possibility of reviewing the current service charge policy in place, pointing out that the added benefit helps in meeting certain financial obligations and when deductions are made thereon, for example, absence due to sick leave, it reduces the amount of their home-take dues.

During the de-briefing meeting to conclude the visits, the minister welcomed and congratulated the new general manager on her efforts to continuously build on the working conditions of employees and expressed her satisfaction with the general outcome of the visit.

Minister Francourt took the opportunity to stress on the need to adopt the right attitude at all levels which in turn will help foster good working environment at the workplace, coupled with the importance of having in place good staff retention and welfare strategies which is effective in building a healthy and happy workforce.

The minister also spoke in the spirit of inclusivity, placing emphasis on better working conditions for working mothers, promoting work-life balance that will in turn encourage more single parents to join the industry and bring about the much needed level of productivity to the main pillar of our economy.

The various recommendations discussed with the management of the hotel will be followed up closely in order to ensure improvements.

It is to be noted that the ministerial visit at the Fisherman’s Cove Hotel and Story Hotel forms part of a series of visits which Minister Francourt will be undertaking at workplaces in the private sector with the aim of enhancing partnership and building a stronger working relationship with organisations.

The accompanying photographs show highlights of Minister Francourt’s visit to the Fisherman’s Cove Hotel and Story Hotel.

Press release from the Employment department