Having introduced a tuition reimbursement program a few years ago, the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel made some tweaks to the program in 2006 to make it more attractive. That included raising the amount from $500 to $1,000 or $1,500, depending on tenure.
Back then, the employment market meant “everybody was fighting for any sort of talent and it certainly became a lot more of a tool that we used,” says Peter Enders, regional director of human resources at Larco Hospitality Management for the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel and Vancouver Airport Marriott.
To qualify, people must have worked at the Sheraton hotel for at least one year and, for hourly associates, a minimum of 35 hours per week. Those who have been there for up to three years receive $1,000 while those with longer tenure receive $1,500, so the reimbursement acts as somewhat of an incentive for people to stay longer, says Enders.
Typically at about three years, a person is well-suited to their position and looking to climb the ladder so the reimbursement can motivate them.
“This was just a way, if the next position wasn’t available, to give them some options to say, ‘You know what, here’s something that you can do in the interim, while you’re waiting for that next position within our company, to maybe sharpen your skills a little bit,’” he says.
Part of the policy includes the stipulation employees who leave the hotel less than one year after completing a course could be asked to refund some of the money. But that is more about encouragement than enforcement.
“Honestly, that would probably be a pretty special circumstance that we would do that,” says Enders. “If somebody finished a course yesterday and resigned today, we may pursue that but the intent of it is to try and develop your people and the reality is people look at opportunities and do what’s right for them.”
The Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel also grants some flexibility when it comes to reimbursement for senior management, such as critical training, he says.
As for the choice of schools, few are refused — but some private colleges can be pricey so HR might encourage employees to consider other options. The courses covered are expected to relate to the hospitality industry, directly or indirectly, such as a bartending or business administration.
“When you start getting into specifics, such as spa-related courses, security management, these are things we’d want to look at the relevance to the position of the person that’s actually applying for them,” says Enders.
As for participation in the tuuition program, the rates are not as high as they could be, though the benefit is conveyed often, at orientation sessions or department meetings, to all of the 280 employees, says Enders.
But the company is looking for people who have the potential to grow and this is a small part of that, he says.
“We’re trying to build a commitment to the employee: ‘You work hard for us, we’ll help you with your education, your career,’ not just with tuition reimbursement but certainly whatever else we can do to help someone develop themselves,” he says.
Written by Sarah Dobson. Excerpt © Copyright Canadian HR Reporter, March 22, 2010, by permission of Carswell, Toronto, Ontario, 1-800-387-5164. Web: www.hrreporter.com.
