Park Hospitality Unveils New Employee Training And Recognition Program

Key elements of the program focus on teaching employees the fundamental skills for building relationships with co-workers and guests. A motivational element has also been added to reward employees for possessing positive attitudes, delivering high-quality guest service and offering their own ideas and suggestions for fostering a cooperative, fun work environment.

"The word Pride actually is an acronym that stands for Personal Responsibility, Integrity and Dedication to Excellence," said Jetse Pottinga, executive vice president of Park Hospitality. "More than just words, they are characteristics essential in fostering engaged employees, happy co-workers, and loyal guests."

The "Park Pride" program will be formally introduced this spring to all Park Inn and Park Plaza hotel employees in North America through a series of one-hour sessions hosted by members of the corporate operations team. As part of the training, Park Hospitality managers and supervisors will receive a "Park Pride tool kit," an innovative card system filled with ideas and resources for maintaining and enhancing the program with their employees on a day-to-day basis.

"The Park Pride program is much more than just a nice curriculum we're offering employees," said Pottinga. "It's an essential step in helping individuals understand how their attitudes impact everyone around them - especially guests. If we aspire to be the brand of choice - and we do - then knowing how to shape positive attitudes and build relationships is critical to creating satisfied employees and loyal guests."

An icon that resembles a person in place of the letter "I" in the acronym P.R.I.D.E symbolizes the tagline for the program "I put the pride in Park."

"Not only is the icon for the program eye-catching, it visually reinforces our belief that individual employees make a difference, and are at the center of building the Park brand into something we can all be proud of," said Pottinga.

Park Hospitality, part of Minneapolis-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, consists of Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels in North America. Positioned within the mid-scale to upscale segment of the full service category, Park Plaza hotels are generally 150 rooms or larger and located in downtown, suburban and airport commercial locations. With restaurants, meeting rooms, catering, suite and recreational facilities, the hotels serve the travel needs of business guests, meeting attendees and weekend leisure guests.

Park Inn hotels are situated in the mid-scale with food and beverage hotel segment. Park Inn is primarily a conversion brand that serves a wide range of guests in suburban and leisure destinations. Park Inn hotels are generally 150 rooms or smaller and offer a continental breakfast, as well as special amenities and services for both business and leisure travelers.

Park Hospitality also works closely with Park Plaza Worldwide LLC and Park Plaza Kemayan, Ltd., to build the brand internationally. Park Plaza Worldwide owns and operates Park Plaza and Park Inn brands in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. Park Plaza Kemayan is the exclusive master franchisee of Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels in 19 South Pacific and Southeast Asian countries. There are currently more than 80 Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels located throughout the world. For reservations or information on North American Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels, call 800-670

Park Hospitality is part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, a global leader in hospitality services, encompassing more than 1,350 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise ship operations in 79 countries. In addition to Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels, specific brands include: Regent International Hotels; Radisson Hotels & Resorts; Country Inns & Suites By Carlson; Carlson Lifestyle Living (Carlson Park); Carlson Vacation Ownership; Radisson Seven Seas Cruises; T.G.I. Friday's and other restaurant brands; and Provisions, a worldwide procurement division.