Human Resource is the hub which brings together an entire business. More often than not, it’s the trickiest department in any sector, let alone the hospitality sector where one small error can cause permanent damage to your reputation. But to Swad Rashid Chowdhury, all the tricks of the trade comes naturally. The Director of Human Resource at Amari Dhaka is as lively and vibrant as she is dedicated to her work. You can immediately feel the positivity she radiates upon meeting her.
Swad completed both her BBA and MBA in HR from IUB, and has previously worked for the likes of Westin and Four Points before joining Amari. She has been with Amari since pre-launch, and over the years, she climbed the ranks from being a learning & development manager, to the manager of HR, followed by associate director and now, the director of HR. During our rendezvous, she explained to me she was running proceedings right from the beginning of her tenure at Amari Dhaka. “I was the HR manager at the age of 26, you hardly hear of people of my age assuming managerial roles. I was doing the work of an associate director when I was the manager, and the work of a director when I was the associate director. In terms of responsibility, not much has changed for me but I do get to enjoy more privileges now so that feels amazing.”
According to Swad, anyone working for HR should possess the following attributes: knowledge on local labour law, understanding of human psychology, ability to communicate clearly, ability to work and make others work as a team, being able to bring strategies to balance business needs, as well as employee needs. Swad has left no stones unturned to ensure that she has perfected all of these traits. This is evident by the fact that under Swad’s guidance, Amari Dhaka pioneered provident funding which wasn’t taken seriously in the past. Not only that, she has worked hard to make sure team work is Amari Dhaka’s greatest asset. “I am sure that I am not the first person to talk about the importance of team work but it is indeed our biggest strength. All of my department heads have good coordination among them and this is a trend that is prevalent in every level of the hierarchy. You will not find a single person doing a task for the sake of doing the task only,” added Swad.
So how does Swad keep her team motivated? It is a continuous process that starts from day one. Whether it is an intern or a manager, Swad takes it upon herself to ensure that they feel at home. Each employee is given a career lattice which is a step-by-step guide of how they should proceed with their roles. There are other instruments such as thank you cards, employee of the month awards, employee of the year awards etc. “I have implemented policies that ensure that members of the administration are granted at least two days off each week. Given the nature of hotels, that can be a bit difficult, but as long as it motivates my employees and does no harm to my business, why not?” Furthermore, there is an annual survey referred to as ‘Team Members Engagement Survey’, which is an interactive session through which Amari Dhaka tries and improve their system through employee feedback. There is no room for complacency in the hospitality business and Swad ensures that Amari Dhaka is a ‘High-Performance Organisation’ with an employee pool filled with well-trained individuals with leadership qualities who deliver consistently.
She also believes in empowering women and wants to make sure that women get to play an equal role in the booming hospitality sector of Bangladesh. “In the past, it was often seen that women are not hired in the hospitality sector because it is a 24-hour business. But if we don’t give them the chance, how will we know what they are good at?” Swad believes in giving equal opportunities to men and women, as each individual has something unique to offer and in recent times, she is also playing a vital role to ensure that no one is deprived of opportunities. “We have also taken initiatives to bring in people from rural areas and train them through workshops and short courses. In this way, we can continue to develop man power and produce competent individuals,” explained Swad. The hospitality sector is indeed booming and with people like Swad and her efforts, it will continue to excel.
Photograph by Din M Shibly