“The SBM still appeals”: group attracting young talent once more post Covid
Hundreds of positions need to be filled each year to run the brand’s four hotels and thirty restaurants and cope with the influx of tourists - © Monaco Tribune
The Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) was looking for its remaining 100 seasonal workers for the summer season, on Wednesday, March 6, at its traditional recruitment day.
The candidates came in small numbers to meet the group’s managers, in one of the fabulous rooms at the One Monte-Carlo, located close to the famous Casino. Stress was visible on some faces, but after the interview, that gives way to relief, as evidenced by Ornella Lopez, an 18-year-old student who wants to train in luxury catering. “As well as my contract this summer, I will be called in for extras on weekends and during holidays,” she says happily. I didn’t think it would be so quick and easy to apply. I like the informal concept. You can meet the people you’ll potentially be working with straight away, it’s a far cry from sending in your CV on the internet. I think it gives us a better chance and more choice.”
Advertising
The young woman shared her dream with us: “personally, I grew up in a family of restaurateurs, but in family catering, and since I plan to go to Saint-Barthélemy next year, I want to get some experience at the luxury end. I hope to get a job at the Buddha-Bar,” she smiles as she leaves.
An exemplary attitude
What might have tipped the balance in her favour? Her attitude for sure, because on the recruiters’ side, they are not just looking for technical catering skills: “Mindset, team spirit, discretion and respect for confidentiality are paramount,” says Casino de Monte-Carlo restaurant manager Cyrille Laurent. “Because in an establishment like the Casino, it is essential that we respect the confidentiality of customers who are sometimes well-known figures.” Paola Minicucci, the Hotels and Restaurants HR Manager, adds: “obviously it’s a learning process. We have procedures and the seasonal workers are trained and supervised, but the main aspects remain interpersonal skills, eagerness, and motivation. We are dealing with a demanding clientele, and it is the human touch that makes the difference.”
The room is far from crowded, and this can be explained by a change in the SBM’s recruitment approach: “Before the health crisis, we used to rely almost exclusively on this recruitment day to strengthen our workforce. Since Covid, we have tried as far as possible to retain our seasonal workers who come back every year. In addition, we were at the ‘Monaco pour l’Emploi’ event, and we attend other fairs such as Courchevel and Menton, plus we advertise on the job sites,” says Paola Minicucci. This is why, out of 1,200 initial vacancies, there were only around a hundred left to fill on Wednesday. It should be noted that demand was greater this year due to the opening of Amazónico, which alone requires 200 staff.
More demanding candidates
With Covid having led to a raft of hotel and restaurant employees retraining, the SBM has rethought its offer in order to remain attractive: “The pay is still an important aspect, because we have better salary conditions than our competitors, but candidates today are looking, above all, for good working conditions. They want a balance between their personal and professional lives. We get questions we wouldn’t necessarily have had before, about breaks, rest days, career prospects… There are more demands from the candidates. Previously, the decision lay squarely with the manager, now it’s a relationship of equals, with aspirations and needs on both sides,” continues Paola Minicucci, delighted to see that the brand still appeals: “It’s no small thing to have a season at the Hotel de Paris or at the Monte-Carlo Beach on your CV,” she tells us..
For the latest session, the SBM mostly offered positions as receptionist, chef de rang, kitchen commis, wine waiters, chef de partie, but also positions outdoors as a lifeguard or beach attendant. On the contractual side, these are fixed-term contracts that can last between six and seven months for certain positions, or for only two months in July-August in the case of student jobs.
Accommodation available for 300 seasonal workers
The SBM is providing 300 beds for its seasonal workers from outside the PACA region. “We can’t provide accommodation for everyone, so we try to prioritise employees from sectors that are under pressure, such as the kitchen or reception.” The accommodation is not in Monaco, but in the immediate vicinity: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Cap-d’Ail, Beausoleil and Menton. These are studios or shared units. The request is made to the manager and HR when the employee is recruited.
For those who were unable to attend, it is still possible to apply online at recruitment@sbm.mc