Pre-Opening Staffing for 5-Star Dubai Marina Hotel
A deep dive into our partnership with Emirates Hospitality Holdings, overcoming complex recruitment challenges in UAE (Dubai).
Emirates Hospitality Holdings
UAE (Dubai)
01The Challenge
A new luxury property in Dubai Marina needed a full staff complement of 320 professionals prior to their grand opening. The requirement was unique: candidates needed excellent English communication skills, specific grooming standards, and prior 5-star hotel experience.
02Our Strategy
Opening a 5-star hotel is a high-stakes endeavor where service quality usually makes or breaks the launch reputation. Emirates Hospitality Holdings trusted Mahad Manpower to find the "face" of their new brand. We curated a specialized "Grooming & Etiquette" selection round. Candidates were not just interviewed; they were auditioned. We looked for the "Service Spark"—that innate ability to anticipate guest needs. Our culinary recruitment team, led by a former Executive Chef, conducted tasting sessions for kitchen staff selection. For front-office roles, we focused on linguistic versatility, targeting candidates fluent in English, Arabic, and Russian.
Audition-Based Selection
Role-playing scenarios to test candidate reactions in high-pressure service situations.
Institute Partnerships
Direct recruitment from top Indian Hotel Management schools (IHM).
Cultural Orientation
Pre-departure sessions on UAE culture and hospitality expectations.
03The Outcome
- Filled all 320 positions in 30 days
- 85% of candidates had prior Gulf experience
- Hotel opened on schedule with full staff complement
- Lowest first-year attrition in client's portfolio
Project Impact
“The quality of candidates exceeded our expectations. Every staff member arrived trained and ready. Mahad is now our preferred recruitment partner for all UAE properties.”