Macau, April 30, 2015 – Wynn Macau today announces a new ‘Hospitality Management Program’, especially designed to provide gaming employees with exciting, alternative career opportunities. This additional advancement initiative – a first-of-its-kind in the city – will enable Gaming employees to take advantage of new career opportunities anticipated to arrive with the imminent opening of Wynn Palace. The Wynn Macau Learning & Advancement team will soon launch this new module of its progressive Leadership Acceleration Program, a continuation of Wynn’s long tradition of providing learning and development opportunities for local employees, which has led to a tremendous increase in the proportion of local hires of which many have being promoted to leadership positions.
The Hospitality Management Program
Gaming professionals who are keen to explore a management career in Hospitality may apply for the program which will support 40 successful applicants on a comprehensive 12-month training and immersion program designed to equip them with all the skills they will need to take on their new roles. After a rotational period of six months including skills training and leadership education, candidates will hone their skills with specialized training in their selected department. Upon successful completion of the Hospitality Management Program, candidates will become Assistant Managers in non-gaming departments, for instance in Hotel, Food & Beverage Operations. A diverse range of opportunities are available, from Front Office to Floral, Catering Sales to Restaurant Assistant Manager. Continued mentoring and guidance will ensure further advancement opportunities are always available.
Number of Locals in Management Positions Tripled Since 2006
“We are proud that through our highly targeted and effective learning programs developed over the years, the number of local employees in management positions has almost tripled since 2006. Meanwhile the management team now comprises 82% local talents as opposed to 58% previously. Our Team Members are as committed to us as we are to them, demonstrated by our low staff turnover rate of 11.4% in 2014,” explains Zuleika Mok, Senior Vice President – Human Resources, Wynn Macau.
Mok continues, “Out of our 7,700 employees, we have recorded 5,200 promotions since opening, of which 80% are locals, with many of them being promoted more than once. We anticipate another 800 promotions targeting our local employees with the opening of Wynn Palace in the first half of 2016.”
Learning and development may be a trending term in Macau right now, but at Wynn Macau it is nothing new. Back in 2007, shortly after its opening, Wynn Macau was the first resort in Macau to establish an academy dedicated to learning for its team members. The Wynn Academy plays host to Wynn Macau’s customized in-house training programs and includes The Knowledge Centre, providing employees with a library, learning lounge and an e-learning lab in which to further their education and training. In 2010, a Food & Beverage Academy with cooking training facilities was added.
In preparation for the opening of Wynn Palace in 2016, the “Leadership Acceleration Program” is soon to be rolled out, specifically to prepare local talents for leadership roles, enabling them to accelerate their careers and prepare for promotion opportunities. The three-tiered program provides participants with a structured approach to leadership training through modules that include educational sponsorship - both local and overseas - professional coaching, external leadership programs and even motivational sessions with Mr. Steve Wynn, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Wynn Resorts.
Leadership Stories at Wynn Macau
Wynn Macau will be celebrating its 9th anniversary this year. Over the years, its team members have not only shared the success of the company but have created their own success stories. Highlighted below are a few of the recent promotions, showcasing how our local talents have moved up the ranks as a result of the Leadership Acceleration Program and their dedication to their work.
Kenneth Lei, from Director to Vice President – Mass Marketing
Kenneth Lei joined Wynn Macau as part of the pre-opening team in 2006 as Director, Mass Marketing. He has been promoted swiftly through the ranks to Executive Director, Assistant Vice President and today holds the position of Vice President.
With over 70 Team Members in his department, Kenneth Lei’s responsibilities are considerable. “Working on the Gaming floor is exciting and fun but it can also be stressful,” says Kenneth. The culture at Wynn Macau is very collaborative and supportive, we are like a family here, we all help each other,” he continues.
“I have a very hard-working team, they are all very professional. We have high expectations of our Team Members here, but we also have very good training to help them. A happy host equals a happy guest. Therefore, I need to ensure my Team Members are happy.”
Beatrice Yeung, from Assistant Manager to Wynn Club Dining to Director, VIP Services
Beatrice Yeung started her career at Wynn Macau in the Food and Beverage department when she joined in 2006 as Assistant Manager, Wynn Club Dining.
“It was a wonderful experience, I really enjoyed learning all about fine wines and cigars,” she remembers. “There was a great team atmosphere and we all helped each other with training and learning new things.”
Beatrice was promoted to Senior Assistant Manager in 2008 and says she might have remained where she was except opportunity came knocking. “I was internally head hunted,” laughs Beatrice, “It was very flattering and quite exciting.”
Beatrice accepted an offer from the VIP services team to join as a Manager where today she remains as Director. “My job is part personal assistant, part concierge, part tour guide,” she says. “Every day is different, and we must be prepared for any eventuality. It would be impossible for me to do my job without the help and support I receive from all of the other departments here. Wynn Macau is all about teamwork, learning and helping each other. It really is a lot of fun working here. I love my job,” concludes Yeung.
Morgan Ho, from Casino Manager to Director – Main Floor Gaming
Veteran gaming professional Morgan Ho has almost four decades of experience working in casino resorts. He joined Wynn in 2006 looking for change and opportunity, and he found it.
“I was in my previous job for 27 years and although I did receive a couple of promotions while I was there, I felt my career was not progressing as quickly as I wanted. So when I was offered an opportunity at Wynn, I thought ‘why not’.”
Morgan joined Wynn Macau in 2006 in the position of Casino Manager. He quickly learned that the Wynn Culture is unlike any other. “Wynn is so different. Suddenly I was surrounded by people that cared, people that really do want to make a difference. Everyone gives 100%. It’s very inspiring, it makes you want to give 100% too.”
While working at Wynn, Morgan has upgraded his English language skills, and he regularly participates in IT training programs to ensure he stays up-to-date with the latest technology. “The Wynn environment is one of support, learning and encouragement,” he says adding “you want to do well, but you also want everyone in your team to do well.”
And Morgan has done very well - today he holds the respected position of Director – Main Floor Gaming. “At Wynn, I got what I came for,” Morgan concludes.
