[Customer Feedback] Thanks to the efforts of foreign talent, we managed to get through the busy post-COVID-19 season and are cultivating them into the next generation of leaders! (Tokyu Resorts & Stays Co., Ltd.)

[Customer Profile]

Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd. Madarao Tokyu Resort Hotel Tangram

Located in the naturally rich Shinanomachi town of Nagano Prefecture, this comprehensive resort facility operated by Tokyu Resorts & Stay features a resort hotel, ski resort, golf course, and more. The hotel's restaurant, ZIGZAG, serves authentic Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine in buffet style.

This time, we visited Madarao Tokyu Resort Hotel Tangram, operated by Tokyu Resorts & Stays Co., Ltd., and spoke with Executive Chef Shimizu!

In mid-April, there was still a little snow left in the resort.

──What prompted you to start hiring specific skilled workers?

The main reason was a lack of personnel. Even though we wanted to hire Japanese people, we received few applicants and had a lot of turnover, so we decided to rely on foreigners to secure a stable workforce.

Our facility had never previously employed foreigners as kitchen staff, so exactly one year ago we began employing foreigners for the first time using the Specified Skilled Worker System.

──What do you think is good about employing foreign workers with specific skills?

We currently have five Myanmar staff working for us (at the time of this interview), and they all have very cheerful personalities and work very hard . Before we started employing them, we had no experience in employing foreigners, so we were a little worried, but after actually introducing them, we were very impressed by their positive personalities and the way they work, and they are a great help to us now.

This year in particular, after the COVID-19 pandemic ended, tourists returned all at once, and the peak snow season was extremely busy, but the hard work of our foreign staff was a great help.

──What were your concerns before the implementation?

Personally, I wasn't particularly worried about employing foreigners. Rather, I was worried that the foreign staff might be anxious about communicating with us Japanese employees. This is because there is the language barrier and customs are different. I thought that rather than being anxious about us as the hosting side, the foreigners coming to Japan would likely have greater anxieties, so I felt that we needed to take into consideration the reception system. For this reason, I tried to be empathetic to their feelings and listen carefully to what they had to say .

Perhaps because of this, all the employees now get along well with each other, regardless of nationality. In their free time, they go shopping and eat out. During the winter season, they enjoyed skiing and snowboarding at the resort. The Myanmar employees in particular had no experience skiing in their home country, so they quickly improved their skills with the help of Japanese staff. Seeing this, I feel that it is good for Japanese people to be able to have global exchanges as well .

Maung, who is from Myanmar, quickly mastered snowboarding for the first time!

──Please tell us about the actual achievements of foreign talent.

During busy periods, we have dedicated staff members for breakfast and dinner, and we are able to entrust both to the same tasks as Japanese employees .

At dinnertime, we have a live kitchen where roast beef is cut and served right in front of the customers, and even here, foreign staff are in charge. They have no problems communicating with customers, and they are happy to work while looking at their customers' faces, saying, "It's so fun!" I also find their high level of motivation very appealing.

In terms of motivation, their purpose in working is fundamentally different from that of Japanese people. They are not just working for themselves, some of them are working for the livelihood of their families back home, so they are very enthusiastic. They are fully aware of their proactive attitude of "trying their best to learn the job and be useful," so it is worthwhile for us to teach them.

After breakfast service, we are quickly cleaning up.

──Please tell us what you did or were conscious of when accepting foreign talent.

We felt that the "acceptance system" was important. First, we explained to the Japanese staff at the morning meeting that foreign staff would be joining the company. In particular, we made them aware of the "language barrier." Although their Japanese level is N2 to N3, there are individual differences, so it is necessary for the Japanese side to align their perspectives.

I asked my staff in advance to "avoid using difficult Japanese" and "explain things in simple terms ." This may seem like a simple thing to say, but when things get busy during work, there can be little time to spare, so I make sure to remain calm and to be mindful of using words that are easy to understand and approachable .

──Did you encounter any problems once you actually started working?

There are no particular problems, and as for language, as I mentioned earlier, I've been able to overcome it by using words that are as simple and easy to understand as possible. There is nothing in terms of work that I can't do.

When they learn their work, they first " watch and learn " next to the instructor, then " do it together ." After that, they put it into practice, and if they don't understand something, they " don't hesitate to ask ." This is how they learn. They're all good at remembering things.

--What are your expectations for specific skilled workers in the future?

They are working extremely hard in their current jobs, so we would like to train them thoroughly to become "managers" in their current positions . To achieve this, we would like them to grow to the point where they can handle ordering and inventory management. We believe that they will definitely acquire the skills with experience, so we hope that they will become the next generation of leaders.

Currently, they are qualified as "Specified Skilled Worker No. 1," but as of last year, our industry has also become eligible for "No. 2." Obtaining "No. 2" status allows them to continue working without a limit on the length of their employment, which expands the possibilities for career development in Japan for them as well. Of course, we would be very happy if they could continue working for us for a long time, so we would like them to take on the role of leader and obtain "No. 2" status . To that end, we would like to continue to support them while making compromises.

──Please tell us about your future prospects for utilizing specific skilled workers.

We are aiming to expand nationwide , starting with Tokyo and Fukuoka . There are branches of the Food and Beverage Association in Tokyo and Fukuoka, so we would like to ask them to recruit as well. We envision a world where foreign leaders are the norm at each base , and they will actively play an active role.

In fact, most of the employees at our store in Tennoji, Osaka are foreigners, and we can realistically imagine running a store mainly with foreigners . We would like to continue to actively hire foreign personnel who place importance on customer service, especially those with a hospitality mindset who are excellent at providing hospitality in the dining area.

Thank you to Mr. Shimizu of Madarao Tokyu Resort Hotel Tangram for your valuable insights!

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The Japan Food and Beverage Association for Foreign Employment

We support companies that want to start employing foreigners .

Through our own network,

Securing the talent companies are looking for - interviews - starting work and providing support afterwards

We provide comprehensive support.

"We want to resolve the labor shortage."

"We want to promote globalization"

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us !