Retaining talented people by creating a culture of empowerment

TMG – “I decided to stay because at Thien Minh Group, I am always treated fairly, respected, listened to, empowered, and encouraged to upskill,” said Victoria Can Tho Resort General Manager Vo Xuan Thu.

Since becoming an official employee of Victoria Can Tho Resort, Ms. Vo Xuan Thu has never changed jobs over the last nearly 25 years. Even when the resort’s ownership was transferred from a French investor to Thien Minh Group, she decided to stay.

Even though she has spent half of her life working and sacrificing for the company on her way to becoming the head of the Victoria Hotels & Resorts chain of Thien Minh Group, the creative fire and desire to learn within her has never dimmed.

“I’m just one of many employees at Victoria Can Tho who have been with the company for decades. The key probably lies in the culture of empowerment and learning at Thien Minh,” she shared.

How did you start working at Victoria Can Tho?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: I have been working at Victoria Can Tho since 2000, after graduating from university. My major then was a bachelor’s degree in English, which is seemingly unrelated to the hotel and hospitality industry.

I was previously an office secretary but didn’t feel like it was a good fit, so I quit after a few months.

I applied for a job and interviewed with Victoria Can Tho. I remember the HR director asking me how long I planned to work here. I honestly said that I didn’t know because I didn’t know whether I would enjoy working in the industry. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to try it out.

The more I worked, the more I liked the job because I could not only use the English I had learned to communicate with international visitors but could also learn many new skills.

I started at the front desk, where I learned how to welcome guests and acquired the skills needed for hospitality, office, and administration.

After that, I researched and learned more to develop my professional knowledge and skills, and I found more joy and satisfaction in this profession.

The company constantly trained me to improve my expertise and skills and gave me the opportunity to move up, which is why I’ve stayed all this time.

When Thien Minh Group took over Victoria Can Tho, what made you decide to stay?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: In 2011, Thien Minh Group took over the resort. Like many other senior managers, I was quite worried at that time because I didn’t know how a Vietnamese company would manage it, whether there would be a change in personnel.

Mr. Tran Trong Kien, Chairman of Thien Minh Group, was committed to maintaining what Victoria was doing and developing it further. He wanted this property to increase in value and did not intend to tear it down and rebuild it. Mr. Kien promised to respect what was in place and kept his promise. Therefore, all managers decided to stay because everyone felt respected.

I had recently become a general manager in 2011, so I also wanted to do my best in this new environment.

The more I worked with Thien Minh, the more I saw that it was a very proper and progressive company. I personally felt that I was treated fairly. Comments were always listened to and respected.

In particular, the employees are always empowered and encouraged to develop their expertise and skills.

Another reason why I didn’t want to change jobs and possibly relocate is that, as a woman, I wanted to stay close to my family.

Could you share more about the culture of empowerment and creating conditions for upskilling at Victoria and with Thien Minh Group?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: When Thien Minh Group took over, in addition to maintaining the facilities, the group was very interested in training people and developing younger employees.

At that time, the core personnel were selected to study business administration in a program affiliated with the French Institute of Graduate Training, first at the director level, then the head of the departments, and then the supervisors.

In particular, after completing the courses, the employees applied what they had learned practically, increasing their knowledge and confidence in their work.

Thien Minh’s culture is one of empowerment, meaning that employees are given full authority to do their work. This makes people feel very comfortable and responsible. When you take on a project and succeed, it’s natural to be proud of yourself.

At Victoria, there are two types of training: one for new employees and one for returning managers.

We have a training program for new employees, whether they majored in hospitality or not. The heads of departments and others with responsibility, as well as the supervisors, all share in the training.

After completing the probationary period and understanding the basics of the job, newer employees continue to receive on-the-job training. When the department heads evaluate work efficiency, training for employees is also evaluated. This training is maintained regularly.

Training in development strategy is provided for middle management and above. These staff members can attend appropriate management courses.

Thien Minh in general, and specifically Victoria, are very focused on developing young people and giving them many opportunities to develop.

What helps maintain the learning culture at Thien Minh and Victoria Can Tho, in your opinion?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: I think the leadership sets an example. Mr. Kien really loves learning; he can learn anywhere at any time by reading books. If he reads a good book, he will recommend it to the leadership team to read. Whenever he comes across a really good book, he’ll personally sit and share it with everyone.

Although he is the top leader, he still personally participates in training courses and signs up the whole leadership team to participate. Not only that, he is also very studious and focused, so everyone can imitate his spirit.

Thien Minh’s culture is health, kindness, and growth. Health involves encouraging people to exercise to maintain their health, and kindness involves being kind to colleagues, clients, partners, the environment, and the community.

Growth here isn’t only measured by the usual sales numbers but also by growth in knowledge and skills by learning.

What are some examples of the resort’s successes stemming from a culture of employee empowerment?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: Perhaps the most obvious was during COVID-19. That was a period of many difficulties but also new opportunities.

At that time, Thien Minh and Mr. Kien directed that the general managers of the hotels and resorts should act like company CEOs and be able to decide on their own how to implement solutions to look after their employees without breaking the law.

At that time, I decided to expand my clientele, not only focusing on international visitors as before but also domestic visitors from other cities and provinces as well as local guests.

During the pandemic, people couldn’t travel far, so when we expanded our market, locals were very happy to come to Victoria because it was close, convenient, and not as expensive. After that, the resort welcomed more guests from other regions across the country.

I also developed a garden café and organized outdoor weddings in the garden area by the river. Weddings and outdoor events have become a strength for Victoria Can Tho as many companies come to us to organize events, and even many overseas Vietnamese couples have come here to organize weddings.

We did not have to wait long for approvals. Thanks to those quick and timely solutions, we recovered well when we reopened after the pandemic.

What changes did Victoria Can Tho have to make to expand the customer base like that?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: The most notable thing we changed was related to food because people like to eat well when they travel. When visiting a new region, people want to sample the cuisine of that locality.

We added a lot of local dishes such as field crab hotpot, beef shank hotpot, and mixed salads. Previously, the menu only had your typical, well-known Vietnamese dishes, such as fried spring rolls, to serve Western customers; the dishes weren’t categorized by region.

This change to the menu has received much positive feedback. Many guests told us that eating in the resort was just as good as dining at a local eatery, dispelling the traditional thinking of many guests that they had to go outside to find really local fare.

This also led to positive business outcomes, as our food and beverage revenue now accounts for 40-50% of room revenue.

We’re now seeing a younger generation, those born after 2000, join the workforce. This new generation seems to have different characteristics compared to previous generations. How do you feel when working with young people at Victoria?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: Our hotel has many Gen Z employees, especially in the reception area and the restaurant. This is the first time these young ones have come into contact with many customers and have a lot of opportunities to learn about the world of work.

Young people now learn very quickly, have more knowledge, and are exposed to more information. When we were their age, our generation was as adept at information technology.

However, I do see a lack of patience in the younger generation. For example, if they encounter a setback, they’ll want to quit immediately instead of continuing. This is a little different from the past, the generation from the ‘70s and ‘80s was more resilient; if they failed at something, they would keep trying. One reason may also be partly because there are many more job opportunities available now than there were 20-30 years ago.

What advice do you have for young people?

Ms. Vo Xuan Thu: My advice to young people is that when you work, consider it as your work instead of the company’s work or a task that you’ve been assigned.

Have a sense of responsibility and focus your mind and energy on your work. Even if it’s a small task, do your best. Don’t think that ‘when I’m given an important task, then I’ll do my best’.

Maybe it’s because I have been in the service industry for so long that I’m consumed by the details. The better the service, the more attention to detail is required. Every small detail must be taken care of to create the very best service quality.

Anyone can build a hotel, but the key lies in the quality of service delivered by people. Small details make the difference, and they are the soul of a hotel.

Thank you, Mrs Vo!

Established in 1994, TMG has grown from a company with just three employees to an enterprise with more than 2,500 employees worldwide. Thien Minh is now Asia’s leading package travel provider, founded on the mission of always putting our clients front and center. With four areas of operation – Destination Management, Hospitality, Online, and Aviation – TMG is the ideal host for distinctive journeys featuring truly memorable travel experiences