Special service

What started as a corporate social responsibility towards underprivileged sections of society,the chain had training for orphans and still runs an initiative where domestic helps are trained in housekeeping.

It was in 2005,after Misquitta was suggested by a hotel reference that Harish Purandare,regional head of human resources,started to network to find more such people who might “be looking for a better work environment”.

A chance interaction with his namesake in the police force,the then traffic deputy commissioner Harish Baijal,brought him closer to some non-government platforms that interact with differently-abled people.

“We began interviews,which were initially difficult as the interviewees were not able to communicate without sign language. Some of them were physically handicapped,” recalls Purandare. “We soon enrolled ourselves for induction lectures on communication,which included basic sign language. It was essential as employees from all departments need to be sensitised about their new colleagues.”

The hotel also added ‘disabled-friendly’ infrastructure in the staff zone when it was renovated.

Today,the 4 pm cafeteria is a great equaliser where all such employees are treated on par. So while Buddhiram Murmu’s physical disability is masked by his “ever-jubilant” temperament as he handles the department of reservations,the company has opted to have positions for differently-abled people in finance,housekeeping,laundry,food production and even the face of the hotel,the front office.

Inside the hotel’s main kitchen,five of the new recruits are hearing and speech impaired. Manish Narwani’s (22) precision in salads and blanching vegetables is unmatched,while Shankar Lavar’s (24) sincerity towards his work is a matter of pride for senior chef,Nikhil Merchant.

HR personnel Puja Verma says there have been days when she has learnt the “art of extreme focus to the task at hand” from her differently-abled counterparts. “And all this with a smile on their faces. They seem to never complain. There is so much we can learn from them.”

“We did not plan to gain anything out of this. We now have our counterparts asking us how we managed to have such vacancies in an industry like ours. They are looking to introduce such initiatives as well,” says Purandare.

Some HR personnel visited the hotel chain this winter to study the positions and the work culture of the 29 differently abled people employed. There have been enquiries from other chains,such as Hotel Leela and Grand Hyatt. While the staff recognise them by their name,the 29 differently abled people have been given badges which makes it easier for the guests to identify and communicate with them.

In the past five years,the management has also got a thumbs-up from foreign guests at the luxury hotel. “We have had instances where foreigners have sent a note expressing gratitude for the warm services of our differently abled staff.”

The hotel also has some work floor anecdotes; the recruitments also played cupid to two such employees who got married last year.