Talent development tops the menu

While most businesses in Hong Kong are freezing or reducing headcount to weather the financial turmoil, forward-thinking companies are making talent development their top priority to ensure long-term growth.

'We understand the importance of nurturing talent to sustain our development,' said Molly Lam, division manager of Maxim's Cakes at Maxim's Group, a catering chain boasting 544 outlets across the city under its 70 brands, including bakeries, fast-food outlets, sushi bars, Chinese and western-style restaurants, and coffee shops. The chain employs more than 14,000 full-time staff.

Maxim's has tailored a management trainee programme to cultivate a new generation of catering professionals. 'We have always developed training to groom our staff, but this time we aim at a higher level of talent development to ensure an adequate supply of management staff for our continued growth,' said Ms Lam, who is also the programme leader.

The programme, which lasts for 12 months, goes beyond general management knowledge. 'The trainees will get live experiences in our business operations through working in our stores. They will learn how to operate and manage a retail store so they will know what a frontline employee does and what will be expected of them as an executive on the management front,' she said.