St. Regis tackles task of hiring 400 employees before resort's summer opening

The St. Regis Longboat Key management team is ready to meet its future employees. 

The highly anticipated resort coming to Longboat Key is set to have its grand opening this summer, and General Manager Winfred van Workum and Hotel Manager Kara Hardiman will host a hiring event on June 12 to fill more than 400 positions. 

The St. Regis Longboat Key is the only St. Regis opening in the United States in 2024 and is the largest development in Longboat Key in over 50 years, according to a press release.

The management team is looking to hire people for a wide range of careers, from housekeepers and pastry chefs to butlers, divers and kids' program coordinators. 

“In general for us, the key to hiring great St. Regis hosts is to hire for the right attitude and hire people whose heart is really in service and creating an experience for our guests that’s really curated and bespoke a level of elegance,” Hardiman said. 

The technical aspects of the job are trainable, Hardiman and van Workum agreed.  

There’s also the chance for Marriott employees to transfer into the St. Regis Longboat Key, since the company prides itself on career growth, according to Hardiman. She started with Marriott as a front desk host about 20 years ago and now will be the St. Regis Longboat Key’s hotel manager. 

Van Workum also mentioned that the Marriott company boasts competitive benefits and “very significant” discounts on hotels. 

Although the press release says over 400 positions, Longboaters shouldn’t fret about traffic, van Workum said. The St. Regis’ shifts will be staggered, and it won’t be 400 employees all coming onto the island at once. 

With that, he said the St. Regis management is talking with Sarasota County’s Breeze system and Enterprise Rent-A-Car to think of possible alternatives for employee transportation. Van Workum also said there are plans in place with the town of Longboat Key to manage traffic for any larger events. 

“We’re not concerned, but we’re very mindful of how we deal with that,” van Workum said. 

Training for success

To train the more than 400 employees for the St. Regis Longboat Key — or any St. Regis around the world — is no easy feat.

It includes an intense but intentional training atmosphere, according to Hardiman. 

“Training is about giving people confidence,” Hardiman said. “Because if you’re confident, then you can execute at the level of luxury guests and the St. Regis luminary.” 

Along with separate departmental training sessions, there’s also something unique to St. Regis: the 10-day countdown. 

In the 10 days leading up to the grand opening, employees will receive training focused on the history of the St. Regis brand and how to embody that in the resort’s many traditions. 

Those traditions look like an evening sabrage of Champagne, afternoon tea and a midnight supper — though the supper is earlier than midnight as the name implies, van Workum said. 

The management team will bring about 100 trainers from around the world for different areas like hospitality and spa treatments, according to van Workum. 

Training goes as in-depth as learning how to properly open a bottle of wine. 

During this period, employees also get the opportunity to learn from each other, Hardiman and van Workum said. The employees will go through a “trial feeding,” and try every one of the resort’s seven dining outlets.  

Butlers will also receive special training for the service that van Workum and Hardiman said is the heart of the St. Regis brand. That means a curated service tailored to each guest, where the butlers attempt proactive service.