Four Seasons Announces Enhanced Global Health and Safety Program
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts today announced its collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine International, whose experts will validate the hotel chain’s new global, enhanced, dual-phased health and safety program, ‘Lead With Care.’ Working closely with Johns Hopkins Medicine experts ensures that Four Seasons’ decision-makers remain in lockstep with the evolving pandemic situation and in touch with the latest research findings and recommendations.
A dedicated COVID-19 Advisory Board, comprised of Four Seasons leadership and Johns Hopkins professionals, has been established to help inform health and safety measures moving forward, providing real-time suggestions based on the latest scientific knowledge. The partnership will also establish a joint Response Team, in which senior experts in infectious diseases from Johns Hopkins will be able to provide on-demand guidance and focused response to individual hotels facing COVID-19 situations.
In addition to providing practical health protection measures, the ‘Lead With Care’ initiative aims to instill confidence and comfort in all Four Seasons’ guests, residents and employees, given the COVID-19 challenges of the day. Firmly rooted in advanced healthcare expertise, and enabled by unique access to leading tools and technologies, the new program outlines clear procedures that educate and empower Four Seasons employees.
Enhanced Cleanliness:
A dedicated Hygiene Officer will be appointed at each Four Seasons property.
Guest rooms will undergo blacklight inspection and daily disinfection procedures using EPA-approved products.
Housekeeping teams will receive focused, intensive re-training on cleaning protocols.
Hourly cleaning of public spaces with a focus on highly-frequented areas, such as front-desk counters and public restrooms.
The COVID-19 Advisory Board is currently considering options for equipping properties with targeted tools and technology, including electrostatic sprayers, air-purification ozone technology and/or UV technology for HVAC systems.
Heightened Guest Safety and Comfort:
Guest-room kits will provide face masks, hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes, with additional masks available by request.
Social-distancing measures embedded in all areas and hotel services, including appropriately-spaced fitness equipment, dining-area setup, modified spa menus and services and contactless check-in and housekeeping services.
Reduced capacity in restaurants and bars to ensures adequate space between guests.
Nearly all dining options converted to a-la-carte service, utilizing digital menus wherever possible.
In-room dining providing contactless delivery, along with sustainable, single-use packaging.
Four Seasons’ App and Chat functions (one of the few in the industry supported by actual, on-property staff members, versus chatbots) provides guests with contactless, real-time interaction with employees from their personal devices.
Empowered Employees:
Training focused on educating and empowering employees to execute enhanced health and safety protocols confidently.
Focused ‘Lead With Care’ service training to ensure that new procedures are carried out in a manner that blends guest safety with personal reassurance and comfort.
Employees will also receive emotional-intelligence centered training to ensure that empathetic, personalized care and connection are maintained in the absence of personal contact and minimal face-to-face interaction.
The COVID-19 Advisory Board to oversee the global training program to support a well-informed understanding of the virus and its transmission, instruction on the proper use of personal protective equipment and appropriate social distancing and monitoring signs of physical and mental health.
“While the Four Seasons experience may look different in this new environment, it will ultimately feel the same—our dedicated people will continue to deliver the same intuitive service and personalized care for which Four Seasons is known and trusted for the world over,” said Christian Clerc, President of Global Operations, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
For more information, visit fourseasons.com.