that it broke up groups that had become cohesive teams. Moreover, rotation
often resulted in a temporary dip in guest-satisfaction ratings during the
two four-week periods in the year when GOs from old teams were phased
out and new GOs were phased in. Rotation of the over 1,300 GOs in the 17
villages located in the American zone also entailed substantial direct costs
and logistical difficulties. Comments from company management tended to
support rotation, however, although no figures pertaining to the direct costs
of rotation had ever been calculated. Jacky stated that “after six months you
need to break the routine. This is a motivator for the GOs. They can see dif-
ferent countries and experience different cultures. They learn to adapt to
many types of people.” (Comments from GOs are listed in Figure 5.1.3.)
Club Med American zone office, New York City
Jacky Amzallag’s office, consisting of Jacky and five assistants, was
charged with staffing the 17 American zone villages with all GOs except
village chiefs and chiefs of service. Additionally, Jacky’s office tracked GO
development and made recommendations concerning which GOs should
be promoted to chiefs of service. GOs who were promoted were no longer
the responsibility of Jacky’s office; Michel Perchet and the four “godfa-
thers” at Paris worldwide headquarters handled all staffing decisions con-
cerning village chiefs and chiefs of service.
According to Jacky, this had created difficulties. One major problem had
been that more American chiefs of service were needed in American zone
villages but were not being assigned to them. Additionally, Jacky stated:
American GOs who are promoted to chief of service should stay in the
American zone for at least a season or two, to ease their transition intoThe recruitment and internal market domains 343
●“I like to move to different villages.”
●“I’ve never been to Europe and would love to work at Corfu [in Greece] for a
season.”
●“I want to experience different cultures around the world.”
●“I miss my Michel, my first chief of service; he was great!”
●“I need a change. I’m bored.There’s no place to go around here except the Club.”
●“I wish our entire team could be rotated together to a new village.This team works
together better than any of the ones at the other five villages I have been.”
●“The major reason for becoming a GO is to see the world.”
●“I can’t wait for my next village.The atmosphere in this village isn’t too great.”
●“My girlfriend and I ... she is a GO ... wish we could stay together.”Figure 5.1.3 GO comments about rotation.