The Many Faces of Chillon #6 Philia

In 2024, we’d like to paint a picture of just some of the people who bring Chillon Castle to life. We’ll be taking a slightly quirky, offbeat peek behind the scenes of the fortress on Lake Geneva.

The sixth person to take on the challenge is Philia, our Human Resources Manager.

Shall we?

Hey Philia, people might picture Chillon as a castle filled with tourists rather than personnel. What does the human resources you’re in charge of look like?

The castle without staff would be a bit like a meringue without double cream: incomplete and flavourless! The Foundation’s teams are what keep the castle so well preserved, they bring it to life through thousands of exciting projects, and they’re right by our visitors’ side to make their experience a memorable one.

My job is to make sure that these teams work well, are fully staffed and trained… and that they feel happy and fulfilled, crossing the bridge with pride every morning!

What separates a good HR manager from a bad one?

I don’t think it’s quite as black and white as ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ in HR, because the role can be interpreted differently for each organisation in which it exists. For me, what makes all the difference is having the right amount of empathy. You need to have enough of it to understand what your staff are going through day-to-day and be able to meet their needs, but you also need to know how to put this to one side for certain tasks, like recruitment, which requires a clear focus on skills.

What made you want to work in this old pile of pebbles?

Three reasons: to rediscover my beloved cultural sector I left behind over 10 years ago, to build skills in a role where I still have a lot to learn and, last but not least, to work a 10-minute walk from my house!

Chillon’s a pretty cool castle, what with the lake and the mountains. Are you team lake or mountain?

100% lake! Chillon beach is my favourite spot, I spend a great deal of time there with my family in summer 😊!

If you had a magic wand, what is the ONE thing you would change about Chillon?

I would give all our staff an AI tool that would let them speak any language in the world effortlessly.