The Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2018

programme in partnership with Hospitality Action.

To keep staff agile and focused, they are given the opportunity to shadow a colleague in a different department for one day. This not only helps employees to gain a better understanding of the business, it gives them inspiration on how to develop their career.

 

With 82% of Just Hospitality respondents to the Best Places to Work survey saying they have a good work-life balance and more than half saying they are happy there “all the time”, it is fair to say many respondents reckon it is “a great place to work”.

 

“Senior managers always listen to ways to improve and genuinely want to make Just Hospitality a great place to work â€" this is evident from every­day practices,” says one.

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14 Accent Catering Services
In a nutshell Operating since 2002 to provide food services to the business and education sectors
Locations 70 contracts in the Home Counties
Employees 585
Average staff turnover 18%
Annual sales turnover £15m

 

Accent aims to expand by eight to 10 contracts a year, which means it has a constant raft of new employees coming on board with TUPE protection. It also means it is particularly important to have an HR strategy in place to quickly create a connection between the new teams and the culture of the company.

 

Needless to say, there’s a lot of investment in the induction training â€" and training generally. This year, the company has launched a chefs’ academy to guide ambitious kitchen staff through the new national commis chef apprenticeship qualification.

 

Opportunities include attending masterclass sessions overseen by food development director Paul Merry and being taught leadership skills in kitchen management. The plan was to train four apprentices, but due to the volume of talent, six have signed up for this year’s programme.

 

To capture loyalty and ginger up motivation, Accent recognises and rewards individuals for outstanding service through a Shining Stars scheme. The company also recognises the hard work of staff in showcasing sites to potential new clients and even offers a £500 bonus to those who provide a lead that develops into a new contract.

 

According to the survey, more than 90% of Accent respondents would recommend working at the company, and there are a lot of comments about joy and happiness at work, summed up by one worker, who says: “Best job I have had in 27 years of working â€" which I still really enjoy after two and a half years.”

 

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15 EatDrinkSleep
In a nutshell Launched in 2000, this trio of pubs-with-rooms is run by Charles and Edmund Inkin
Locations The Old Coastguard in Mousehole, the Gurnard’s Head in St Ives, and the Felin Fach Griffin in Hay-on-Wye
Employees 120
Average staff turnover Not measured
Annual sales turnover £4m

 

Back in 2016 when co-founder Edmund Inkin entered EatDrinkSleep for the Best Places to Work competition, he said it had triggered a new approach for the company and highlighted areas where they could improve. He conceded that while both he and his brother Charles are good at innovating and making top-down decisions for the good of the team, for the first time they had recognised that it was good to listen to their staff too.

 

Clearly they have been doing just that. The pair have now introduced two team-building initiatives for the two Cornish teams. The first is a social club, which involves a cultural or team-building outing, such as a cinema, gallery or even a more edgy escape rooms experience for a group of six to eight employees. This is paid for by the company, but driven by senior members of the team. The second initiative is a supper club involving an evening meal at local restaurants, again for a group of six to eight. This one is organised by the company, but the teams pay for themselves.

 

The team-building events are obviously going down well, with 83% saying they work well together to produce results. Staff offer some unequivocally positive comments: “I’m incredibly lucky to work for a company that feels like a family. There’s a great sense of camaraderie among the team, strengthened by monthly social events that are a lot of fun. I feel there’s plenty of opportunity for me to grow in my role, which gives me a sense of longevity within the company.”

 

Respect for work-life balance at the company is above the norm too, with a score of 88% against a benchmark of 68%.

 

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16 Coworth Park
In a nutshell A 70-bedroom, five-star country house hotel operated by the Dorchester Collection
Location Ascot, Berkshire
Employees 180
Average staff turnover 42.5%
Annual sales turnover Undisclosed

 

Employee engagement is seen as being as important as guest engagement at this luxurious hotel and spa. To this end, the HR team recently gave its engagement survey process a thorough shake-up to improve the response time to employee feedback and to create a more user-friendly platform.

 

The resulting online survey can now be accessed via mobiles, tablets and computers, and has a live dashboard allowing managers to receive employee feedback immediately and to take action on it. The surveys can also be tailored for specific departments â€" to check the dynamics of a new team, say. It has been received warmly by teams and managers alike as an effective tool to gauge engagement throughout the year. In fact, the appraisal system has proved so successful it will be rolled out across the Dorchester Collection.

 

Development is a hot topic throughout this group, starting with three months of core skills training and progressing through leadership programmes right up to executive level. All training is based on developing self-knowledge to inspire and lead others.

 

As you might expect, “good communication with managers” is one of the higher scoring areas for Coworth Park in the Best Places to Work survey. Another was that it offers great benefits â€" as more than 87% agreed.

 

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17 Auchrannie Leisure
In a nutshell An employee-owned resort comprising two four-star hotels with 85 rooms, 30 five-star self-catering luxury lodges, three restaurants, a shop, two leisure clubs with pools, a destination spa, an outdoor adventure centre and a children’s playbarn
Location Isle of Arran
Employees 168
Average staff turnover 65% in 2017/18
Annual sales turnover £7.7m

 

Until recently, Auchrannie was owned by the Johnston family, which has worked hard to earn a place in the Best Places to Work listing over the years. Last November, the family went one step further, and the resort became the first Scottish hospitality business to become employee-owned, giving the whole Auchrannie team a stake in its future.

 

Claire Johnston, HR and people development manager, says: “We continue to work to build an efficient, sustainable and profitable business. Our teams have received this exceptionally positively and, along with dedicated training programmes across all departments, this has contributed towards a huge 22% year-on-year improvement in staff turnover.”

 

And if that’s not enough, on 1 April 2018, Auchrannie became an accredited Real Living Wage employer, further enhancing its already high reputation.

 

“This, along with being employee-owned, will further improve our staff turnover, reduce recruitment costs and enhance our existing productivity,” says Johnston.
With 92% of Auchrannie respondents to the survey agreeing they work in a great environment, it seems the only way for the resort is up.

 

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18 Cheval Residences
In a nutshell Operator of luxury serviced apartments and residences
Locations London (with plans to open in Doha, Qatar, in 2020)
Employees 230
Average staff turnover 23% for 2017
Annual sales turnover Not disclosed

 

Tip-top service is the name of the game at Cheval Residences, a luxury serviced apartment company, so staff retention/development is crucial to keep its discerning corporate and private guests happy. With the company looking to expand to Doha, Qatar, in 2020, succession planning is becoming even more important too.

 

To address these issues, the company launched its Cheval management and supervisory academies last year, having invested in a state-of-the-art training facility equipped with the latest presentation technology and a separate break-out room.

 

Potential high-flyers were identified at their annual performance review and encouraged to join the nine-month programme, which includes workshops, e-learning and shadowing days on topics such as personal leadership style, change management, coaching, resource management, communication, motivation and performance management. There is also a “train the trainer” course, where employees can get feedback on their psychometric profile.

 

The lucky candidates are also paired with a senior Cheval manager who acts as their mentor, providing support and career guidance. This year’s first intake will graduate in October 2018 after participants have been assessed on coursework and a final project presented to senior management.

 

Cheval seems to be a happy ship, with mutual respect among managers and teams indicated by a score of 83% and an even higher score for respect for work-life balance.

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19 Ziferblat
In a nutshell A pay-per-minute café, shared office space and events venue
Locations Liverpool, Manchester and London (14 in total worldwide)
Employees 38
Average staff turnover 8%
Annual sales turnover £1.5m

 

Here’s an employer that genuinely wants its staff to enjoy work as much as guests enjoy its facilities. Ziferblat’s pay-per-minute café concept is the first of its kind in the UK and, as a result of its unusual model, the social interaction with guests is seen as the most important element in the role of the “hosts”.

 

Ivan Meetin â€" who founded Ziferblat in Moscow â€" urges employees to experience the hip product first-hand so they can authentically share it with guests. All staff can attend for free any event being held at Ziferblat â€" from yoga and tai chi classes to secret live acoustic gigs, book groups, knitting clubs, industry meet-ups and thought-provoking talks. Not only are staff encouraged to attend these events, they are also expected to mix with Ziferblat’s growing community of customers.

 

“With such an eclectic mix of events, this employee initiative is unique to Ziferblat and our company culture,” says its head of marketing Ben Davies.
Clearly, it’s a bit of a perk. Certainly, the team appreciate it, with an impressive 94% saying they work in a great environment.

 

There’s a “great team spirit â€" it’s hard work sometimes but we all pull together” is one comment that stands out.

 

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20 Buzzworks Holdings
In a nutshell A family-run portfolio of bars and restaurants
Locations 11 venues in the west of Scotland
Employees 409
Average staff turnover 239 leavers (58.4%) in the year to date
Annual sales turnover £16.5m (forecast running to April 2018)

 

Launched by the Blair family in 2003, Buzz­works’ bars and restaurants have steadily infiltrated Ayrshire towns such as Prestwick, Troon, Largs and Kilmarnock, and show no sign of stopping. Along the way, Buzzworks has picked up several awards, notably scooping The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For in the UK in 2016 and 2017.

 

As one of the biggest hospitality employers in Scotland, Buzzworks puts staff recruitment and retention high on its list. Understanding that a good work-life balance is important to many people today, the company supports flexible working practices, including flexible shift arrangements as well as reduced contractual hours and working days per week.

 

The company has also introduced a “live life” option. Staff simply fill in a form requesting a specific time off on a weekly basis to dedicate to family â€" or even themselves.

 

What’s more, Buzzworks managers tend to be aware of their employees’ individual circumstances and support them accordingly, thanks to a policy of open communication between the operational support team and the people development department.

 

No doubt, it’s this sense of being treated like an individual that makes 89% of Buzzworks respondents to the Best Places to Work survey, against a benchmark of 78%, agree that they work in a great environment.

 

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21 The Idle Rocks and St Mawes hotels
In a nutshell Boutique family-friendly hotels with seven and 19 bedrooms respectively, owned by the Richards family
Location St Mawes, Cornwall
Employees 50 during the winter, rising to 80 in the summer
Average staff turnover Last year the figure was 50%, inflated by short-term contracts and student interns who complete their contract period but leave within 12 months
Annual sales turnover £3m

 

The location of the Idle Rocks and St Mawes hotels on the beautiful but remote Roseland Peninsula makes recruitment challenging, but a policy of investment and flexibility has brought success to this employer. Niftily tapping into nearby Falmouth’s labour force and student population, the business offers work around the ferry timetable. Likewise, as live-in accommodation is crucial, it has invested in six properties. And to ensure staff integrate with the community, day-trips are organised to show them how best to spend their leisure time, including forays on the hotel yacht.

 

“Being in Cornwall makes recruitment very challenging. I am impressed our managers never employ out of desperation â€" our new team members are always like-minded,” says one employee. Nearly 81% of Idle Rocks and St Mawes survey respondents feel they are part of a team that respects each other.

 

Arguably, the business’s hardest-hitting programme is training. There are weekly language lessons for overseas staff and cross-training so that employees can work across both hotels, safeguarding full-time employment in what is a seasonal part of the world.

 

Links with Truro College ensure those with ambition have a clear career progression plan. Recent successes include placing a restaurant supervisor on a finance apprenticeship â€" two days a week in the finance office, a day at
college and two days in the restaurant.

 

This has helped inspire ambition in others and encouraged investment in online training programme Lobster Ink. This allows staff to develop managerial skills by learning at their own pace or following a fast-track course. Staff are also encouraged to follow modules in other departments to gain an understanding of how to make the whole business a success.

 

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22 Bliss Hotels
In a nutshell A hotel venture from Bliss Investment Partners
Location Southport Waterfront
Employees 110
Average staff turnover Undisclosed
Annual sales turnover £4.5m (2017)

 

Following its takeover in December 2016 of the 133-bed Ramada Plaza hotel at the Waterfront in Southport, Bliss Hotels went on last year to acquire the head lease for the entire Waterfront development.

 

Top of the list after this mammoth couple of years is to rebrand the hotel to create Bliss Hotel Southport. To keep employees onside and informed, Bliss recruited a team of eight change champions from all departments to attend regular meetings on issues such as new systems, culture, and so on.

 

This groundforce kicked off with a brainstorming session in February to draw up a new mission and vision statement that employees could buy into. They then share the ongoing changes with their colleagues, rather than policies being dictated from the top.

 

Last October also saw implementation of the Workplace by Facebook tool to facilitate communication across shifts and departments. Regular monitoring shows a promising 92% of employees use it every week to, for instance, send messages after a shift. A quick peek reveals comments such as “Thank you Barbara and Tomas for your support today”.

 

Recruitment of locals is a priority, and to prevent talent from disappearing off to the bright lights of Liverpool and Manchester, the company has launched an online BlissLife webpage to highlight what’s on offer to Bliss employees â€" an ice-skating night is just one example. The page is also linked to internal job advertisements and has prompted a number of job enquiries.

 

Bliss Hotels may be new, but 62% of its Best Place to Work respondents would “always” recommend this hotel as a good place to work â€" well above the 47% benchmark.

 

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23 The Ampersand Hotel
In a nutshell A chic privately owned, 111-bedroom hotel, opened in 2012
Location Harrington Road, London
Employees 60-65
Average staff turnover 4-5% (or less) a month
Annual sales turnover £9m

 

From the moment this beautifully designed luxury hotel opened, general manager Roberto Pajaras has put significant emphasis on creating an “own and deliver” culture. He explains: “With guest satisfaction at the Ampersand’s heart and the freedom to make decisions and gets things done… it’s what our customers say about us that really counts.”

 

This is a positive work environment â€" one in five recruits are recommended through referrals from other members of the team. “We have a hands-on approach to everything we do, which clearly works for us,” says HR director Bushra Masood, “and our people are what makes this a truly nice place to work.”

 

There is certainly tangible evidence that staff are very well treated. Not only are they treated to shoulder and back massages from professionals to keep stress at bay, but last year the health and wellbeing programme was expanded to include chiropody sessions to help staff to relax at the end of a long shift.

 

This employer believes it’s the small things that make the most difference. That’s why staff are also able to take the day off on their birthday to spend with friends and family.

 

No wonder employees really want to do a good job here, with 84% of respondents (against a Best Places to Work benchmark of 76%) showing their commitment, and more than 90% feeling well treated by the company.

 

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24 Georgian House
In a nutshell A privately owned, luxury B&B hotel
Location St George’s Drive, London SW1
Employees 49
Average staff turnover 18%
Annual sales turnover £2.8m

 

Since taking over in 1987, Serena von der Heyde has transformed a two-star, 28-bedroom guest house into a 63-bedroom boutique B&B with a five-star guest accommodation award from Visit England.

 

To do that as successfully as she has, she has constantly invested in motivating her team. Last year, she introduced an employee benefits service to make it easier to reward and motivate staff. In previous years, she set up a staff committee to give the team ownership of staff welfare and events as well as to ease communication between staff and management. This is clearly working, as 89% of Georgian House respondents to the Best Places to Work survey say there is great two-way communication â€" a notable result for this category.

 

Always looking for ways to improve staff welfare, the business has this year introduced Hospitality Action’s employee assistance programme to provide the team with further support and advice on health, wellbeing and personal challenges.

 

General manager Adam Rowledge reports: “We have had a positive reaction to the programme, and the advice and information provided by it has encouraged many of the team to adopt a healthier lifestyle.”

 

Clearly staff don’t feel burned out, either, with good work-life balance scoring 92%, well above the 68% benchmark.

 

“They are very good with my flexible hours, and they care,” says one employee.

 

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25 St Ermin’s hotel
In a nutshell A 331-bed property, part of the Autograph Collection â€" Marriott International’s portfolio of upscale, independent hotels
Location Westminster, London
Employees 186
Average staff turnover 46% (down from 52%)
Annual sales turnover £26m

 

St Ermin’s has a small team of experienced senior managers, so when director of people and development Simon Evans joined the hotel last year, he set out to nurture a complementary level of expertise among junior managers. “Our supervisors are impacting our team members far more directly day to day, many of them being relatively inexperienced or newly promoted from within,” he explains.

 

In February the hotel launched a one-year supervisory development programme for a group of 36 supervisors, team leaders, assistant managers and “aspiring stars”. The programme spans topics from coaching skills and “train the trainer” to revenue, sales and marketing, finance, and employment law.

 

It’s early days, but initial results augur well, with staff turnover dropping to zero in March, customer reviews showing improvement and the Tea Lounge’s Trip­Advisor ranking jumping by nearly 1,100 places in two months. Overall, employee engagement looks sound, backed up by the fact more than 88% of respondents would recommend St Ermin’s as a good place to work all or most of the time.

 

Employee comments to the Best Places to Work survey indicate the business is respectful of its staff. One team member puts it succinctly: “Great hospitality offered, not always focused on bottom line. Supports the community and charities, and takes care of its staff.”

 

Another adds: “I have a fair share of experience in hospitality and I believe St Ermin’s is one of its kind. I could not recommend a better place. It is still a working project but it can only get better. It is run by the people for the people.”

 

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26 The Vineyard
In a nutshell A five-AA-red-star hotel with 49 bedrooms. Privately owned by the Michael family, it is famed for its wine collection and three-AA-rosette restaurant
Location Stockcross, Newbury, Berkshire
Employees 127 staff
Average staff turnover 10% (to date in 2018)
Annual sales turnover £5.2m

 

As with most respected businesses, the Vineyard has always recognised that people are its most important asset. It’s also mindful that although it has successful initiatives in place, it can never afford to be complacent. Indeed, as uncertainty swirls around the consequences of Brexit, the hotel is working harder than ever to offer employees recognition of their hard work, inspiring them to continue to contribute towards the success of the business.

 

For example, as of January 2018, the hotel decided to close its fine-dining restaurant on Sunday evenings and all day Monday, while still offering a brasserie menu in the California Bar. On the face of it, it may look like
a poor commercial decision, but the initiative is reaping rewards, allowing the team adequate downtime as well as creating space to improve training and development, all of which result in bette

le’s development chef to understand how to reduce waste.

This company listens to its people. As one member of staff points out: “I have found that in the years I have been with the company, any problems that have arisen have been dealt with immediately, and any courses that I have wished to undertake in order to further my skills have been approved. We are not treated as numbers, but as people.”

 

The results show that over 80% of staff are happy at work all or most of the time, and feel that the company treats them well.

 

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29 Starhotels
In a nutshell 29 four- to five-star hotels owned by the Fabri family
Locations Italy, New York, Paris and three hotels in London
Employees 160
Average staff turnover 73%
Annual sales turnover £10m in 2017 (for UK)

 

Founded in Italy in 1980 by Ferruccio Fabri, Starhotels has grown to 29 hotels, including the Franklin, the Pelham and the Gore in London. The group is now run by the founder’s daughter Elisabetta, but although it has grown, the family ethos and a sense of la dolce vita is engrained in the business’s philosophy.

 

Always looking to improve its staff treats, the company has substituted the after-work birthday drinks â€" which colleagues could attend only if they were off-duty â€" with a more inclusive work anniversary afternoon tea. The initiative is also aligned with Starhotels’ retention strategy for the year, so the aim of the work anniversary celebration is to generate gratitude and optimism among employees and thus reduce staff turnover and drive performance.

 

“We will monitor the results at the end of the year, but so far we have received great feedback from our employees, praising the fact that they are given time off from work to attend and have a chance to get to know other employees in our three properties over delicious afternoon tea in a relaxed environment,” says HR co-ordinator Laura Johansson.

 

It certainly seems to be helping to create good communication links between teams and their managers, with 81% of staff highlighting that as being particularly successful at the company and the same percentage saying it is a good environment to work in.

 

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30 SBE London (Morgans Hotel Group)
In a nutshell Morgans Hotel Group, comprising Mondrian London, Sanderson and St Martins Lane, was bought in 2016 by SBE, a privately held, lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hotels
Locations London
Employees 750
Average staff turnover 45%
Annual sales turnover Undisclosed

 

The acquisition of Morgans Hotel Group in December 2016 by boutique lifestyle hotel company SBE has made it part of a global portfolio. Happily, SBE’s engagement strategy is rooted in ensuring the wellbeing of its people. It strives to create a fun environment where all employees feel recognised and have the opportunity to learn and develop.

 

To achieve this, it has a huge number of staff initiatives, ranging from complimentary yoga classes, running club and ice-cream machines in staff restaurants to quarterly employee awards, annual staff parties and mental health awareness workshops.

 

On the training front, new starters are given an in-depth induction in all departments to learn the ropes and meet their peers before joining their own department. As well as being a great welcome, this gives newbies an overview of operations and empowers them to get involved and engage with guests.

 

Warm and cuddly events include monthly surprises whereby two departments are given a budget and tasked with treating the whole hotel. Surprises have included breakfast deliveries to offices and cocktail-making in each department. The initiative effectively creates 12 extra events a year where employees are thanked for their hard work. Plus, by choosing two random departments to organise the surprises, it increases collaboration and friendships at work.

 

“These initiatives have helped us build on our engagement and guest satisfaction scores and overall employee happiness,” says HR director Christian Oliver. “It promotes great team spirit and makes work fun and enjoyable.”

 

The proof is in the Best Places to Work survey, with SBE respondents scoring “working well with a team to produce results” at 81% compared with a benchmark of 75%.

 

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