Cateys 2024: Best Employer Award: Gleneagles, Auchterarder

Gleneagles is in the final year of a five-year people rebuild focused on creating a culture of care, which will help attract and retain an engaged workforce that supports its ambition for continued excellence.

 

This culture is framed by its values, which set out the hotel’s approach to hiring, managing, developing and rewarding its people. To inform this approach, Gleneagles has carried out focus groups to elicit what it’s really like to work in the business, allowing it to build an employer value proposition and informing how it presents Gleneagles to potential candidates. The research revealed what unites its people, despite their individuality and range of specialisms spanning 50 different departments, which was distilled into a new employer brand identity, digital assets and careers site to reflect its people’s real experience of working in the business.

 

The efforts continue through everyday work too, with tools such as the Workplace business communications platform, town halls featuring Slido facilitated live polls, leadership breakfasts and Glen chats, all contributing to making sure all staff are informed. 

 

The efforts have paid off, with Gleneagles’ 2024 staff survey revealing that engagement (measuring loyalty, pride and motivation) has increased by 8% since 2019. Meanwhile, 86% of staff said they were proud to work in the business and 82% would recommend Gleneagles.

 

With a varied workforce representing over 40 nationalities, a 50:50 gender split and an age range of 17 to 72, Gleneagles has had to work hard to develop a culture of care that is all-encompassing. It has a framework for ‘moments that matter’ for leaders to follow and show support for their colleagues, including new transgender equality, menopause and equality, diversity and inclusion policies and a comprehensive range of wellbeing services. 

 

In addition, all managers are given mandatory training in having ‘quality conversations’ to manage their unconscious biases and ensure they conduct fair performance reviews. This focus on individuality led to 80% of
Gleneagles employees saying their manager genuinely cares about their wellbeing and 79% saying they could be their authentic self.

 

To build that management capability, Gleneagles has launched a new leadership onboarding programme, a behavioural framework and culture clinics, where leaders can offer their own ideas for improving the employee experience. 

 

The business has redesigned its talent management model with the launch of the Gleneagles Academy to now feature a new onboarding journey, regular performance and development conversations, new learning programmes and what it describes as ‘dedicated development partners’ to support the delivery of department-specific training academies.

 

The results speak for themselves. Gleneagles has seen 200 cross-departmental moves and 240 promotions in the last 24 months, and most impressively the workforce has increased 32% in five years, as well as an increase in retention. No wonder Gleneagles can call itself the Best Employer in hospitality.

 

What the judges said

 

“Clearly a very strong employer brand and culture. This entry was well evidenced across all categories, clearly demonstrating the incredible effort made in recent years.” Vicky Freeman

 

The shortlist

 

The Biltmore Mayfair London

 

Cycas Hospitality

 

Dalata Hotel Group

 

Gleneagles Auchterarder

 

Hotel Football Manchester

 

Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch

 

The judges

 

Julia Edmonds Elior

 

Andi Fletcher The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences

 

Vicky Freeman Thomas Franks

 

Jo Harley Korero/Hendrick & Hyde

 

Tim Jones CH&Co

 

Moira Laird Valor Europe

 

Steve Rockey Home Grown Hotels & Lime Wood Group

 

Paresh Vara PPHE