Investing in staff and giving responsibility pays dividends

An employee at a local hotel is proving how valuable long term staff are to organisations and how important it is for managers to give them responsibility. Sharon Hamblin has been the housekeeper at Best Western The Connaught Hotel in Bournemouth for 20 years. Sharon’s long term employment has been key to the successful transfer of the hotel to new ownership in December 2005. The Connaught has been bought by entrepreneurial businessman David Miller who came to the venture with a strong background in business management but no experience of running a hotel. David has found Sharon a huge asset and noting her commitment from the beginning soon gave her a great deal more responsibility and promoted her to Executive Housekeeper.

David says, “Think of a hotel housekeeper and you might be forgiven for thinking that they don’t have a very significant role to play.” However, David believes this is quite the reverse, “People like Sharon are vital to the success of a business such as this. The knowledge Sharon has gained over 20 years is invaluable, her role is key and the consistency she brings to the team is a huge bonus”. Another benefit of Sharon’s dedication is that David can rely on “things getting done properly”.

When Sharon joined The Connaught in 1987 it was a very different hotel from today. With only 30 bedrooms (now 83) on 2 floors (now 3), no outdoor swimming pool or leisure facilities (the hotel now has indoor and outdoor pools and a fully equipped gymnasium and CV suite) it offered guests very basic facilities. Since David took over, the hotel now has the added benefit of an AA rosette restaurant; Blake’s at The Connaught.

Like David, Sharon has very high standards and he was particularly impressed to learn how she has always been passionate about maintaining the hotel’s presentation, cleanliness and service. David has given Sharon much more say in how the hotel is run and developed. As a result she is now at her happiest in 20 years and loves coming to work. Sharon says “I get great job satisfaction working with David and other members of the management who all have the same vision. We work very well together as a team”.

Although this is David’s first experience of owning a hotel he believes it is really like any other business. “As long as you get the product right and you manage the finances properly, which means investing as well as keeping a tight control on expenditure then you will end up with a successful profitable business.” David is putting his ‘money where his mouth is’. Approximately £350,000 has been spent to date with a further £1/2m planned to go into the bedrooms. Investment will be on-going with structural changes planned over the next 2-3 years.

David believes in the mantra, ‘A happy workforce leads to happy customers’. David explains, “Because of the nature of the business and the types of events run at the hotel, such as weddings, staff must be genuinely happy and approachable.” David’s approach to staff management has paid dividends. During January and February this year, a time notorious for staff turnover in the hotel industry, no one left.

With several other members of staff as well as Sharon having been with the hotel for many years regular guests are rewarded with consistency and an understanding of their needs thereby giving them added value. In addition, the hotel has a policy of not using agency staff which means that standards can be maintained more easily. In the summer months additional temporary staff are employed but the majority of these are on holiday from college and university and go on to take jobs at the hotel.

Business is now growing steadily with occupancy levels at the hotel up consistently month on month. As the hotel’s reputation grows, bookings are coming in from new sources.

Sharon’s drive and enthusiasm help David to keep things moving forward quickly. With 83 bedrooms to refurbish over the next year the pace of change is relentless. In fact he jokes, “When I come to work it’s like having another wife telling me what to do and how to spend my money!”. On a more serious note David advises managers, “Don’t underestimate the value of long serving members of staff. Sharon has made my job so much easier and in turn she has increased job satisfaction from greater levels of responsibility. It’s a win win situation.”

For further information contact:

Joss Simpson at Liz Lean PR on 01202 884095 or 07710145722 or joss@lizleanpr.co.uk or
Linsay Sharp at Connaught Hotel on 01202 298028 or 07860 506552 or linsay@theconnaught.co.uk

The award winning Best Western Connaught Hotel, is perhaps one of the most attentive AA 3 Star and Rosette hotels in Bournemouth. Beautifully appointed and located on the West Cliff in Bournemouth, in an acre of its own grounds with a free, private car park for 66 cars. This excellent, central Bournemouth hotel is less than 5 minutes walk to the Town Centre, Bournemouth International Centre (The BIC), the Gardens, Pavilion Theatre and Bournemouth Pier. Just three minutes walk away are Bournemouth's award winning, golden, sandy beaches.
A characterful hotel, formerly a Victorian Gentleman's Residence the main building was constructed in 1901 and has 56 en-suite bedrooms. The Connaught Lodge, also built around 1900 and immediately next door, has a further 27 en-suite rooms. The hotel offers:
• 83 en-suite bedrooms
• Blake's, a fashionable Bournemouth restaurant - awarded an AA Rosette in 2006
• Lounge bar with an open fire place and Conservatory bar
• Excellent ground floor conference venue (capacity for up to 200 theatre style) and meeting facilities with free, secure broadband.
• Bright, ground floor function rooms - licensed for civil weddings in Bournemouth
• 2 superb, heated swimming pools - an indoor 18m pool and an outdoor 12m pool,
• Jacuzzi, 2 saunas, 2 steam rooms, fully equipped gymnasium and CV suite.

For further information visit www.theconnaught.co.uk

This release was published on openPR.