Devon hotel wins top HR award for approach to wellbeing

A boutique hotel in Devon has landed a national award for the way it looks after its workforce – including a scientific approach that aims to promote happy chemicals.

The Eden Hotel Collection – which runs five-star Bovey Castle on Dartmoor – collected the Excellence in Reward & Recognition Award at the Annual Awards for Excellence in HR, which is organised by the association HR in Hospitality.

It comes nine months after Bovey Castle refreshed its recognition strategy, including the introduction of the Happy Hub, which is a programme focusing on activities that help to generate the four key hormones that drive positive mental health – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.

E-cards for employees to recognise each other for milestones and their efforts were introduced to promote oxytocin – otherwise known as the ‘hug hormone’ – to help develop team bonding and collaborative working; while a digital social recognition wall has also been introduced for colleagues to share their recognition company-wide.

Monetary rewards for going above and beyond for customers and at least five years of service have also been introduced to promote serotonin and endorphins, which help to maintain mood balance and regulate emotional responses.

An employee of the month initiative has also been introduced to drive satisfaction and motivation, whereby chosen individuals are treated to the choice of a Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, a day off, or a 55-minute spa treatment at one of Eden’s hotels.

Since the launch of the scheme earlier this year, 65 per cent of the hotel’s team has received a form of recognition, including around 300 moments of peer-to-peer recognition – as judges were impressed with the engaging and personal approach of the programme.

Dean Gunston, General Manager at Bovey Castle, said: “Working at our hotel is like being part of a big family as we’ve created a culture where people support one another, regardless of the task – and it’s great to see this being recognised on a national scale.”

Lisa Redding, Group People Director at the Eden Hotel Collection, added: “The best hotels are built on happy, engaged and motivated workforces that deliver memorable customer service, and the Happy Hub is an innovative example of how we are looking after our people effectively so that they can look after our guests.

“The Happy Hub was inspired by feedback from our hotel teams, and the figures show that the programme is having a positive impact already both in terms of the engagement and our retainment levels, and underlines our People Team’s dedication to creating a warm and welcoming place to forge a career.”