Splendid Hospitality Triumphs with Employee Engagement Award at the Hotel Marketing Awards

Splendid Hospitality Group is delighted to announce that we have won Best Customer/Employee Engagement Award at the 26th annual Hotel Marketing Awards for our Stay Splendid campaign. The ceremony was held at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London on 13th September.

The Hotel Marketing Association (HMA) is the only dedicated body for hotel marketers in the UK. Celebrating and championing those who inspired excellence in the hotel marketing industry in 2020 and 2021, we’re honoured to have won this prestigious award.

Our ‘Stay Splendid’ campaign was developed to foster a sense of belonging and loyalty for all members of the Splendid Family during these uncertain times. A continuous and engaging programme of activities, collaboration and celebration was made available to all members of the Splendid Family, to provide financial, wellbeing, and professional assistance when needed the most.

“The Judges wanted to work for this company after seeing just how much they looked after their staff,” was the comment from the HMA judges as the accolade was awarded. “It was great to see a multi-faceted campaign that had caring for people at the heart of it and that had so many fab, fun and inspirational components to it.”

Marc Saunders, Director of Marketing and PR for Splendid Hospitality, said: “Splendid Hospitality’s main aim throughout the past 18 months has been to look after the team, no matter what. With 20 hotels spread across the UK offering a diverse range of service levels, from three-star budget to five-star luxury, finding ways to communicate successfully and making all members of our family feel safe, inspired and cared for, was definitely a challenge, but we are delighted with the response to our Stay Splendid campaign.”

Communication was key throughout the period of furlough and closures, making sure all team members were aware of each step of the company’s journey through the lockdowns. Regular newsletters and Q&As were shared about ever-changing guidelines and procedures, but it was the ‘Stay at Home’ Guide that really set Splendid apart from the competition. The weekly guide introduced focused days to encourage all members to move, chat, reward and entertain, with a huge focus on mental and physical wellbeing, as well as providing financial assistance to those struggling. Splendid Superhero’s were rewarded for going above and beyond to help vulnerable members of their community, and the 6pm Challenge brought the whole team together virtually to celebrate those who were on the frontlines, making sure NHS staff were looked after. There was even a Splendid Running Club, which (virtually) brought members together through a shared love of running.

Marc continues: “There was a big focus on maintaining staff wellbeing and boosting morale, inspiring hope despite the challenges the hospitality industry is facing. Wellbeing comes in many forms, including mental, physical, vocational, and financial, and therefore Splendid has aimed to create an employee engagement programme that tackles all aspects of this.”

Stuart Bailey, CEO, Splendid Hospitality Group, says: “We are extremely proud of our entire Splendid Family and how they have adapted and thrived over the last 18 months. At Splendid, we are committed to creating an environment in which everyone has the opportunity to flourish, and this award highlights the hard work and creativity showcased by every member of our family, from the senior management team to our team delivering on the front lines.”