Continuing with my journey to look and learn from great companies that have created great cultures, the surprise package for me was The Capital Hotel Group, particularly as I had never heard of them! Not only do they have 15 highly successful hotels and resorts in SA (including The Fairmont, Zimbali), but their successful business model is also resulting in impressive growth with some bold aspirations for future growth.
It all started from humble beginnings when Founder, Owner & CEO Marc Wachsberger, saw an opportunity during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. He bought, converted and rented out his apartment for the duration of the tournament - this success got him thinking and he launched the Capital journey. Perhaps one of the biggest factors behind the phenomenal success of the company is that he, nor many of his Executive Team, do not have a background in hospitality so think and act differently and are not constrained by a 'Hotel Industry Mindset'!
The landing page of their website provides some insight into their relaxed and laid-back culture!
The impressive entrance and dining facilities at The Capital on the Park in Catherine Street, Sandton.
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Nelson Rodrigues (GM @ The Capital on The Park in Sandton) worked under my brother-in-law, Luis Pinhero @ The Mount Nelson) and COO Garnet Basson
It all starts with a compelling Vision - and this is a big and bold one!
And of course, underpinned by Values - which not surprisingly are all People Focused
The Story Wall captures their Epic Journey from the beginning.
It was interesting to learn that this was the only hotel group in the country that survived the Covid Pandemic (particularly harsh on the hospitality industry) without letting a single employee go and without cutting salaries! They were highly innovative, thinking outside the box and embraced opportunities such as offering isolation hotels near the airport, and in collaboration with Discovery Life, a dedicated Covid Positive facility for recovering patients who were Discovery Medical Aid clients.
Going Green is important to them - here is a great example of the power of a dashboard where staff can see at a glance how their floor is performing on energy and water goals!
Live Dashboards also provide real time data to help decision making for Managers and Staff in the Guest Call Centre
Employee benefits are an important aspect of any Culture - and these are customised to employees different and ever-changing needs. There is obviously a big difference between back-office operations staff and guest facing hotel staff for example. Note the first benefit on this list - 'Unlimited Leave'! - the focus here is on Performance and not 'Time at the Office' so take as much (paid) leave as you want - but we expect brilliant performance!
And while I'm on the subject of Performance, they do have a Performance Management System where everyone has KPE's (Key Performance Expectations) and everyone is measured against ever increasing 'Expectations' which encourages (and ensures) continuous improvement.
For Whinging .... there is a dedicated 'Whine Room'!
And below are some more examples of the interesting wallpaper in the various meeting rooms in the Operations section.
This company is a shining example of the success that comes from an Innovation and Culture led strategy. The net result of this innovative people centred organisation is high energy, positive attitude and phenomenal growth.
Watch this space. I am convinced that the process and model that Marc and his team are rolling out is going to continue to be highly successful across Southern Africa!