As part of a new 2021 series, Top 海角视频 100 law firm Ward Hadaway talks to business leaders from across the North East about its plans for accelerating success as the economy opens up again.
Leading the way is The Inn Collection Group managing director, Sean Donkin.
Investment during the pandemic
What to do in the face of a pandemic? Do you batten down the hatches? Or shift up a gear and take off? The latter is what extraordinary North East-based business The Inn Collection Group has done over the past 12 months.
In fact, its buy and build approach to sustainable growth started before Covid struck - it simply chose not to be cowed by circumstances.
Current holders of The Publican鈥檚 Awards鈥 Best Pub Employer for the past two years, in an industry hit hard by Covid restrictions, The Inn Collection Group chose to invest during the pandemic in anticipation of recovery - under the guidance of managing director Sean Donkin, who cares passionately about his people, customers and the business.
Donkin explains: "In 2018, we had a plan to grow our estate and projected the group would own 22 sites in five years鈥 time. Instead, we have accelerated those aspirations and by March 31, 2021, we will achieve our goal, which is hugely exciting.
"Most importantly, our extraordinary people are at the centre of our growth story - they are the beating heart of our business and we have taken care to wrap our arms around them throughout the pandemic. Team members don鈥檛 have a job with us, they have a career.鈥
Taking care of staff
When Covid struck, Donkin ensured staff felt safe and secure - paying furloughed staff 100% of their salary and re-employing former team members who had left to take up new positions that didn鈥檛 materialise.
Donkin continues: 鈥淲e have a responsibility to protect our people. I made a point of personally keeping in touch with everyone when Covid struck - I wanted to show them that the business was there for them.
鈥淎nd we want to help our people progress in their careers. So we鈥檝e invested 拢100,000 in a bespoke app giving them access to free training and created a forum for sharing best practices, experiences and feedback.
"It鈥檚 a safe space where they can be supported, learn new skills and feel like they are making progress, even if they鈥檙e not currently at work. Covid made us evaluate our outlook to teamwork and how we motivate, assess and appraise people.鈥
As well as training through the app, from bitesize courses through to Level 5 leadership, The Inn Collection Group appraised managers to provide increased self-awareness and enhanced personal development, to help the team remain at the top of their game while hospitality is in hibernation.
Donkin continues: 鈥淚f we want to be world-class - and we do - we need to equip ourselves and our team with the skills and knowledge. We need to learn from people who are world-class in their field outside the industry too, which is why we have engaged former GB Olympic swimmer Chris Cook to provide mindset coaching for staff.
"In a year where we could have given up, we embraced every challenge thrown at us and we are a stronger business for it. We move forward together, striving to be the best we can, and that is our collective strength.
"I鈥檓 looking forward to our industry opening up again, and being able to share all that we have learned in the past year with our customers, helping them smile again when they walk through our doors.鈥
Looking towards the future
Adding 252 new rooms to The Inn Collection Group portfolio during 2020, with a further 269 planned for refurbishment in 2021 means there will be plenty of room for everyone.
Imogen Holland, a partner at Ward Hadaway, who works with The Inn Collection Group, said: 鈥淭he Inn Collection Group has an extraordinary story to tell.
"In many ways, their strategy throughout the pandemic may have seemed counterintuitive to the situation, but Sean and the team have shown incredible leadership, aligning the team as they have added new sites so everyone is on the same page.
"They have made some smart, long-term, measured investment decisions - in people and in property - that will pay dividends when the economy opens up again.
"They know that the hospitality industry will come back and when it does, they are absolutely primed to embrace customers, through more and better accommodation, quality food, and a warm welcome.
"I think we鈥檙e all ready for a break and The Inn Collection Group will be ready and waiting. They鈥檙e a credit to the North East business community.鈥
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