An employee recognition programme that “uses science to promote feel-good hormones” has launched at a boutique hotel group.
Employer the Eden Hotel Collection unveiled the Happy Hub, which is a digital app-based programme for its 500 employees working across five hotel sites.
Hosted on the Connect+ app platform, the programme focuses on activities that are intended to help generate four key hormones that drive positive mental health – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.
With the Happy Hub, hotel staff can send each other e-cards to recognise milestones to promote oxytocin. Also known as the hug hormone, oxytocin is understood to develop team bonding and collaborative working. The employer has also introduced a digital social recognition wall where colleagues can share notes company-wide.
The scheme aims to promote serotonin and endorphins with its newly introduced monetary rewards for staff going above and beyond for customers and those that have reached at least five years of service These two hormones help to maintain mood balance and regulate emotional responses.
There is also an employee of the month initiative for each hotel as well as the people working in head office. This part of the recognition plan aims to drive satisfaction and motivation by not only acknowledging an individual’s efforts but also giving them the option of a Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, a day off, or a 55-minute spa treatment at one of Eden’s hotels.
Lisa Redding, group people director at Eden Hotel Collection, said: “People underpin the success of any business – especially in hospitality – and if they are going to perform at their best, ultimately positive happy hormones are key.
“The Happy Hub represents the variety of different ways that we are helping to promote each of these hormones across our entire workforce, who have crucially fed into the development of this new recognition scheme to help drive forward a strong culture of recognition.”
She said that when the group was planning the recognition programme, the team wanted an inclusive digital scheme that could be accessed by people from front-facing hotel roles to back-of-house jobs. An app-based digital model also appeals to the employer’s age demographic.
The Happy Hub launches as the group said it has seen a 26 percent increase in its employee retention rate over the past two years.
