Over seventy hotels from across the country gathered at the Irish Hotels Federation’s inaugural Quality Employer Awards this week
Over seventy hotels from across the country gathered at the Irish Hotels Federation’s inaugural Quality Employer Awards, which took place earlier this week at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone. The awards recognise hotel teams that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to excellence in people development and HR best practices through their participation in the IHF’s Quality Employer Programme.
Exceptional People Management Award
The top accolade – the ‘Exceptional People Management Award’ – was jointly awarded to Cork International Hotel and The Metropole Hotel in recognition of their exceptional employment practices, demonstrating exemplary practical and personal care for their employees’ wellbeing and development.
IHF President Michael Magner commented,
“Warmest congratulations to Cork International Hotel and The Metropole Hotel – both hotels exemplify all the hallmarks of a Quality Employer. We are extremely proud to recognise their leadership and commitment to promoting an environment that provides people with opportunities to thrive and flourish through exceptional employment practices.
Our judges were unable to choose between these two outstanding hotels – General Managers Eoghan Murphy and Louise McNamara are an inspiration, having cultivated wonderful workplaces for their teams.”
Alongside Cork International Hotel and The Metropole Hotel, twelve outstanding hotels were celebrated as ‘Best-in-Class’ across three categories, these were:
Best in Class Awards – Certified Level:
- Clanard Court Hotel, Kildare
- Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa, Kerry
- Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork
- Conrad Dublin
Best in Class Awards – Advanced Level:
- Kilkea Castle Hotel & Golf Resort, Kildare
- Dromoland Castle, Clare
- Inn at Dromoland, Clare
- Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, Dublin
Best in Class Awards – Expert Level:
- Ballykealey House, Carlow
- Muckross Park Hotel & Spa, Kerry
- Midlands Park Hotel, Laois
- Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan
Chair of the awards judging panel Dr Donagh Davern, Munster Technological University (MTU), said:
“The judging panel were delighted to see evidence of a people-centric approach and the progress made in elevating the employer brand of the hotel profession. All of the finalists showed an outstanding commitment to employee onboarding, engagement, performance management, learning, career development, community involvement, flexibility, diversity, inclusion and the cultivation of a positive people culture in their organisations. The increase in supports for both the physical and mental health and wellbeing of employees was particularly noteworthy, as was the array of benefits now on offer to Irish hotel employees.”
Congratulating the over 70 hotels that recently certified as IHF Quality Employers, Mr Magner added:
“It is an honour to be among so many inspiring HR leaders to celebrate the very best of people development across our hotels and guesthouse sector. Each and every property that participates in our Quality Employer Programme is striving for the same goal – to make their hotel a wonderful place to work and build a career. The importance of this cannot be overstated; our people are the beating heart of our industry.”
“And what an amazing profession we have – with over 67,000 livelihoods directly supported by hotels and guesthouses and over 270,000 supported by our wider tourism industry. As we can all attest, empowered and supported people make such a vital contribution to our sector – they are the defining characteristic of any successful hotel.”
The IHF’s Quality Employer Programme provides member hotels and guesthouses with the tools and resources to enhance their HR practices and excel in people development. QEP Certification recognises workplaces that demonstrate excellence in their employment practices, promoting their commitment to operating as a Quality Employer.
