Company Overview: Applejack Hospitality Group is a renowned player in the Hospitality Industry, known for its innovative approach to managing a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars in Sydney, Australia. With a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, Applejack’s leadership team understand the critical role culture and employee engagement play in achieving their business goals.
Introduction: In a bid to enhance employee engagement, improve operational efficiency, and drive financial performance, Applejack Hospitality Group adopted Prosper EX to drive culture and employee engagement.
Key Challenges
Avoidable Attrition
High staff turnover is a critical issue in the Hospitality Sector, leading to increased training and recruiting expenses, disruption of service quality, and the loss of knowledge and talent. This instability not only affects operational efficiency, but also erodes customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Performance Disparity Among Venues
There was a noticeable variance in performance across Applejack’s different venues within the group. Some locations consistently outperformed others in terms of revenue, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiencies.
Measuring and Enhancing Employee Engagement
To boost morale and retain top talent, Applejack was looking to acquire a platform that could support and provide a robust system for measuring and tracking culture and employee engagement, to support their informed decision making and foster a positive and productive work environment.
Comprehensive Use of Prosper EX at All Levels
Implementation: Applejack deployed the Prosper EX platform across all levels of the organisation, from senior leadership to frontline employees. Senior Management use the platform’s analytics to establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) at various levels and monitor overall engagement scores.
Impact: By integrating Prosper EX into daily operations, Applejack have gained real-time insight into employee sentiment, engagement trends, and focus areas for improvement. Senior Management effectively use the data to inform strategic decision making, ensuring alignment with company goals.
“We have used the Prosper EX platform for over two years and it plays a critical role in how we drive employee engagement and performance across our venues. The data and insights enable us to make data driven decisions to better deliver on our overall business goals”
Matt Jenkins | Chief People Officer | Applejack Hospitality
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- Linking Employee Engagement to Profit and Revenue
Data Insights: Through Prosper EX, Applejack identified a direct correlation between high employee engagement and improved financial performance. Venues with higher staff engagement scores consistently outperform others in terms of revenue and profit.
Example: A detailed analysis revealed that Applejack’s top-performing venues, with engagement scores above 85% showed up to 18% higher profit margin compared to those reporting lower staff engagement levels. This clear link underscored the importance of maintaining a highly engaged workforce for greater financial benefit.
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- Linking Engagement KPIs with Financial Incentives
Incentive Structure: Applejack incorporated employee engagement KPIs into bonus structures of the General Managers (GMs). GMs who successfully drive higher engagement scores among their teams are rewarded with financial bonuses.
Outcome: This strategy not only motivates the GMs to prioritise employee engagement, but also fosters a culture of accountability and excellence. As a result, engagement scores across various venues improved by up to 13% within the first year of implementation, leading to increased customer satisfaction, repeat business, and higher order value.
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- Innovating Resource Allocation to Boost Morale
Challenge: The Operations team at Applejack faced lower engagement scores due to heavy workloads and repetitive tasks. This had a negative impact on morale and reduced overall productivity.
Solution: By leveraging Prosper EX, and allocating select responsibilities to GMs, Applejack empowered their GMs with new, varied tasks and responsibilities. This shift allowed Operations Managers to focus on more creative and high impact transformational duties.
Results: The reallocation of tasks led to a significant boost in morale and engagement scores for both GMs and Operations leaders. The Operations team reported a 15% increase in job satisfaction, while GMs valued the trust and autonomy given to them, further driving their commitment to the organisation.
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- Developing Future Leaders and Talent
Talent Recognition: Prosper EX has helped Applejack identify and nurture talent within the organisation with succession planning tools. By analysing engagement data and performance metrics, the company can spot individuals with the potential to excel and develop their talent accordingly.
Career Development: Applejack has invested significantly in training and development programs for their high potential “Future Leaders”, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to embark on successful careers within the hospitality industry.
Impact: This focus on career development has not only reduced turnover but has also created a pipeline of skilled employees ready to take on greater responsibilities. Employees feel valued and motivated, knowing that their hard work and potential are recognised and rewarded.
Conclusion
The implementation of Prosper EX has been a catalyst for culture and engagement at Applejack Hospitality Group. By using the platform to drive engagement at all levels, linking engagement to financial performance and incentives, reallocation of resources to boost morale, and developing future leaders, Applejack has set a new standard in the Hospitality Industry. The company’s success story serves as a testament to the power of employee engagement in achieving sustainable business growth and excellence.
