fp Turks and Caicos

New employees generally expect to participate in orientation, but now some long-time employees of the Grace Bay Resort are getting the chance to feel like new all over again.

For the first time the company, which has grown significantly in recent years, decided to not only offer orientation to new recruits, but also offer orientation for some of their long-time employees.

The Grace Bay Resort is known for being a sought after place to work in the country. Reporting very low turnover, although this makes management proud, also means hiring new staff is not something they do often. Among their more than 300 employees, the company has more than a handful of staff that have been serving guests at the Grace Bay Club for more than a decade.

Ric Graham, Group Director of People Development, says it was time to bring together the experienced staff with the new ones and let them learn, share and network. “Because we have so many varied managers with experience, they are able to share a lot of their background,” he explained.

Starting with the inaugural orientation in December, the company will hold monthly orientations where new employees will learn alongside many of the long-term staff. This will give both new and not-so-new the opportunity to learn more about the operation and be reminded of some of the important rules the company operates by. “For the long-term staff, it is a chance to be refreshed,” Graham says.

During the one-and-a-half-day seminar, the attendees are taken through the employee handbook, review the rules and standards as well as treated to many valuable presentations by senior management. It even includes a cultural lesson about the Turks and Caicos Islands from author and Manager Talent Growth & Local Affairs Dr. Carlton Mills.

Graham says everyone is oriented, no matter where they come from.

“We want everybody to be focused on our credo: Our employees are our most important asset in our commitment to our guests,” he said. “We feel proud, valued, empowered and love working together to anticipate and exceed both internal and external customer expectations.”

“We are providing the staff with the key information they need to contribute and be successful in the organization,” Human Resource Manager Veronica Clare explains.

“It is also an opportunity for employees to learn about the other resorts and network ,” she added. The company now manages both the Grace Bay Club, including the Villas and Estates, as well as the Veranda Resort on Providenciales.