The James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor is a four star, full services hotel with 260 rooms and suites, located in central Wellington. Opened in 1972, the hotel has undergone a major refurbishment during the last five years. It has a diverse workforce of 181 staff, of which 10-15% are union members. The hotel was a finalist in the Best Places to Work Awards 2006, the first year of entering.
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going 
In an industry that often suffers from high staff turnover, the core challenge for the James Cook Hotel is staff retention. The cost of recruiting and employing a new staff member is estimated at $10,000 and it takes approximately six months to recruit, induct and train one. Staff turnover affects the standard of service provided to guests. It also impacts on staff job satisfaction, as constantly training new staff adds to the work of more experiences staff, which can be frustrating, especially during busy periods. The growth of the business also brings challenges for managers of how to keep staff energised and engaged so they perform demanding work to a high standard and how best to communicate with staff who work in shifts in different areas of a large hotel, to ensure that high levels of customer services are maintained.
To read more about becoming a more productive workplace visit http://www.workplaceproductivity.govt.nz
