Club has the fair way at heart

Internationally renowned Sunningdale Golf Club has attained nationally recognised Investors in People status as part of its drive to be a centre of excellence, not just for golf but for employee satisfaction too.

The Berkshire club is famous for possessing England’s finest golf course and for providing its Members with the very best of traditional, discreet service. One of its tenets is that staff will anticipate and provide whatever is required – no matter how detailed the requests may be.

Sunningdale’s Secretary Stephen Toon put the case for the club working with Investors in People to the governing Members’ Committee after seeing its effectiveness at St Andrews in Scotland.

He said: “I had seen the benefits of Investors in People at St Andrews and suggested to the Committee that our service to Members could be improved by following its guidelines. We found that while we had a high percentage of what was required for Investors in People, in terms of great leadership from the top and communication at the sharp end, we needed more structure across all the departments.

“We are proud of our staff retention, one of our greenkeepers retired recently after 50 years here. Long serving staff provide the continuity our Members value, while newer arrivals bring with them fresh ideas, so creating the ideal combination. And, as a result of Investors in People, we have given everybody who works here a set of skills they didn’t have before.”

Sunningdale employs 61 staff, including chefs, bar and waiting staff, greenkeepers, the Secretariat and retail staff. The Club is open to Members every day of the year, including Christmas Day, and there are staff on duty from as early as 5.30am until late in the evening.

Commenting on Sunningdale’s achievement, Trish Fraser, Managing Director of Quality South East, the Investors in People Centre for Berkshire said: “In the hospitality business, the way that staff are treated is key to providing the best service. Having structures in place for all workers, no matter what their role, provides a caring culture that encourages continuous improvement.”

To find out more about the benefits of Investors in People visit www.qse.org.uk, www.investorsinpeople.co.uk or call 01329 822077.