Jumeirah Group has launched
VOICES, a colleague innovation programme where colleagues can VOICE their
ideas, see them implemented and converted into cash rewards of up to
US$8,000. The Jumeirah Group company-wide initiative, an acronym for Very Original
Ideas Can Enhance Success, is intrinsically linked with the core guiding
principles of the Jumeirah brand and provides a focus for colleagues’
creative and innovative ideas by fostering a culture of continuous growth,
effective communication and teamwork within the company.

Following an extensive fun and engaging internal launch campaign, VOICES
has now been implemented in all of Jumeirah’s Dubai hotels and resorts as
well as The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management and Wild Wadi
Waterpark with a planned roll out globally before the end of the year.

Ultimately, VOICES is a tool to ensure each colleague’s ideas and their
successes are being supported, recognized and rewarded.

Since its inception in August 2006, VOICES has generated over 2,000 ideas,
210 of which have been identified for implementation and 40 already
implemented. Ideas are evaluated by peers and colleagues across all
business units working in a wide variety of departments including finance,
housekeeping, food and beverage management, sports and leisure and human
resources.

Of the 210 ideas in the innovation pipeline, a tangible value to the
company of over US$500,000 has been calculated, resulting in improvements
to processes relating to customer service, operational excellence,
colleague satisfaction and morale, communication, health and safety, the
environment and new business opportunities.

Bill Walshe, Jumeirah Group’s Chief Marketing and Business Innovation
Officer said: “VOICES is one component of the wider approach to innovation
that Jumeirah is committed to, the ideas generated challenge conventional
thinking, improve our processes and innovative business practices to help
build on our success and core essence to Stay Different from our
competitors.”

David Beath, the programmes? Operations Manager added: “VOICES is a
fantastic platform to ensure we actively engage with our colleagues as one
of the key stakeholders in the organization. With an overwhelming response
received already, colleagues are now empowered to co-produce in Jumeirah’s
vision of success.”
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