Sandals Resorts unveils fresh initiatives at Caribbean-wide town hall

The multinational Sandals Resorts recently held its second Caribbean-wide town hall meeting for 2024, where Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart addressed thousands of team members live from Montego Bay, Jamaica. A Sandals release said the event, which connected employees across nine countries, showcased a suite of transformative projects focused on enhancing both the team member experience and the company’s offerings.

A standout announcement was the launch of the Sandals PALM Pass, a team member discount programme offering savings across a wide range of merchants, including supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, and travel services.

“This is our way of easing the burden of rising global costs,” an impassioned Stewart shared. “I’ve seen our head office working tirelessly, reaching out to business leaders across the Caribbean to make this happen.”

He credited the success of the initiative to the Employee Experience Division, spearheaded by Corporate Manager Jamie Green, and emphasised that it’s only the beginning of Sandals’ efforts to enrich the lives of its team.

The PALM Pass is part of a larger wave of enhancements, including improved gratuity offerings and expanded discounted rates for team members and their families. These initiatives were informed by a group-wide survey earlier this year, where team members were invited to share how Sandals could elevate the employee experience.

“Because you spoke, we listened,” Stewart affirmed, addressing thousands of engaged employees both in person and online. Their reactions, marked by smiles, nods, and applause, spoke volumes about the impact of these developments, the release stated.

Building on feedback from the survey, Sandals established eight pillars of employee welfare, which focus on communication, social engagement, collaboration, health and
wellness, recognition, and innovation.

Green likened these pillars to a chef’s recipe for crafting the perfect dish. One standout initiative, Project Sparkle, has already transformed a dozen staff restaurants across the group, with six more renovations on the horizon. “From mental health initiatives to improved dining facilities, we’re ensuring these pillars touch every level of the organisation,” Green said. “So whether you are a supervisor, a team member, or at any level of the organisation, you will feel the impact of the eight pillars of employee experience.”
Empowering careers through the SCU Stewart also shone a spotlight on the transformative power of the Sandals Corporate University (SCU), the fully funded training ground empowering employees to grow within the company. Success stories, like those of Delino Moss and Tamon Allen, who advanced from entry-level roles to senior management, exemplify the opportunities available through SCU.

“These stories are just a snapshot of the magic happening in this company and that has been happening for years,” Stewart said, underscoring that team members remain Sandals’ greatest asset. “We are a people business. The real horsepower that makes us who we are is our 18,500 team members.”

Looking ahead, Sandals also announced plans for new resorts in The Bahamas, Jamaica, and other destinations, promising more than 5,000 new hires and 300 managerial positions.