The Orion Group, one of South Africa's leading hotel and property management groups, has been certified a Best Employer in the CRF Institute's 2012/13 Best Employers South Africa survey. Orion was one of only 74 organisations to receive the Best Employers certification seal this year.
Group CEO, Franz Gmeiner, says the company is delighted with the recognition Best Employers confers, as it bears testament to the Orion Group's continuous effort to create and maintain a positive, staff-oriented working environment that stimulates employees on various fronts. "Our overall score was very good, but we scored highest in the categories that relate directly to our working conditions and the way in which we manage our internal culture, so we're thrilled our work in this regard has paid off," says Gmeiner.
Opportunities for employees
The CRF Institute is a specialist firm that produces the highly anticipated European, Asian and African top employers indices each year. It uses stringent, objective, fact-based research to review the individual HR drivers, policies and practices of organisations in an effort to identify those companies that meet the highest standards in HR. Essentially, a Best Employer seal signifies that a company provides outstanding opportunities for its employees at both a professional and personal level.
The institute has just completed this year's review of a large number of South African employers. All the participating companies were assessed for their primary and secondary benefits and working conditions, training and development, career development and culture management. Out of a potential score of five for each criteria, Orion scored between three and four-and-a-half for each, demonstrating the strength of its performance in the survey.
Top priority is talent management
Samantha Crous, general manager of the CRF Institute says the Best Employers not only look to catering to employees' current needs, but their future requirements as well. "The outstanding employee offerings that the certified Best Employers have in place for their staff show that they regard talent management as a top priority. They don't just provide their employees with the things that interest them now, but also with those that will prepare them for their next career step within the organisation. Best Employers clearly show that they appreciate and foster their employees," she says.
The Orion Group comprises the JSE-listed Orion Real Estate, Orion Hotels, Orion Facilities Management, Orion Business Solutions and the Orion Services Division. It boasts a staff complement of approximately 900 people across the various divisions across South Africa.
