Leisure Resort’s Decision to Outsource Reaps Benefits
Outsourcing its staffing requirements to Innovative Staffing Solutions is one of the best strategic decisions the Pienaardam Leisure Resort in Mpumalanga has made in recent years. Now it can focus on extending its footprint in the region and growing market share.
Image Courtesy Innovative Staffing Solutions
The self-catering resort is located just off the N4 highway, next to the Pienaars Dam and just 11km from Middelburg. The business employs 150 full time staff members and is a large revenue generator for the area.
The resort’s financial manager, Gemay Hattingh, says the decision to outsource its staffing needs was not taken lightly.
“Being a hands-on person, who prefers to deal with challenges internally, it was not easy to hand over control to Innovative Staffing Solutions. Yet, ongoing labour issues meant we were spending more time on stamping out fires, rather than focusing on the strategic growth of the resort. We felt we needed a group of professional people to guide us and deal with matters head on. This is where Innovative Staffing Solutions came to the rescue.”
The resort employees were initially resistant to the changes, which included moving over to Innovative Staffing Solutions’ fulltime employ. This changed when they realised they would, in fact, be better off. They soon appreciated that they are now part of a company that specialises in all aspects of workforce management, that perfected the art of understanding their concerns and engaging with them daily.
Hattingh says outsourcing resulted in peace of mind for the resort’s management team.
“It was easier for us to outsource the staffing function than to deal with it ourselves. With the resort management no longer involved in cumbersome employee matters, things quickly settled down. Employees soon saw that the changes were not as dramatic as they first thought.”
Fewer labour-related problems have meant more time to focus on growing the business and increasing revenue streams. With plans afoot to launch a new Elandsrivier Lodge, the strategic decision to outsource is expected to free the management team up to grow the business’s market share in the region.
“Outsourcing our staff was an excellent decision. We have been able to focus on doing what we are good at and to grow the business. In leaving staffing to the experts, we are no longer personally involved, which has been an enormous relief. I would say to any company considering outsourcing: do it. Leave it to the specialists and get on with the business of running your business,” concludes Hattingh.
Innovative Staffing Solutions CEO, Arnoux Maré, says increasing numbers of companies in a host of industries are starting to outsource their staffing requirements.
“This trend is set to increase as many more businesses become aware of the advantages of outsourcing non-core functions such as hospitality staff, cleaners, farm workers, truck drivers, etc.”
