NORTH AMERICA. Dufry America has been named one of South Florida’s Top Workplaces for 2017 – the third year in succession it has been included in the employee-influenced rankings.
Dufry’s benefit structure, career development, progression prospects and company ethos were all commended by its employees. The travel retailer was ranked in seventh place as best mid-size employer (125-399 employees) to work for in the region, with Power Financial Credit Union topping the chart.
Compiled by media company Sun Sentinel Group and research firm Workplace Dynamics, the list is the result of extensive employee surveys across South Florida. It highlights 65 workplaces where employees expressed significant confidence in their leaders, the direction of their businesses and an appreciation for how they are treated.
The surveys garnered over 10,000 responses, the highest rate thus far in the three years since Sun Sentinel started the programme.
“You take care of your people, they will take care of our customers and the rest will take care of itself”
Dufry Divisional HR Director for Latin America & Caribbean Marcus Griffin said: “Over the last three years, the Dufry America team has worked tirelessly at all levels to create an exceptional culture, one which is based on a really simple J. Willard Marriott philosophy, ‘You take care of your people, they will take care of our customers and the rest will take care of itself’ and I thank all my colleagues for there dedication and contribution.”
He added: “Our involvement and success in the Top Workplaces Programme impacts internally and externally.
“Internally, our employees come to work knowing that they not only work in one of the region’s best companies but that they are custodians of [a] unique special culture, and play their part each and every day. Externally, it gives extra impetus to our employer brand and slogan of ‘WorldClass, WorldWide’.”
As reported, Dufry Group’s Americas division experienced impressive growth in 2016.
Turnover reached CHF1,660.9 million, up by +22% compared to 2015. Organic growth reached +4.5% in the full year, while in Q4 it reached +7.2%. The group said growth was stronger in the duty paid business, while duty free saw the strong performance in Canada being mitigated by lower trading in the US, due to the stronger US Dollar.
Other travel-related organisations included on the Top Workplaces for 2017 list included cruise agencies World Travel Holdings and Cruise Planners. Both made the top 25 small employers, which ranked businesses with 125 staff or fewer.
Retirement community owner Vi and mortgage company Supreme Lending Southeast Region topped the large (400+ employees) and small employer Top Workplaces lists respectively.
Organisations on Sun Sentinel’s annual list can use their inclusion to market their credentials and working environment to potential business partners and would-be staff.
Griffin noted: “When we recruit new staff we can tell them about the camaraderie, our benefits, our social responsibility in the community, our fun events and results-focused environment, but to be able to show that everything we are telling them has been endorsed by an external independent transparent organisation, then that is really a powerful message.”
