Hotel Cateys 2025: People Team of the Year – De Vere Hotels

De Vere has been on a transformational journey, with its 23-strong people and culture team playing a pivotal role in helping the business not only recover from the pandemic but exceed its 2019 commercial performance.

 

Among its latest initiatives to foster success and competitive advantage through its people, last year the group launched a management development programme, branded ‘People Masterclasses’, to equip line managers with the people skills needed to lead high performing teams. This was soon followed by a further learning programme, the ‘Commercial Academy’, focusing on enhancing managers and sales colleagues’ commercial understanding. Most recently it created and developed an ‘Inspiring Leadership’ programme for 20 of its top talent.

 

The team development success was reflected in 2024’s progression statistics, with 67% of management or supervisory roles filled internally.

 

De Vere recognises that the fundamentals of colleague development begin on day one. It invests in a colleague’s onboarding experience with dedicated ‘talent trainers’ who take a new starter through the training essentials of their department. Talent trainers also act as the departmental trainer to deliver further development including briefings and bitesize skills training. It’s pushing for constant improvements too, expanding its ‘talent trainer’ network by 177%.

 

The people and culture team supports the delivery of a blended strategy, incorporating on-the-job training, management development and apprenticeship programmes – which achieved 60% distinction rates – with talent mapping and personal development plans to nurture careers within De Vere and hospitality. It has created a state-of-the-art central training facility to facilitate its F&B and commercial academies and management masterclasses, leadership programmes and all of its systems training.

 

At the heart of De Vere’s strategy is a commitment to colleague wellbeing, happiness and engagement, creating a workplace where teams genuinely thrive. Reducing absence rates by 22.5% through targeted manager training, the group continues to innovate in wellbeing initiatives, including training 57 Mental Health First Aiders and introducing the Ripple anti-suicide tool across platforms.

 

The company is embedding a culture of celebration and belonging – delivering initiatives like the ‘You Are De Vere’ annual awards, De Vere’s Got Talent competition, colleague social events, its ‘surprise and delight’ calendar of activities and supporting over 230 family employee connections.

 

The company cares for the wider community too, with more than 1,637 community volunteering hours already contributed in 2025 toward its 2,000-hour target. A partnership with Only A Pavement Away saw De Vere leading the first corporate Hiking Against Homelessness event, helping the charities to raise an impressive £30,000. Plus, during the company’s ‘Make it Happen’ wellness challenge, teams walked 380 virtual miles between all eight De Vere hotels.

 

With 40% of De Vere’s new hires coming through referrals, returning employees or direct applications, it’s clear that De Vere is an employer of choice and a worthy winner of the People Team of the Year title.

 

 

What the judges said

“De Vere’s key initiatives were outstanding. The journey of where they have come from to now is compelling and commendable.”

Liz McGivern

 

“Very strong impact results led by a strong culture created. De Vere shows a real family and community feel and is a great place to work.”

Sean Wheeler

 

 

The shortlist

• Cameron House on Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire
• Clermont Hotel Group
• De Vere Hotels
• The Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire
• Lake District Country Hotels
• The Savoy, London

 

The judges

• James Goulding, PPHE Hotel Group
• Liz McGivern, Red Carnation Hotels
• Kirsten Price, the Belfry Hotel & Resort
• Phil Street, Korero
• Sean Wheeler, Sean Wheeler Consulting