Heather Harris knows hotels inside out, having worked in hospitality since her teenage years. Now HR Director at Clermont Hotel Group, Heather splits her time between her home in Cheltenham and the buzz of London, where the group runs some of the capital’s most recognisable hotels.
Married with two children and a Clumberdoodle called Alfie, Heather’s career started on the operations side before she made the switch to HR, a move she describes as the best thing she’s ever done.
After three years leading HR for Clermont, she’s as passionate as ever about making hospitality a place where people want to stay, grow and be themselves.
In this edition of The HR Profile, Heather chats about building an award-winning culture, the reality of flexible work in a 24/7 industry and why listening, recognition and looking after your team really are the secret to keeping good people.
Clermont Hotel Group has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Retail, Hospitality & Leisure. What specific initiatives have contributed to this recognition, and how do you plan to sustain and build upon the achievement?
Being recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Retail, Hospitality & Leisure was such a proud moment for us. It really validated the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes to create a culture where people genuinely enjoy coming to work.
We’ve also made career development a real priority. Our career pathways are designed to help team members grow within the business. We love seeing people progress from entry-level roles into management position; it’s one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Another big factor has been our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We’ve worked hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered to be themselves. That sense of belonging really shines through in our team culture.
To sustain and build on this achievement, we’re not resting on our laurels. We’re constantly listening to feedback, adapting our approach and looking for new ways to improve. Whether it’s through employee surveys, focus groups or just honest conversations, we want to keep evolving and making Clermont a place where people feel proud to work.
With the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill aiming to enhance worker protections, how are you preparing to adapt your HR policies to comply with the forthcoming changes?
The Employment Rights Bill is definitely a big moment for our Industry and for HR professionals. At Clermont Hotel Group we”ve been keeping a close eye on the proposed changes and we are already working behind the scenes to align our policies for example looking at contracts to ensure that they are fair, transparent and in line with new expectations including at shift scheduling.
As the bill places more emphasis on giving reasonable notice, we’ll be ensuing that we have the right systems and technology in place to support this as well as training our managers so that they’re equipped with the changes.
The hospitality industry often faces challenges with staff retention. What strategies have you implemented to improve employee retention and job satisfaction?
It’s no secret that staff retention in this industry can be tough. We’ve made it a priority to genuinely create a supportive work environment, making sure that everyone feels heard. We introduced a People Council, which is made up of team members that are close to the operations. We meet every month and discuss ideas and feedback to support our teams and make Clermont Hotel Group a great place to work.
Recognition is another big one. We celebrate wins big and small, whether it’s celebrating birthdays and key milestones or our Wonderful People attending our annual events, showing appreciation goes a long way as well as having fun.
At the end of the day, when your teams feel supported and appreciated, they’re more than likely going to stay with you and progress their careers.
Given the diverse workforce in the hospitality sector, how do you ensure inclusivity and equal opportunities across all levels of the organisation?
With such a wonderfully diverse workforce it’s essential that everyone feels seen, heard and supported. We ensure that our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive, which means using structured interviews and removing unconscious bias wherever we can.
We recently implemented a neurodiversity guide and set up a support group for our teams to not only share their experiences but also provide a safe space for them. As part of our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) overall strategy we utilise our Empowering Our People pillar, which supports and recognises key dates throughout the year. This includes Men’s Health Month, Women’s Health, Pride and National Inclusion Week and Ramadan.
With all of these events, we ensure that we educate our teams so they understand the true meaning and can find out more information. It’s a journey and we are always learning and excited about where were heading.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion has created an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered to be themselves.
Mental health and wellbeing have become increasingly important in the workplace. What measures have you taken to support the mental health of your employees?
Mental health and wellbeing have become such an important part of the workplace. Hospitality can be fast-paced and the pressure high, so it’s something we take very seriously at Clermont Hotel Group.
We tripled the number of Mental Health First aiders across our hotels, providing support for our team members. Sometimes just knowing there’s someone you can talk to makes a huge difference. Recently we have also provided a support group for our Mental First Aiders where they can support each other.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve updated policies such as the introduction of a Menopause Policy and guide, an enhanced Maternity and Paternity Policy and an Exceptional Circumstances Policy to support the wellbeing of team members during events that occur in their personal lives.
We support three local charities as a company: Little Village, Kentish Town City Farm and Social Bite while also gifting paid volunteering days, which are very well received and enjoyed. We often see pictures of team members volunteering at the farm.
With the rise of flexible working arrangements, how are you addressing the demand for flexibility while maintaining operational efficiency?
In hospitality it’s a bit of a balancing act. We’re a 24/7 industry, so we can’t always offer the same kind of flexibility across roles that are based in our central support office. But that doesn’t mean we don’t support what our teams need.
We have taken a practical approach with our hotel operational teams with flexible shift patterns and part-time contracts. For our support office teams, we’ve embraced hybrid working. We’ve found that a combination of in-the-office and remote working works well for us, allowing teams to collaborate in the office but allowing flexibility to work from home supporting a work-life balance.
Communication has been key to its success. We ensure that teams have monthly face-to-face updates on how the business is performing and we also do a regular social event hosted by a department. These have been so creative, we’ve had a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, and the office converted into a Scalextric track.
In light of the current economic climate, how is Clermont approaching compensation and benefits to remain competitive and fair?
The current economic climate has put pressure on both businesses and individual at Clermont Hotel Group. We’ve been really mindful of that when it comes to compensation and benefits.
We’ve taken a proactive approach by regularly reviewing our pay structures to ensure they remain competitive within the industry. We benchmark against similar roles in the market and adjust where needed, because we know that fair pay is fundamental to attracting and retaining great people. We continue to maintain our pay position above the National Minimum Wage level.
But we also recognise that it’s not just about salary. We continue to review our benefits offering to provide more value in areas that really matter to our teams. That includes things like employee discounts, wellbeing support and access to financial planning tools.
We have a recognition scheme in place where the hotels have a monthly recognition pot where they can issue instant rewards to team members. We also have a Wonderful Person of the Month scheme to recognise team members that have gone above and beyond, demonstrating our values (Bold, Adaptable and Real – BAR) in their role, people are nominated by their peers and the winner each month receives £100 reward voucher and the opportunity to attend the Annual Wonderful People Awards — the highlight event of the year.
Training and development are crucial for employee growth. What programmes does Clermont offer to support continuous learning and career progression?
Training and development are absolutely at the heart of what we do at Clermont Hotel Group. We know that when our people grow, the business grows too, so we’ve built a culture that really champions continuous learning and career progression.
One of our proudest achievements is the Clermont Training Academy. It’s our dedicated hub for learning and development, offering a structured pathway for team members at every stage of their career. Whether someone’s just starting out or looking to step into a leadership role, the Academy provides the support to enable this. We have an Extraordinary Futures Programme for those identified at their review as having potential, and we’ve just completed our first cohort with a 100% achievement where all managers have been promoted.
For those new to the business, we offer comprehensive onboarding and skills training to help them settle in and succeed. All team members will attend the academy for a Welcome to Clermont onboarding programme as well as managers completing a specific welcome to support them in their roles so that they can learn about or policies and processes.
We also offer a digital learning platform that complements the Academy, giving team members the flexibility to learn at their own pace
And most importantly, we make sure development isn’t a one-off conversation. It’s built into our regular one-to-ones and performance reviews, so every team member has a clear sense of where they’re going and how we’ll help them get there.
How do you gather and use employee feedback to inform HR decisions and improve workplace culture?
Employee feedback is essential to how we shape our HR strategy and workplace culture at Clermont Hotel Group.
We use Great Place to Work as our main platform for gathering employee feedback. It gives us a structured, anonymous way to understand how our teams are feeling across a range of areas — from trust and communication to wellbeing and development. The insights we get from these surveys are incredibly valuable, and we don’t just file them away; we act on them.
After each survey, we share the key themes with our teams and work together to create action plans that address the areas that need attention. It’s a collaborative process, and it helps build trust because people can see that their feedback is genuinely driving change.
We also complement this with focus groups and Let’s Listen to sessions to dig deeper into specific topics. Our CEO, Gavin Taylor, will also regularly meet with hotel teams informally to obtain feedback directly from them, spending time in the staff rooms at our hotels.
Ultimately, it’s all about creating a culture of transparency, trust and continuous improvement, and Great Place to Work has been a fantastic partner in helping us do just that. We are very proud to be listed in the top 50 of Super Large Organisations for the second year in a row.
We’re moving beyond the traditional “people admin” role and stepping fully into being strategic partners who shape culture, drive innovation and support business growth
What role does technology, including AI, play in your HR operations, and how are you leveraging it to enhance employee experience?
Technology, especially AI, is playing an increasingly important role in HR.
We have looked at how we streamline some of our day-to-day processes. From digital onboarding and e-learning through our Training Academy, to the use of self service for things like holiday requests and payslips, we’re making it easier for our teams to access what they need, when they need it.
We’re also starting to explore how AI can support us in more strategic areas. For example, we’re using data analytics to better understand trends in engagement, retention and performance. That helps us make more informed decisions and spot opportunities to improve before issues arise.
In recruitment, we’ve just recently upgraded our applicant tracking system, using tools to assist in pre-screening of CVs more efficiently and fairly, ensuring we focus on the best-fit candidates. It’s not about replacing the human touch. It’s also about giving our teams more time to focus on the meaningful conversations and connections that really matter, and creating a more seamless, supportive experience for our teams.
With sustainability becoming a key focus, how is Clermont integrating environmental responsibility into its HR practices and company culture?
Sustainability is a focus for us at Clermont Hotel Group.
We have a dedicated ESG committee that drives our efforts across environmental, social and governance areas. One of the key pillars of that strategy is Towards a Greener Future, focusing purely on sustainability efforts. Tying directly into our HR approach is Empowering Our People, which is all about creating a workplace where our teams feel supported, valued and inspired to contribute to a more sustainable future.
From an HR perspective, we’ve embedded sustainability into our onboarding, training and engagement activities. New starters learn about our ESG commitments from day one, and we encourage everyone to get involved, whether that’s through green initiatives, volunteering or simply making more conscious choices at work.
And finally, how do you see HR evolving over the next five years?
HR is evolving fast, and honestly, I think the next five years are going to be some of the most exciting yet. We’re moving beyond the traditional “people admin” role and stepping fully into being strategic partners who shape culture, drive innovation and support business growth in really meaningful ways.
One big shift I see is the continued rise of data-driven HR. We’ll be using analytics not just to track performance or engagement but to predict trends, personalise development and make smarter, faster decisions. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive.
Technology and AI will also play a bigger role, but not to replace the human side of HR. Instead, they’ll help us automate the admin and free up more time for what really matters: creating great employee experiences.
And finally, I believe wellbeing, flexibility and inclusion will continue to be front and centre. The best workplaces will be the ones that truly understand and support the whole person, not just the employee.
As we look ahead, I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made at Clermont Hotel Group and excited for what’s to come. Whether it’s embracing new technology, championing wellbeing or building a more inclusive and sustainable workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can truly thrive.