How The Aspinall Foundation used OurPeople to engage everyone and build inclusion.

To say the operational side of The Howletts Wild Animal Trust was complex would be an understatement - the organization combines being an animal park, tourist attraction, conservation center and charity. This means it is responsible for managing animals, staff at two complex locations. With a fluctuating staff head count that increases during the peak summer months and staff that work across vast acreage in the parks, communication is critical to keep the organization running smoothly.

Roll back to 2020, both Howletts and Port Lympne, bounced back from the restrictions of the first lockdown with excellent day-visitor numbers as attractions began to reopen to the public. The accommodation side of the business also benefitted as UK visitors extended their usual one-to-two-night stays to five days with the increase in staycations. This was around the time the management team decided that relying on email as the main form of staff communication did not meet the needs of all team members, as many do not have company email addresses, and many are work out in the parks. Knowing they had to get better at communicating they Googled communication apps and came across OurPeople. Having the OurPeople platform has enabled the animal parks to broaden their communication to encompass the whole company. Their most used features are the Broadcasts and File section where they communicate a vast range of useful company information. They’ve found employees respond well to any job ads that are posted. And when a new team member starts the fact the induction pack can be accessed instantly has helped their on-boarding process. Their most used features are the Broadcasts and File section where they communicate a vast range of useful company information. They’ve found employees respond well to any job ads that are posted. And when a new team member starts the fact the induction pack can be accessed instantly has helped their on-boarding process. The Guest Services team have found the Chat function especially useful as it keeps the team fully informed, especially during busy periods. So much so they’ve created their own dedicated section specific to their function within the business.