Butlin's sees higher staff engagement & guest ratings with AI

Butlin's has implemented an AI-powered employee engagement platform from WorkBuzz, resulting in measurable improvements in employee feedback processes and team engagement.

The new platform, which leverages artificial intelligence to analyse survey responses and deliver actionable recommendations, has driven a 4% increase in employee engagement at Butlin's. The proportion of employees expressing pride in working at Butlin's and reporting motivation to do their best work has risen by 8%.

Feedback and insight

Butlin's began using the WorkBuzz platform earlier this year, replacing a previous system that relied more heavily on managers to interpret results. The new system automates analysis and provides results and recommendations directly to managers in user-friendly formats. This change enables faster and more targeted responses to employee feedback.

Liz Lloyd, People Director at Butlin, said, 

"The minute our first survey closed, we had instant access to the results and insights. Using the AI recommendations, our managers clearly understood what was working well in their teams, as well as where improvements could be made to deliver meaningful outcomes. From the insights, it was apparent that recognition and leadership development were areas where we could move the dial quickly to improve engagement, and so we did!"

One of the first actions taken following the adoption of WorkBuzz was the rollout of an enhanced employee recognition programme across all three Butlin's resorts. This included the introduction of a 'B-rewarded' reward card, golden tickets for employees providing outstanding service, and QR codes to enable direct guest-to-team feedback.

Recognition initiatives

Each team member now has a reward card and can earn a sticker from their leader for demonstrating Butlin's core values. Collecting ten stickers qualifies an employee for a reward, while golden tickets are given for exceptional customer service, with rewards including meals and cinema trips. Guest feedback, identified as a significant factor in team pride, is now facilitated through QR codes placed around the resorts, allowing guests to provide immediate recognition to staff members.

Lloyd said,

"By using WorkBuzz's employee engagement platform, and harnessing its AI capabilities, we've been able to better understand how our teams are feeling, and then act on the feedback faster than ever before. This has included how we appreciate their efforts, behaviours and results."

Butlin's reports the recognition programme has proven popular with staff and has had a positive effect on guest ratings as well. There has been a year-on-year improvement in Net Promoter Scores, and almost 4,000 guests have already used the QR code system to give team members personalised acknowledgements.

Lloyd said,

"While we've had a team member recognition programme for a number of years, it wasn't consistent. The insights from our first WorkBuzz survey highlighted that this was an area requiring improvement. The new programme is proving popular with the team and having a positive impact on our guest scores too. We're seeing year-on-year Net Promoter Score improvements, and so far, close to 4,000 guests have scanned the code to give a team member a personalised shout out."

Insights gathered from the survey are also being used to refine The Butlin's Leadership Development Programme, which is due for its next intake in early 2026. The company anticipates that a deeper understanding of employee feedback will further inform and shape its training and leadership initiatives moving forward.

Departmental performance

With better access to analysis, Butlin's management is able to track departmental performance, identify which teams are performing well, and determine why. The company believes that these insights are helping drive meaningful improvements in engagement and guest satisfaction.

Lloyd adds, 

"Leaders now have key insights and recommendations at their fingertips, empowering them to make improvements to their departments faster than ever before. In just a few months of working with WorkBuzz, we've seen key performance markers improve, demonstrating how the swift interpretation and actioning of employee feedback drives real change."