May 18, 2020
La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino During COVID-19
An update from the resort:
During the Covid19 temporary shutdown, La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino reports that 16 of its associates are living on property taking care of security, landscaping, and feeding the cats. A number of F&B associates are also on board to in turn feed the skeleton crew on duty, and to secure kitchens and storerooms.
The executive committee meets daily on Zoom, or Teams, which are online platforms, and in general keeps busy planning long-term projects, streamlining processes, editing job description, reviewing inventories and rewriting standard operations procedures, SOPs.
‘We never had time for these, so now during CoVid19 we do,’ says long-time GM Joe Najjar, who reports to the board on his team’s activities in a virtual once-a-week meeting.
The HR officer, adds Joe, stays in touch with the resort associates on a daily basis, sending them updates, motivational videos, exercises with life-coach Rene Wilde, nutritional tips, personal development links, and more.
In order to stay in touch with guests the resort put together a video production: “While Apart, You Are Always in our Heart,” with heartwarming, special footage, featuring many familiar faces, working at the resort with a heightened awareness of sanitation and hygiene, and an elevated sense of responsibility towards guests’ safety and health.
The video shows how La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino looks more beautiful than ever, and the beach, even more gorgeous than before, having taken a much-deserved rest during the pandemic.
Guests were reassured that management and associates are maintaining, refreshing and training, and that they are waiting for the return of owners and friends according to the government’s pandemic exit strategy.
On Monday, this week, La Cabana beach Resort & Casino continued its latest tradition of Virtual Celebrations as the Department of Human Resources together with the Social Committee, hosted a well-organized, uplifting Mother’s Day Celebration on Zoom.
The beautiful invitation was created by the Department of Human Resources and encouraged the associates to participate.
The Zoom Room filled with happy mothers, joined by all colleagues, was greeted by the emcee for the day, Director of Human Resources Tessely Koolman and Jr. Talent Manager, Sudi Guda.
During the pandemic, the HR Team has been working hard to ensure wellbeing and the continuous engagement of associates.
The virtual celebration included a warm welcome by Assistant General Manager, Jessica Franken, who shared an inspirational message, then several beautiful poems were read.
Guest Care Manager, Ena Vrolijk was crowned Mother of the Year 2020, by members of the Social Committee, Nila Girigori, Helen Werleman and Carine Cratz who announced they were driving to Ena’s home to surprise her, delivering flowers and a sash.
Local Artist, Edjean Semeleer made an unexpected Zoom appearance, and honored Mother of the Year and all La Cabana Mothers with beautiful wishes and a wonderful virtual serenade. The celebration concluded with some more words of appreciation from General Manager Joe Najjar who thanked all mothers for their sacrifices and for showing strength and resilience in these unprecedented times.
La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino has been able to hold on to all its employees and wishes the community health and safety, and most importantly better days to come.
