As the saying goes, “The trophy is earned in the hours that no one is watching”.

This year, the Fiji National University received 32 applications for the Fiji Business Excellence Awards, the highest in the 19-year history of the Awards.

However, only 26 applicants were allowed to participate this year.

For Warwick Fiji, winning an award is much more than just a trophy on the shelf.

The resort won an award in the Achievement Category last year and the Prize Award previously.

The resort at Korolevu on the Coral Coast is entering again this year.

The awards will be at the Sheraton Fiji Resort’s Denarau Island Convention Centre.

Warwick Fiji general manager Charles Homsy said: “From the business point of view, it is important that we get an award because it shows that our systems are working and our business model is a successful one.

“Being an award winner has more power and you have more respect because people will always follow a leader who leads by example.

“We always want our standards to be high because people look at us and take us as an example. This is why it is important.”

In a country where the tourism sector is the major income generator, a lot of pressure to be the best is put in our hospitality industry.

According to Mr Homsy, the Fiji Business Excellence Awards is not an award based on subjective things but tangible business criteria that is extremely professional.

He says the award is based more on standard procedures, business models, management reactions, management trainings and so on.

“Normally in the hospitality industry we have a lot of prizes and awards given based on subjective things. There is no checklist.

“This is why this award is challenging and important at the same time because it is based exactly on what we do every single day.

“They [assessment team] will come and see how we control the hotel, clean our kitchens, train our staff, interact with our guests, calculate or forecast and deal with our sales and marketing.”

He encouraged more hoteliers and resort owners to participate in the awards to set a benchmark and create a competitive atmosphere.

The award not only gave the staff a dose of motivation but also a sense of pride, tranquillity and improvement in the way they handle their guests.

Warwick Fiji employee relations manager Asishna Pal  said: “Excellence is a journey and at Warwick Fiji, we aspire to it.”

She said that the award had given the staff a sense of accomplishment.

“If our staff are happy then our guests are happy. That is a simple equation.

“It means a lot to our staff to win the award and we give back to our employees.

“We promote from within. We can have the best furniture but it is the people who make a difference,” said Ms Pal.

She said that 90 per cent of the resort’s staff members were from local communities with an average of nine-and-a-half-years of service.

The strong relationship between the management team and staff is because of the resort’s open door policy at all management levels, she said.

Feedback:  monica.aguilar@fijisun.com.fj