Community & Wellbeing

Slieve Russell sits in the parish of Drumlane, close to the town of Ballyconnell in west Cavan.

Slieve Russell has been the heart of the community for over thirty years, a place to bring people together and support each other.

We have sponsored our local cycling club since ____ and continue to enjoy our affiliation with this club.

We provide sponsorship throughout the year to local events and charities.

It has also been a joy to connect with Michael, Felix and the Team at Belturbet Men’s Shed. Our visits to get to know the group as well as working with them on building our Bug Hotel, Bat & Starling boxes has been an enlightening experience. The service and facilities they offer within their community makes us proud to support them in any way we can. We provide the group with pallets and any wood from trees which regretfully may fall or have to be taken down on the grounds. This wood will be used to create beautiful unique pieces by Felix and his team. Some of Felix work is on display at the hotel and available to purchase within our Gift Shop. Our Country Club now play host to weekly aqua classes for some of the members within the men’s shed.

We have also had lots of fun with the children from Scoil Naoimh Brid in Ballyconnell. Firstly, their 4th class of 2023 officially opened our Bug Hotel and helped to plant our Butterfly garden. In the summer of 2024, their fifth and sixth class children reared some beautiful butterflies for us and released them in the Butterfly garden. All the children were treated to Adventure Golf and lunch for their contribution to the hotel’s sustainability plan. We aim to keep this tradition and friendship with the school for many years to come.

We also signed up and completed training for “We’re Breastfeeding Friendly” in association with Parenting Cavan. Our team are trained to be supportive to the needs of breastfeeding mothers.

The Slieve Russell Hotel is becoming a Dementia Inclusive Alzheimer’s Friendly Hotel, with ten trained Dementia Inclusive Champions in place. We host events, including a tea/coffee morning on behalf of our local Cavan ASI branch and look forward to hosting the National Memory Walk in the hotel grounds in September. These events provide opportunities for our champions to engage with people with Dementia and their carers in a relaxed atmosphere, away from Nursing Home Environment’s and raise much needed funds for this great cause.

We are working on an Autism Education programme for our team to roll out this year and have included a social story, sensory heat map on our website as well as the provision of Sensory kits available to borrow from reception.

Each year our Department Ambassadors vote on a “Charity” who will benefit from hotel events in that year. For 2024 the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was the chosen charity. This trust aims to alleviate the financial hardship of bereaved families repatriating the body or bodies of loved ones who have died abroad. We have hosted a bake sale, fun run and spin-a-thon to raise much needed funds so far.

Staff also collect their Re-Turn bottles and cans and donate them to charity.

We hosted our Community Wellbeing Day in June 2024, a day thoroughly enjoyed by all. This was a free event offering our neighbours a chance to come and enjoy the facilities at the hotel. The sun came out and we had a great day. Local crafters displayed their goods at our Craft Fair and we affiliated ourselves with a local lady who creates the most beautiful postcards, cards and bookmarks which are now for sale in our Gift Shop.

We would like to thank our local members and guests for their custom and support over the years and we look forward to many more occasions with you all.

Our team is the cornerstone of our success at the hotel, and we are committed to providing a “Great Place to Work” for all employees. We implement a variety of strategies to ensure our employees wellbeing, fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive environment. Our recruitment efforts target diverse pools of talent, promoting a culture of inclusivity.

Effective communication is essential for a happy team. We utilize our Digital Company Employee app for direct messaging, group messaging, our hotel newsfeed, complemented by daily briefings, regular catch up’s and check in’s.

We have established comprehensive programs to help employee’s balance work and personal lives. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers 24-hour confidential counselling and support, addressing both work-related and personal issues along with flexible working supporting employees in managing their responsibilities effectively.

Additionally, our employees have access to support programmes through the Spectrum Life App, which offers comprehensive articles, advice and podcasts on employee wellbeing.

Our extensive calendar of health & wellbeing events includes our “Revitalize” program, an employee-led initiative offering medical checks, personal lifestyle consultations, nutritional talks, sports therapy, tailored weekly fitness classes, exclusive employee spa treatments, and Family & Friends Fun events supporting our charity partner’s.

We celebrate key global days, including World Gratitude Day, International Happiness at Work, LGBTQ+ Pride Month and International Women’s day.

We have dedicated Ambassadors and Champions trained to assist and support colleagues with health and wellbeing.

Our People and Culture Ambassadors play a vital role in driving the positive and inclusive culture of the Hotel, reinforcing our mission, vision & values, advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and participating actively in the hotels strategic decision-making process.

Our trained Menopause Champions host regular “Menopause Mingle Sip and Support” tea/coffee mornings, workshops and training sessions to support each other through menopause, share experiences and offer invaluable support to colleagues. The Slieve Russell is recognised as a Menopause Workplace Finalist by the Menopause Hub Academy and Great Place to Work.

Our trained Mental Health First Aiders assist and support colleagues struggling with mental health issues. Our Employee Assistance Programme in partnership with Spectrum Life offers 24-hour confidential support at no additional cost for employees, family and friends. This program provides assistance with grief, stress, anxiety, relationship problems, family issues, and substance abuse. It also offers a range of online and phone services, including financial advice, legal assistance, career counselling, meditation, and life coaching.

We have a suite of family Centric policies to support wellbeing and diversity, including fertility, menopause, gender identity & expression, right to disconnect, flexible working policies and many more. Our ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives support employees at all levels. The Slieve Russell Hotel has also been awarded the Investors in Diversity Bronze award from the Centre of Diversity.

We continuously update our support and information based on employee feedback, ensuring relevant and effective wellbeing initiatives that contribute to our overall sustainability policy. We conduct regular staff surveys, including an independent survey conducted by the “Great Place to Work” organisation, ensuring continuous improvement is ongoing. We are proud to have received yearly certification as a “Great Place to Work” over the past number of years and most recently accredited as one of the Best Workplaces in hospitality by Great Place to Work.

To further enhance our care systems, we embarked on the Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme where all leaders were trained in the “Fundamentals of People Management” training, focusing on proactive employee engagement and integrating this engagement into our culture. We have been awarded the “Excellent Employer Award” by Failte Ireland positioning the Hotel as an employer of choice in the industry.

Our Employee Social Club organizes a variety of activities each year, including tours, Easter parties for employees’ children, pre-summer parties, table quizzes, DJ nights, and discounted vouchers for attractions such as Emerald Park and Dublin Zoo. Members also have opportunities to win various prizes, including holidays.