Hamilton Island, is one of Australia’s top luxury holiday destinations, offering unparalleled accommodation and activities in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Owned by Australia’s Oatley family since 2003, the island has seen extensive investments in facilities, accommodation, services, and experiences, creating a world-class Australian destination.
With a vibrant community of 5,000 guests and staff at any given time, supported by 1,400 employees across 400 roles, Hamilton Island offers five hotels, 20 dining options, and over 60 activities, ensuring an exceptional experience for all visitors.
Challenges
Hamilton Island is not just a holiday destination it’s a community, managing all essential infrastructure on the island. Issues identified included:
- No centralised communication platform
- Traditional emergency communication methods too slow
- Two-thirds of staff lacked corporate email, preventing access to critical policies and files
- Managers were overloaded with emails, cutting into time spent on operations
- Lack of message tracking causes missed information and inefficiency
Solutions
In 2020, Hamilton Island adopted UKG Pro Workforce Management to streamline operations, improve employee engagement, and optimise labour costs. Leveraging its existing UKG mobile technology, UKG Talk was later implemented in 2024 to deliver instant, clear, and consistent messaging across the organisation.
UKG Talk’s messaging technology, designed for large mobile workforces, is an essential tool for Hamilton Island. It equips employees with the vital information they need to perform their roles effectively, keep guests informed, and enhance the overall guest experience. From real-time updates on weather and island upgrades, to details about activities and experiences, UKG Talk ensures everyone stays connected and informed.
“We use UKG Talk for sharing real-time information about what’s happening on the island, whether it’s operational updates like road closures and weather or opportunities for guests to enjoy island activities. It empowers our team to stay safe, fulfill their responsibilities, and deliver exceptional guest experiences.” Said Rebecca Tomkins, Group HR Director.
“At Hamilton Island, we don’t just provide people a job - we provide people a home. That comes with a big responsibility. So ‘culture’ is more than just a ‘workplace culture’, it’s a community lifestyle that we are trying to build and deliver. UKG Talk is central to that.”
Rebecca Tomkins
Group HR Director
Results
Boosting productivity, flexibility and employee wellbeing: Frontline workers and employees are well-informed about changes in schedules, shifts, or duties due - whether it’s for day-to-day tasks or preparing for operational disruptions. Leveraging intelligent workforce management together with communication technology facilitates greater workplace flexibility, keeping employees happy and productive while meeting business demands.
“With UKG Talk, we can target specific groups and share communications consistently. We can also track who has read them. We can tailor messages and store important files and policies, which is crucial since frontline employees don’t have company email or access to the company intranet.
Our CEO recently used UKG Talk to post a real-time video message to thank our employees for their hard work. Previously, this would have required a full production crew and complex distribution. Thanks to UKG Talk, the CEO simply stepped onto his balcony, used his phone to record the video, and it was instantly broadcast, showcasing the platform’s remarkable efficiency and ease of use,” said Rebecca.
Creating a thriving community and workplace culture with fun events, clear guidelines, and group champions: UKG Talk supports health and safety initiatives by providing quick, live updates on important topics. For example, Hamilton Island staff accommodation teams send out tips on maintaining employee accommodation, the wellness teams post about self-care and fun things to do, and management recognises employees who create extraordinary experiences.
Event spaces were created for activities organised by the ‘fun’ committee, tracking attendance and gathering feedback. Initially, comments were disabled to gauge engagement levels, and later enabled, with clear guidelines for acceptable behavior. Engagement varies across groups, driven by champions within the business who promote participation. Structures include a company-wide group, location-based, and divisional groups, each with different levels of engagement.
By fostering seamless communication and engagement, Hamilton Island remains a connected, safe, and thriving community where employees and guests alike experience the extraordinary every day.
UKG Talk’s messaging technology has provided Hamilton Island with a critical communication and operational tools that:
- Supports guest and employee safety
- Improves operations and guest experience via centralised real-time messaging
- Builds a culture of belonging by boosting wellbeing, retention, and productivity
- Provides all staff with easy access to files, policies, and company announcements
- Reduces administrative and corporate broadcasting production time and costs
- Enables the delivery of time-critical safety and operational information
