tough economy in a challenged industry and being asked, “What would you rather have: a million dollars, or the ability to fly?” That’s one of the questions Hamilton and company asked past interviewees—and while there was no right or wrong answer, the question was not wholly whimsical, and the answer was not insignificant. “We wanted people who could think on their feet,” Hamilton
“ 20
PROGRAMS BUT UNLESS YOU’RE ON THE JOB FOR HOURS EXECUTING IT WITH CUSTOMERS YOU’RE NOT IN TOUCH WITH IT.
YOU CAN SIT IN A CONFERENCE ROOM AND MAKE POLICIES AND MAKE
—Patricia Tuck VP Human Resources SugarHouse Casino
says. “We wanted people with a sense of humor, people with energy and enthusi- asm, who would hear the question and laugh, not panic.” (Note: Most people said they would choose to fly, first because it would be more fun, and second be- cause they could make more than a million dollars that way.) “We were interviewing for personality,” Cook says. “We took people outside
their comfort zones, caught them off guard. This was all about the culture Wendy wanted to create. It came down to who was going to best fit the culture and really understand how we wanted to operate differently.”
CULTURE CLUB The word “culture” is a popular one among the SugarHouse brass. Asked to de- fine the term, Hamilton cites the bestselling business guide Gung Ho by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. Subtitled “Turn on the People in Any Organiza- tion,” the book—which like Blanchard’s other books is presented as a parable— suggests ways to succeed in business by taking care of people first. It starts by doing away with the cog-in-the-wheel structure of a lot of large companies. “We’ve all worked for good, big organizations, and we’ve found that it can be
tough on people to be a little piece of a big thing,” Hamilton says. “Whether as an executive or on the front lines, you as an individual can have trouble feeling important every day, because ultimately the thing is so big it moves on without you.
“We said, ‘Let’s create a place where the whole team is part of the effort, and
everybody has access to the people making the decisions.’ We didn’t want a lot of hierarchy. We didn’t want different policies for executives versus the front-line people. When we’re busy, we all work. When we’re busy, we all clear tables and park cars.” During the casino’s first-anniversary celebration—a block party on the
Delaware River complete with Philly-style cheese steaks and soft pretzels, fire- works, and music by native sons the Hooters—Human Resources VP Patricia Tuck spent most of her day on the parking lot in a T-shirt flipping burgers. “We’re all hands on deck,” says Tuck, who rose from hotel desk clerk to exec-
utive status at both Harrah’s and Penn National Gaming before joining Sugar- House. “Our employees are not just employees, but part of a family. We try to think about what everyone’s experience is, from executive to line-level employee. Everyone is important, and no one is more important than anyone else.” While it all sounds a bit warm and fuzzy—maybe a little bit girly—it’s the
exact opposite of empty sentiment. It’s good business, and the impact of such a philosophy can be profound. When SugarHouse executives learned that an em- ployee was dealing with violence at home, they helped her and her child relocate
the emotional situation, the financial aspect oftentimes is out of their reach,” Tuck says. “We can help with that stuff—with transportation, lodging, any of that. We help to defray those expenses to take one less stress out of their lives.” That built-in support system also helped a dealer who lost his 26-year-old son
” Global Gaming Business • November 2011
in the August attack on U.S. Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. Management and em- ployees contributed unused vacation time and also raised $12,000 so the grieving father could take a few months off. “We provided private shuttle buses to the funeral,” says Tuck, “and Rose
arranged for other employees to work that day so the people on his shift could go to the service. We try to do the small things that make a big difference.”
TOP-TIER HOTLINE Even the table-games department has a “kinder, gentler feel,” Hamilton says, with new dealers pairing with old pros to make their break-in a little easier. As for accessibility to the higher-ups, that’s a given, says Cook. “There is a hot-
line here that anybody can pick up and they will reach Wendy or Tricia. They may have to leave a message, but one of these ladies will call them back. I have never worked anywhere where everybody has a direct line to the vice president of HR and the general manager. Never.” Adds Tuck, “Our front-line guys are our best asset. They’re really smart and re-
ally talented, and they know better than any of us what’s causing a line to back up or a customer to complain. You can sit in a conference room and make policies and make programs but unless you’re on the job for hours executing it with cus- tomers you’re not in touch with it. We make them part of everything we do here.” The all-for-one approach has had a lasting positive effect, Hamilton says. “If
tough times hit, a lot of organizations would say, ‘That’s really too bad, but don’t bring it to work. Just keep smiling at our customers.’ We feel if you made it in here, you’re really special and we want you to be here forever. So what’s it for us to pay for a utility bill? And you know what? That becomes the most loyal employee you ever met in your life. They can’t wait to do their best for you.” The rank and file at SugarHouse repaid the compliment this summer, nomi-
nating their company as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work.” The casino was named among the top 50 employers in the “extra-large” category—alongside behemoths such as Comcast—based on employee scores. For Hamilton and her colleagues, it’s all summed up in Gung Ho in a chapter
about teamwork called “The Gift of the Goose.” “It’s about how geese fly in a ‘V’ formation,” Hamilton says. “They constantly
change position, with each one honking to encourage the one in front. They’re al- ways cheering each other on. It helps to make the flying easier.”
to safe housing. When they discovered that another staffer could not pay past- due utility bills (the employee had been underemployed for several years), they quietly made sure the balance was paid and the power went back on. “When those things happen, besides
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