Back to blogs I know this statement might make some leadership teams shift in their seats. After all, surely revenue, profit and cash flow all matter? Of course they do! But you can’t build a successful, scalable, high performing park on numbers alone. All those things are built on people.
When your park culture is positive, people focused, aspirational and well embedded, that feeds through into all other areas of your business. Just like a well-tended garden that gives so much back once it starts to come into bloom, culture has to be well cultivated, nurtured and nourished. I know, this coming from someone who personally can’t grow a plant and yet can’t kill a weed! Give me people over plants any day of the week…I’m much better with people!
How Culture Connects
Holiday parks are selling an experience, memories and connection; all of which are powered by your people. Your team define your performance, your personality and most importantly are the face of your business from a customer perspective. It’s pointless investing money into your marketing if you aren’t investing in your people and culture!
On paper, growth equals strong bookings, increased revenue, repeat customers and an expanding market presence. Achieving that kind of success requires a team that cares, Leadership that communicates, staff that feel empowered and a shared belief in what the business is doing.
Culture – Nature or Nurture?
When we talk about culture, there’s often an assumption that it’s something you can simply design and roll out. But really, culture is shaped in two very different ways – nature and nurture – and the parks that truly thrive understand how to balance both.
Nature: Forms Without Permission
Some cultures aren’t built intentionally but still happen. Culture by nature is created by:
- The personalities in the team
- The behaviours Leadership model andtolerate
- Habits that form over time
- Unspoken rules and informal dynamics
How often have we all heard things like “That’s just how things are done here”, or “We’ve always done it that way” ?
That’s culture forming naturally, whether it’s helping or hindering growth. And the real risk with culture by nature is that if it’s left to grow unchecked it can become inconsistent, misaligned and resistant to change. In a customer-led environment like holiday parks, culture by nature can start to quietly limit growth. Remember that well-kept garden? Without proactive management, oversight and some hard work it can become overgrown and the weeds may just kill your best blooms.
In holiday parks if culture is left purely to nature:
- Performance becomes unpredictable
- Guest experience varies
- Teams feel inconsistent leadership
- Growth becomes harder to sustain
Nurture: Built With Intent
Then there’s culture by nurture which is designed, shaped, and actively led; it doesn’t just happen by accident.
The strongest cultures aren’t left to chance but built through:
- Clear values that guide behaviour (not just a poster on a wall)
- Consistent communication and expectations
- Recruitment aligned to culture, not just skill
- Training and development that reinforces standards
- Leaders who model the behaviours they expect
You will always hear the RBC Team chanting the mantra…Attract. Train. Retain!
Culture by nurture creates consistency, clarity, and confidence across the team and that’s where performance starts to accelerate. Because when culture is built intentionally teams pull in the same direction, standards are clear (and met), customer experience becomes reliable and growth? It becomes achievable.
Where do you think your culture sits? Nature or Nurture? I’d hazard guess you probably have a mix of both, but the crucial part is which is leading?
Nature might start your culture, but nurture is what turns it into a growth strategy.
Choosing Your Culture
A strong culture isn’t all about dog friendly spaces, pizza Fridays and break out spaces. They’re all great ideas and can have a positive impact but they’re not culture; they’re parts of a wider vision.
A truly effective culture ties in:
- Clarity
- Everyone understands the business goals and their role in achieving them
- Consistency
- Standards are clear and upheld across the park, and the entire workforce
- Accountability
- People understand what they are accountable for and take ownership
- Communication
- Is open, honest, and regular so everyone knows where you are, and where you’re heading
- Recognition
- Effort and results don’t go unnoticed with a real sense of shared success by all those who contribute
- Trust
- Teams feel safe to speak up and step up, even when difficult discussions are needed
For a lot of small and medium sized parks it can sometimes feel unnecessary (or too enthusiastic) to plan, deliver and champion culture. Often the park already has a generational identity, solid reputation and they know their team inside and out. Setting culture doesn’t mean stepping away from all those things you love about your park and all the history you feel proud of. A great culture will embrace all those things and ensure they are protected in the future as your park, your team and your profits grow!
Holiday parks are built on experience and experience is built on people.
Your guests will feel your culture through every interaction they have with your park. And in a world of full of reviews, recommendations, and repeat bookings…Culture becomes your reputation.
A strong culture doesn’t just benefit the business but elevates every individual within it. It is proven that a positive working culture results in a more confident and skilled team, who feel proud of their work, stay longer and perform better.
Culture and Commercials
A strong culture leads to:
- Better guest experiences
- Higher staff retention
- Stronger brand reputation
- More consistent delivery
- Increased productivity
All of which lead to…More bookings. More loyalty. More revenue.
So no, Cash Is Not King…Culture Is!